It was rather driving her nuts, actually.
But she knew it was for the good. Frustrated as she was, she knew this was the right way, for there was no possibility of confusing who she was with or whether she wanted this—
The sensation of his wet mouth sealed upon her breast made her cry out and score his scalp. And that was before he began to suckle at her.
Around her nipple, he said, “Will you open your legs for me?”
Her thighs obeyed before her lips could form an acquiescence, and the laugh she got in response was a deep rumble of satisfaction in his chest. He also wasted no time. Relocking his mouth onto her breast, his palm slipped down to the top of her thigh and drifted over to the inside.
“Lift your hips for me,” he said before licking at her nipple some more.
She obeyed immediately, so lost in anticipation that she couldn’t comprehend why he’d asked. Except then there was a soft brush all around her legs.
The sheath. He was moving the sheath up—
His touch returned, brushing over the top of her thigh, going downward… before moving once again to the inside.…
Oh, the lack of barrier. As if it had not already been good enough.
In response, her pelvis arched and strained and got nowhere when it came to urging him to the heat he would ultimately claim. Verily, under his diverted ministrations, the blooming at her core shifted into something edgy, the welling sensation changing into a sharp-edged need, the pain of which was much like that of the strikes he’d taken at her vein.
The first touch of her sex was nothing but a passover that had her crying out for more. The second was a slower shift. The third was a—
She shot her hand down and covered his, pushing him against her heat.
His moan was unexpected, suggesting that the feel of her might have made him orgasm himself—yes, she could tell by the way his body spasmed that he had found another release, his hips jerking beneath the blankets in a way that made her think of penetration.
Repeated, vigorous penetration.
“Tohrment…” Her voice was ragged, her brain clogged, her body the only thing that was clear on anything.
It was a while before he could answer her with something other than heaving breath. “Are you okay?”
“Help me. I need…”
He brushed his lips against her breast and inched his hand away. “I’ll take care of it. Promise. Just a little longer.”
She didn’t know how much “longer” she could stand before her body blew apart.
Except then he taught her that there were even greater heights of frustration.
Eventually, the rubbing started just as it all had, slowly, lightly, a tease rather than a bona fide touch. But thanks be to the great Scribe Virgin, it didn’t stay that way. As he subtly increased the pressure at the top of her sex, she was reminded of the way he had pleasured himself in the clinic, his hands pushing down at his hips, his body creating friction until something snapped and the pleasure crested—
The orgasm was more powerful than anything she had ever felt: Not even the pain she had known at the hands of the symphath came close to the pleasure that bucked through her lower body, reverberated up her torso, and echoed out to the tips of her fingers and her toes.
She knew earth. She knew the Sanctuary.
But this… was heaven.
THIRTY-TWO
As No’One orgasmed, Tohr’s cock released again, the feel of her slick sex and her hips jerking and her voice crying out putting him waaaaay over the threshold: She was wet; she was open; she was ready for him.
She was luscious.
And as she rubbed herself against his hand, he wanted his mouth on her and his tongue up inside her so he could swallow what he had given her.
In fact, if she hadn’t been locked against him so tightly, he would have moved into position right away, heading down her body and finding her with his lips. But there was no going anywhere at the moment. Not until both their rides were over and their muscles had unlocked from their bones.
Except… she didn’t let go of him.
Even after her release had passed, her arms retained their shockingly strong hold on his neck.
When she started to shake, he felt every tremor.
At first he wondered if it was the passion returning, but it was quickly obvious that wasn’t the case.
No’One was crying softly.
As he tried to pull back, she just gripped him more tightly, tucking her head against his chest and burrowing in. Clearly, she wasn’t afraid of him, or hurt by him. But, God, still…
“Shh…” he whispered as he put his big palm on her back and began circling in gentle strokes. “It’s okay.…”
Actually, that one was a lie. He wasn’t sure if anything was okay. Especially as she started to sob in earnest.
Given there was nothing he could do but stay with her, he dropped his head close to hers and yanked the duvet off his legs to cover her up and keep her warm.
She cried forever.
He would have held her even longer than that.
It was odd… providing her with a grounding place grounded himself, giving him a purpose and focus that was just as strong as the sexual ones had been only moments before. And in retrospect, he should have known this was coming. What had just happened was probably the first and only sexual experience she’d ever consented to. Female of worth from a high-blooded family? No way she would have been permitted to even hold hands with a male.
That symphath’s violence had been all she’d ever known.
Goddamn him, he wanted to kill that bastard again.
“I don’t… know why… I cry,” she said eventually, the words dodging past her harsh exhales.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured. “For as long as it takes, I got you.”
But the emotions were passing, her breathing easing, the sniffling not quite as prevalent.
It was all over after one last shuddering inhale. Then she was still and so was he.
“Talk to me.” He continued stroking her back. “Tell me where you’re at.”
She opened her mouth as if she meant to answer, but then just shook her head.
“Well, I think you’re very brave.”
“Brave?” She laughed. “How well you do not know me.”
“Very brave. This couldn’t have been easy for you—and I’m honored that you let me… do what I did to you.”
Her face assumed a picture of confusion. “Why ever for?”
“It takes great trust, No’One—especially for someone with what happened to you in their background.”
With a frown, she seemed to retreat into herself.
“Hey,” he said, putting his forefinger under her chin. “Look at me.” When she did, he traced her face lightly. “I wish I had something philosophical or poignant or… anything… to help you put shit in perspective. I don’t, and I’m sorry for that. I know this, though. It takes true courage to break through the past, and you did that tonight.”
“I suppose we both have courage then.”
His eyes shifted away. “Yeah.”
There was a period of quiet, as if the past had sucked all of the energy out of both of them.
Abruptly, she asked, “Why is the aftermath so awkward? I feel so… apart from you.”
He nodded, thinking, Yeah, sex could be weird like that, even if there weren’t complications of the kind they were rocking: Even if you didn’t go all the way, the shattering closeness that was shared seemed to make the return to normal feel like distance in spite of the fact that you were lying side by side.
“I should go back to my room now,” she said.