“Words mean nothing,” I told him. However pretty they were. “Show me who you truly are. Show me you mean it. And I will be open to it. Open toyou.”
Those eyes burned with sudden determination, fierce and hot.
That look made my belly quiver with memory and made a flush rise up my neck.
I had the strangest thought that I might regret those words.
“I will show you everything,rei Morakkari. This I promise you.”
Chapter Forty-One
When I woke, it was in the early hours of morning, when the sun had yet to rise.
Mina was curled in my arms, the waves of her hair tickling my nose. I’d pressed my face to the curve of her neck in sleep. As if I needed her scent, as if I was addicted to it.
I’d slept solidly through the night. The first restful sleep in perhaps a long, long time.
I’d told her I would not deny my instincts any longer and I thought she’d been surprised when I actually meant it. Last night, I’d pulled her into bed and wrapped her close for sleep, close enough that I knew she heard the steady rhythm of my heart. And that was how she’d fallen asleep, slowly relaxing in my arms, tentative at first, but then her limbs loosened completely. I’d followed her shortly, the short, restless nights of sleep having finally caught up with me.
Relief bloomed in my chest. She hadn’t said she would forgive me, but she hadn’t turned me away either. I was determined to win her. I was determined to make this right between us. I only needed the chance to. And Mina seemed willing to give me that.
Waking to her scent and warmth, however, had me aching. Aching like I’d been since the night of ourtassimara. Since even before ourtassimara.
Nuzzling my head deeper into her neck, I brushed my lips over the slim, delicate column. Her back was to my chest. Her hips shifted underneath the furs and I nearly groaned when her backside rubbed my hardened cock. The only thing separating us was the small fur covering across my groin and her dress. I could so easily lift up her shift and nudge my way inside her heat.
Nik, I thought, remembering that I’d made her bleed. That I’d hurt her.Nik, I could not do that again. I wouldn’t be able to stomach causing her pain again.
But I could still give her pleasure…something I should have been doingeverynight since ourtassimara.
One of my hands slid to the hem of her shift, dragging it up slowly. I palmed her warm hip, pleased that the bone didn’t feel as prominent. There was a fullness there that hadn’t been there before, now that she was actually giving her body the nourishment it needed.
Mina moved again, a small sound rising from her throat. My lips quirked against her neck as I brushed another kiss there, slowly trailing my mouth to her ear. I nipped at the soft lobe there before sucking it. I pushed her shift up until it uncovered her tantalizing, full breasts. Her nipples tightened underneath my fingers when I stroked them softly, thrumming them to stiff peaks.
A small gasp left Mina and she stilled.
“ReiMorakkari,” I rasped in her ear. “Are you awake now?”
“Y-yes,” she whispered, the word slightly strangled. “What are you…oh…”
A breathy sigh left her when my other hand drifted between her thighs.
“Let me give you pleasure,” I murmured to her and then kissed her ear again. A strong shiver raced up her body, making me smile. “Let me make you feel good,rei sarkia. So very good.”
She didn’t answer me. Not with words, at least. And she didn’t stop me when I softly ran a finger over her folds, when I stroked the curls that shielded them.
She was curious, I knew. Curious aboutthis.
I continued to pet her between her thighs, light and gentle. Teasing her there as I continued to suck and lick and kiss and nibble along her neck and behind her ear. As I continued to lazily thrum her nipples, switching between them. When I pinched one, a shuddering gasp left her. When I pinched the other, a moan tumbled from her even though I saw she was biting her lip and her hips rocked.
She was getting hot. So veryhot.
My cock throbbed and ached and pressed. It was jutting out from my loincloth, bobbing against her bare buttocks. It was growing too warm underneath the furs but I didn’t want to stop touching her to throw them off us.
I moved my knee between her legs, parting them. With her inner thigh resting on my outer one, I moved my own up so she would be exposed to me. Hurriedly, I brought my hand up to my mouth and I bit off the pointed edges of two of my claws so I wouldn’t hurt her, dulling and blunting them. I touched her again and I growled, desire making me feel dizzy, when I discovered her wet and slick.
Pressing a kiss to her neck, I murmured, “So hot for me,rei sarkia. You want me to touch you here?”
“Yes,” she said, the word immediate and breathless. I grinned, gently pinching her nipple again in praise. “Oh.”
