AQUIVER || Award-winning short stories about love won and lost

Kneel

"Kneel."

Kira stared at the man who'd whispered the command in her ear. The dance beat pulsed in her veins, the writhing bodies on the dance floor heating her skin.

His strong fingers had brushed her cheek while she'd been dancing, enthralled by the music and the absence of sorrow lightening her movements. Kira had liked what she saw. Darkness. From the dark depths of gorgeous eyes, to the stubble covering his strong jaw. From the scowl adorning his full lips to the commanding presence he threw, even in the middle of a dancing.

In response to the unspoken question in his eyes, she'd plastered her body against the sculpted muscle under the tight, soft T-shirt he wore. At first, all he did was stare down at her while she danced against him. It should have been awkward, yet it was anything but. The added heat in his dark eyes made sweat roll down her spine, the skin left bare by her open-back dress damp in the sticky air.

When his large hand landed on her waist and pulled her hips to him, the friction made her moan. His fingers buried in her long, red hair and tugged her head back until she couldn't avoid his gaze. Right before his lips slammed down on hers, Kira watched him smile and melted into him, every doubt on her mind obliterated by her baser instincts.

She forgot to move to the beat in the heat of his kiss. He shoved his thigh between her legs, and she rolled her hips against the hardness pushing into her core.

His breath zinged over the skin of her throat as he kissed his way up her neck.

The word he whispered in her ear elicited shivers and slight panic.

"Kneel."

They stood unmoving in a sea of bodies on the move. The world crashed against the bubble his presence created around her, none of it strong enough to drag her away from him.

He waited for her response. His eyes told her he expected to be obeyed, despite the absolute madness of his command.

Kira knew she should walk away from the car crash this was shaping up to be.

She couldn't.

Green eyes fixed on his face, she sank down at his feet. Dark depths watched her submission, the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth telling her she passed the challenge he'd thrown her way.

His hand under her chin brought her back up, until his lips hovered over hers. "Perfect. You're perfect."

Kira felt his conviction flood her body. There was a promise in his voice she wanted to hold him to.

She didn't understand when he kissed the edge of her mouth, his large hand cupping the side of her face, pulling her cheek against his whispering lips.

"I'm letting you go. If you still feel like kneeling before me tomorrow, you call me." He pressed a piece of paper in her hand and folded her fingers around it. "If your rational mind proves too strong, you trash this and keep the memory."

His thumb caressed her bottom lip. Another promise left behind by his fingers on her, if she had the courage to demand his touch.

He walked away, unhurried. Kira watched the broad shoulders weave throw the crowd of dancers until he disappeared, still unmoving, still encased in the bubble he'd left her in.

***A/N: Just something that jumped on the paper one night. I love the tension between two strangers here, so I wanted to share it with you. Have fun!***