Crave

Neveah froze when he suddenly went down on one knee right in front of her. Her lashes batted up and down as her big round brown eyes followed his slow movement as he knelt before her.

'What was he trying to do now? She cried in her head. Why was he suddenly kneeling before her? She asked herself in horror. Her breath ceased, and cold air washed through her skin.

Fear and unease engulfed her entire being when she suddenly saw his hand move toward her right leg. And at that moment, she didn't know if she had suddenly swallowed her heart or if it had stopped beating.

"W-w-what are you doing?" She asked in trepidation as she tried moving her foot back, but there was no space for her to move to. "Please stop." She desperately pleaded in fear.

What was he trying to do to her? Undress her? Neveah felt a cold grip on her heart as that horrifying thought came to mind. Her cold, stiff heart began to race like never before.

"Stop!" She suddenly exclaimed when the top of his fingers grazed her skin. Her voice was loud and firm, slightly startling Dale, who paused and raised his head to glance at her under those thick long lashes of his.

"What's wrong?" He innocently asked, remaining in his kneeling position. His eyes were genuinely coated with worry and confusion.

"Don't...you think you're hasty?" She asked in a shaky voice.

"Hasty?" Dale muttered out, almost to himself, his brows furrowed deeper in utter confusion. What was he hasty about?

"Wife, do you care to elaborate?" He tilted his head, his curious gaze intently fixed on her.

Neveah swallowed when his blue-green eyes stared at her with an oblivious expression of how he was making her feel. Her lips slightly quivered as she tried to reply to him. Why was she suddenly feeling tongue-tied? She had to say something to stop him else...

Nevaeh drew in a short breath to calm herself before staring down at the man. Truth be told, this position of him kneeling in front of her and her standing so close to him was pretty awkward, and awkwardness was one of the many things she hated because it made her uneasy.

Clearing her throat, she said, "Dale, I think you should give me some time to..." She paused to gather her next words, and those brief silent seconds increased Dale's anxiety, prompting him to tilt his brows at her.

"Time to what?" He urged.

"Time to know each other more." She opted for his choice of words. "We shouldn't rush into... doing things." She said as she darted her eyes away from him. She didn't know why she felt uncomfortable saying those words while staring into his eyes. 'And why the hell wasn't he standing up?!' She cried in her head.

Dale wasn't sure if he understood her words, but after seeing the bright red colouring on her cheeks, he finally realized what she was talking about or rather what she was trying to say. Seeing her scared yet mortified expression, he chuckled in his mind. She was cuter than he thought she was. Pure innocence was boldly written over her face.

His eyes glistened with something unknown as he gazed at her, 'She hasn't lost an ounce of her beauty.'

"As much as I'd like to perform my husbandly rights on you tonight, I have to refrain myself because you're tired and..." He briefly paused intentionally to pique her interest, and of course, it worked because Neveah soon had her intense gaze boring at him.

He revealed an amused smile and continued, "I'm only trying to get you out of these shoes." He said, his hands already working their way into unbuckling the straps of her heels.

He was trying to do what? She asked herself as she incredulously stared at him. She didn't know if she should be relieved that he wasn't trying to undress her, and he was only trying to take off her shoes. But why does that feel almost intimate? He shouldn't be doing this!

Neveah felt uncomfortable as she watched him free her slightly swollen legs from her accursed shoe. She hissed out in relief when her right foot finally breathed out in freedom. At long last!

She didn't miss the deft and gentle way he unbuckled her shoes. He carried out this action like a dire affair he ought to pay his utmost attention to.

And once again, she asked herself who he truly was. A devil would never be this nice.

But then again, she shouldn't be too quick in analyzing him, as the 'devil' they say was deceptive.

But devil or not, this man was different from the men she had encountered all her life.

Nevaeh flinched when she suddenly felt a warm touch on her heels. She snapped out of her thoughts and returned her attention to the man who was now holding her foot and examining it intently. She couldn't help but notice the slight crease between his brows as he awkwardly stared at her foot. She was about to say something when he suddenly pulled his hand away from her and he stood to his feet, her eyes not leaving him for a second.

He could see how tensed she was with the way she looked at him. He sighed.

"Wife, as savage as I could be, I want you to know I'd never force my way on you. But when I touch you, it would because you want me to." He paused as his eyes trailed her body from head to toe in a way that made Nevaeh feel something crawl over her body. She stiffened when he leaned towards her ear, and his breath suddenly warmed her neck, while he continued with his spine crumbling voice, "And when I do, believe me you wouldn't want me to stop, as my touch would be all you crave for."