The crack in her voice pulled at his heart for some reason and even now, on the edge of his own pleasure, he paused.
“Are you sure?”
“Please, James,” she begged, her hands touching his shoulders and pulling at him, as if to bring him closer.
And closer he came.
“Hold on to me,” he whispered as he entered her, hating every painful whimper that came from her lips as he pushed into her.
The tension in her arms emanated from her, as so he was slow to move deeper. She let out a ragged breath as he pressed farther until he was completely surrounded by her. If he had been at her beck and call before, now he was her servant, for all that mattered was this moment, this connection between them.
After a moment, Grace’s hips lifted and he began to pull out, before pushing back in, settling in a rhythm that would surely kill him.
“James,” she begged, her eyes closed. “Yes, more.”
He would remember those words until his last breath, he decided as he began to pump into her, faster, deeper, until his own body began to tense as she clutched around his shaft. Before he could finish, he pulled out of her, releasing himself on the sheet beneath them.
It was almost as painful as it was pleasurable. James fell to the bed by her side and pressed his face into the bed, only vaguely aware of the scent of mint as she rolled over.
For a long moment, neither spoke, but only watched one another. As their breathing evened out, James couldn’t help but smile, his hand reaching to touch her cheek. Reaching for her, he pulled her close to his chest and they both fell asleep.
Some hours later, when it was dark, James opened his eyes. Grace was still there, pressed against him, but by the stilted breathing, he guessed she was awake, so he hugged her.
“I can’t believe that happened.”
“Me neither,” she replied. “Thank you.”
He chuckled.
“Love, you never need to thank me. The pleasure was all mine.”
But at the wordlove, Grace sat up.
“There’s no need to call me that.”
He frowned as he came up onto his elbow.
“It was only an endearment.”
“I know, but I’d prefer it if you didn’t use it.”
“Very well.”
A moment of silence.
“It’s just that—”
“I don’t see how—”
They both started and stopped. After a moment, Grace gave him a smirk.
“It’s just that, I don’t wish anything more to develop between us.”
“Anything more?”
“Yes. Besides physical relations.”
James nodded, though a hole felt as if it had just developed in his chest and a strain in his throat. He had not expected herto say that and rolled onto his back, staring up at the canopy. Perhaps this wasn’t as clever an idea as he first thought.
