She looked away, and high color bloomed on her cheeks. With her shiny brown hair mused by their vigorous lovemaking, her rosy cheeks, and lips swollen by his kisses, she looked adorable, and younger than her age. Was she saying…?
“When did you last have your courses?”
She turned a violent red and threw an arm over her face to cover it. “That’s an intimate matter!”
Her reaction was answer enough, but he needed confirmation. This was too important. “More intimate than what we just did?”
She peered at him from under her arm. “That’s different. What we did was sublime. My…situation is just mortifying.”
He gently picked up her arm and lowered it from her face. “It’s not. It’s a fact of life and part of a woman’s life cycle. I don’t wish to embarrass you, but you are actually young to not haveyour menses. Each woman is different, of course, but it usually happens a few years later.”
Her smile was strained. “There you have it, then. I’m aging ahead of my time. Before long, I shall be an old hag.”
This time she turned away from him and buried her face in the pillow. He caressed her shoulder, her delicate arm. Leaned in to place a kiss on her neck. “You are not. In your case, your injury may have caused the early cessation. Did it happen after your accident?”
“Shortly after,” she muttered.
“So you haven’t had your courses for years.”
“No.”
“And do you feel well otherwise?”
She nodded her head.
Intense relief flooded him. For him, it was the best possible scenario. But how could he reassure her and make her feel as the vibrant woman that she was? How to convince her that this was for the best? His biggest worry was the possibility of a pregnancy. The danger that would put her in… No, better not think about that.
“Regardless of the cause, it doesn’t define you. Look at it this way: you are still a young and beautiful woman. Capable of feeling and inspiring desire. Now you are free to enjoy sex without having to worry about pregnancy or the risks of childbirth.”
“I was never beautiful. Not even in my younger years,” she mumbled against her pillow.
He smiled against her shoulder. “Fishing for compliments?”
She gasped, outrage at the accusation making her turn to face him. “I was not! I’m merely stating a fact.”
“It’s not a fact. It’s your opinion, with which I wholeheartedly disagree. Not only me.” He rubbed into her hip, making her aware of his renewed arousal. “My rod seems to find youirresistible. Esther, I’m almost fifty years of age, and you have me as randy as a lad of eighteen.”
Her eyes widened as he pulled her against him, insinuating one of his thighs between hers.
“You want to do it again?” she asked.
She didn’t sound horrified at the prospect. More like intrigued. He dotted kisses along her shoulder, up the side of her neck, nibbled her ear. His hardening cock turned to iron.
“Only if you wish. I’m more than up to the task.”
She giggled. “I can see that.” She reached down and wrapped her fingers around him, making him groan with desire. “What do you call this in Chinese?”
She wanted a linguistic lesson now? He could barely think straight with her wonderful fingers squeezing him.
“It has several names,” he croaked. “Lóng gen.”
“Hmm, long.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “It’s definitely fitting.”
He could not believe he could laugh at a moment like this, but a bark of laughter surprised him at her naughtiness.
“It means Dragon’s Root.”
Now it was her turn to laugh. “Rather grandiose, don’t you think?”
