Jocelyn pressed her lips together, but I still heard her sigh.
I stood, gathering up the dishes. “You can stay here tonight. I’ll stay out here.” There was the empty bedroom and bathroom that had been Korrad and Jay’s, but they’d taken all that furniture as well, of course.
She didn’t respond to the offer until much later, when we both stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room, and she finally took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes. “You can’t sleep in a beach chair in your own house, Brakkor.”
The sound of my name on her lips never got old. Still, I forced myself to focus on her words. “I’ll sleep on the floor, it’s okay.”
Another deep breath, and I definitely didn’t look at her tits. Much. “I don’t see why we couldn’t share the bed.”
Yes.
Yes.
Still, I growled a warning to my enthusiasticKteerand took her hands again. “You sure, Kitten?”
“No sex.”
“No sex,” I agreed.
“But…” My heart leapt at her shy smile. “I guess we could see how things go. As long as we talk about it.”
Right. Because I wasn’t going to do anything without her permission. Still, the knowledge that she was willing to discuss the possibility of more pleasure? I could feel myKteervibrating with eagerness.
Jocelyn stretched up on her toes to press a kiss against my jaw, like she had that first night. It wasn’t the kind of kiss I wanted, but it was…nice. Real nice, actually.
“Thanks for your help, Brakkor,” she murmured as she pulled away.
When she ducked into the second bathroom with her suitcase, I pressed my fingertips against the skin she’d kissed. “Anytime,” I rasped, feeling…strange.
She was here, in my space, and she’d kissed me. I wanted to fuck her, yeah—hunt, catch, fuck—but that desperate sort of urge had dulled a bit, and now I felt…I dunno. Like I’d done something right.
Something good.
For her.
This lasted right up until Jocelyn emerged from the bathroom smelling all perfect and dressed in a matching shirt and small sleep shorts in a comfortable-looking purple cotton. It shouldn’t have been sexy. But when she flushedand murmured, “Good night, Brakkor,” without meeting my eyes?
I groaned silently and took myself off to the shower to jerk my cock in the hopes of getting the damned thing to settle down.
When I emerged, and could hear her even breathing coming from the darkness of the bedroom, I thought maybe I’d succeeded…right up until I pulled back the covers and climbed in beside her.
My palms itched with aneedto take her in my arms.
You didn’t ask her.
Right. And I’d promised her I’d ask permission before I touched her.
So I curled my hands into fists and rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling as the storm outside the window gentled to a quiet patter of rain. I couldn’t touch her, but it was enough just to know she was here.
With me.
No other female had ever slept here.Hunt, catch, fuckdidn’t include cuddling with females in my bed.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that Jocelyn was right where she belonged.
Chapter Nine
Jocelyn
