Despite the fact he’d just come, his cock was rock hard, aching with the need. Yet he refrained.
Truth be told, he wasn’t sure where he found the restraint. For weeks now, his hunger for her had been growing. Not a steady rise, either. No, this was an insurmountable pressure that threatened to weaken the fault lines of their tremulous relationship. From what he gathered, Acadia saw herself as his nurse, provided for him when he was otherwise unable to provide for himself. She took care of him day and night, waiting on him, feeding him, bathing him.
And here he was again, having used her body to provide his release. He’d been selfish in his taking of pleasure, and that was the only reason he’d offered to do the same for her.
Okay, maybe not the only reason.
However, he couldn’t help but think how she’d told him the Fae availed themselves to the angels in this manner. That bothered him more than anything, and he did not want her thinking he was taking because it was his due. No, what he wanted from her was more, yet he didn’t seem to know how to relay that.
“Please stay,” he urged when he suspected she would get to her feet.
“Are you sure?”
He’d never been more sure of anything in his life. What it was about this female, he had no idea, but Kaj felt the connection between them. He’d sensed it the moment he’d opened his eyes all those weeks ago to find she was still with him, caring for him, healing him.
“I’m sure. Just let me clean up first.”
Acadia was immediately on her feet, her gown sliding back down to cover all that delectable skin. Kaj instantly wanted her to remove it so he could bask in her physical beauty for a while longer.
Rather than insist, he forced himself to his feet, made his way to the bathroom. The pain that bloomed in his torso was a familiar one. Despite the weeks he’d been here, he had yet to heal. Acadia was right, with her blood in his veins, he should’ve been at full strength by now, probably even back out in the world, returning to his duties. Instead, he continued to suffer setbacks, the pain still an insistent reminder that he was injured, each night the idea of a full recovery eluding him.
He shuffled his way to the sink, turned on the warm water, and grabbed a cloth from the shelf on the wall. He stared at himself in the mirror as he rinsed the remnants of his lust off his stomach. His mind drifted back to those few moments when he’d been at her vein, his body trembling with need, his cock throbbing with the urge to come. Kaj could still hear Acadia’s whispered words, her softly spoken commands. His body had belonged to her in those moments, and he wondered if she even realized it.
“Are you okay?”
Kaj’s eyes shifted upward, seeing Acadia behind him in the reflective glass. He nodded because that was what she expected. As for whether that was the truth, he didn’t know. Something told him he would never be okay. Not in any real sense of the word. Not after this … the time he’d spent with her.
“May I assist you back to the bed?”
He could see her eyes moving over him, observing. Kaj decided he liked the way she looked at him. There was a warmth in her gaze. Not only the heat of attraction. More. Deeper. As though she could see past the exterior to the male beneath.
Flipping the water off, he tossed the cloth into the sink, then snagged the hand towel and dried himself. He felt as though he needed to shield his nakedness but he opted not to. His cock was still hard, still throbbing, but the damn thing didn’t lead him, so it wasn’t concerning. He could and would ignore it as he was apt to do around this female.
“Come on.” Acadia held up her arm, allowed him to lean on her for stability.
When he stepped into the room, he realized she’d changed the sheets on the bed and now both sides were turned down, the pillows fluffed and awaiting two heads to lie on them.
“You still want me to stay?”
The uncertainty in her tone had him pausing, turning to look at her. His eyes scanned her beautiful features.
“Yes. Please.”Forever, if you wouldn’t mind. Thankfully, those last words were only in his head and he intended to keep them to himself.
Acadia kindly assisted him to his side of the bed, offered her strength as he eased into it. The blankets were pulled over his hips before she made her way around to the other side.
“Would you mind taking off the gown?”
He hadn’t meant to say the words aloud, but once they were out there, it wasn’t like he could take them back.
A soft smile pulled at her lips, and then she was working free the ties and buttons on the dress. He couldn’t help staring at her as she revealed herself.
Once she was on the mattress, she slowly pulled the blankets up, covering her nakedness once more.
“Would you mind lying with me?” he prompted, holding out his arm, urging her to move in close.
The silk of her hair tickled his arm as she shifted, pressing against his side, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder. His arm curled around her back, pulling her closer, her warmth the only thing he cared about.
When Acadia rested her hand on his chest, Kaj placed his over it, wanting to hold her there, to ensure she didn’t slip away as he drifted off.
