“She said about the same thing for you and I.”
“I am not surprised.”
“Lorelei,” he said softly, “I don’t want to drift away you. Ever. That’s the one thing that I still worry about. You’re closer to me than anyone…except that with Rachel I felt the same way. And it was like I didn’t have to say anything at all. She can read me like a book. A lot like you do.”
“It sounds like we all find our way,” Lorelei suggested.
“But doesn’t that cheapen it for us? Or for her and I?” Alex asked. “I don’t…I don’t want to sound like I’m playing favorites. I don’t know if I could. You’re the most important person in my life, except saying that seems unfair to Rachel…but not saying it seems unfair to you.”
“I have no fear of sharing my primacy with Rachel. This will be a challenge for all three of us, but we want it. We all want it. The best thing you could do for me and for Rachel is to throw caution to the wind and carry forth with both of us. And with the rest of your relationships,” she added encouragingly.
Exasperating as her attitude was, Alex could only laugh. He cuddled Lorelei close. “I have no clue how I’m going to handle all of this.”
“I’ll help,” Lorelei assured him. “No jealousy. No competition.” After a pause, she added, “I’ll be very happy to keep your date book for you.”
“That’s…insanely sexy.”
“And manipulative, and selfish. I may have ulterior motives in wanting to run your schedule.” As if to illustrate her point, she trailed kisses up his neck while her fingers reached up to massage his temples.
“Hey,” Alex said slowly, “you’re supposed to let me take care of you tonight.” He reached around, found the washcloth and soap again, and went back to his work.
Lorelei obediently let herself be indulged. Nothing remained of his former shyness. He diligently cleaned her wounds and her body from head to toe. He stared at her naked beauty all the while as he washed her hair. Even with the marring of cuts and bruises she was still an incredible sight.
As he came to her long devil’s tail and washed that, too, without complaint or hesitation, Lorelei felt a new wave of happiness wash over her. Alex went from that to her wings, which faded in and out of substantiality as they moved around in the tub. There was a strange convenience to them. When they weren’t at all in the way, they were perfectly solid. When they became an obstruction, they faded. Yet when Alex reached for them, caressing and cleansing the dirt and grime and blood from the leathery flesh, they were quite real.
“You spoil me,” Lorelei smiled with her back turned for him.
“Oh, but you’ve been stingy with me, right?” When he finished with the wings, he went back to fondly stroking her back and her sides. There wasn’t any further need to wash her there beyond simple affection. Eventually, the wings faded away again, both to the touch and to his sight. He couldn’t complain; it made it easier to touch the rest of her.
Lorelei purred as her lover’s touch became increasingly familiar. He was still gentle, with her wounds closed and clean but not at all gone. For all her pain, though, she enjoyed his caress. They were both on their knees in the center of the tub. “Alex,” Lorelei murmured finally, “you know what will heal me.”
“Is that an invitation?” He leaned in close, brushing her wet hair aside to kiss the back of her neck. One hand slipped around her side, moving up to the underside of her breast to softly cup it. His fingers gently brushed either side of her nipple.
“I’ve told you before. My body will forever invite yours. We haven’t used this tub yet.” Lorelei continued to purr as he played.
“I thought sex in water wasn’t comfortable for women.”
“I’m no ordinary woman.” Her naked ass slid against his groin. It left his hardened cock pushed downward between her cheeks. Lorelei reveled in the nearness of him, his hand on her breast and the feel of his breath on her neck. The only trepidation in him now was over her injuries; everything about his demeanor tonight had been comfortably, lovingly possessive, and that thrilled her. She even heard it in his voice, which up against her ear was a welcome turn-on. He had gotten much better at all this. She felt real confidence in him. Real control. She started to tremble.
He didn’t respond right away-at least, not verbally. His lips slowly enveloped her earlobe. Fingertips traced up and down her front, from her neck to her inner thighs, teasing almost everything along the way. His fingers conspicuously avoided her sex, only stroking through a bit of her hair without actually going for the flesh. When he shifted a bit, though, his cock slid up between her legs and teased at the willing lips between them.
It drew a gasp from her. She felt his desires rise, knowing they built upon both Lydia’s torment and the passion that he had shared with Rachel. The thought put a grin on her face.
“Have you and Rachel developed the same bond that we share?” Lorelei asked.
The feeling of his teeth gently scraping between her neck and shoulder told her he was smiling. “I think you know the answer to that,” he taunted.
“Mnh. Do I?” Lorelei asked innocently.
He kept her close. One arm slipped up between her breasts, where his fingers could play gently at her throat. The other moved down, parting the lips between her legs. His cock slid across them again, sending a shudder through her.
She wanted it. Needed it. Felt willing to beg. That was when her eyes snapped open.
“Who’s seducing who now?”
Neither his tone nor his roaming, arousing hands indicated any shyness. “You’re a wicked woman, Lorelei,” Alex grinned. “You knew what would happen if Rachel and I went to bed together, didn’t you?” Lorelei’s next breath shook. “You knew the ritual wasn’t finished.”
Her body was on fire. The pain visited upon her this evening fell further and further away. Lorelei’s next breath shook. His cock was agonizingly positioned to take her, but he did not move further. His hands continued to play with her, and his mouth continued to move along her skin from behind. “I did.”
“You knew I wouldn’t go to bed with her if I knew it would bind her to me, didn’t you?” Alex asked. His voice was calm and patient. One of his hands slipped low along her body, sliding down between her legs.
“Yes,” Lorelei rasped. It was such a thrill to hear and feel this confidence in him, and yet so maddening to be teased like this. She knew how this affected him, too. His self-denial was incredible. “I wanted you to have her.”
She was rewarded with an inch of penetration, but no more. Alex wouldn’t move in further. He held himself there while holding her still. Lorelei cooperated fully as she felt herself come alive with hunger. His cock felt absolutely wonderful. The game felt wonderful. Lorelei had just enough of him to drive her out of her mind with need for the rest. His intentions were clear, though. He was in control.
“You know you can lie to me,” he said, his voice low and seductive. “Don’t you?”
“Yes,” Lorelei confessed. “I knew that it was becoming easier to deceive you.”
She whimpered. He gyrated just enough to energize her with motion while not pushing that beautiful tool further inside. “Yes, love,” Lorelei confessed. “I knew a day or two ago that it was becoming easier to…manipulate through deception.”
Her confession earned her further penetration. She let out a grunt of thanks, but even now there was still more to be had, and thus she had to have it.
“Why would you want to do that?” He didn’t sound bothered in the least.
“Only because I love you,” Lorelei whimpered. The reward that filled her still didn’t go far enough to satisfy. It was a thrilling torture. “I wanted you to have her.”
“Are you going to lie to me in the future?”