“Don’t stop,” I whisper.
I’m grinding against his hand now, the heel of his palm pressed tightly against me. I gasp when the climax rises without warning, a rush of pure, delicious bliss filling my body. Tingling between my legs, in my fingertips, up my spine, and down to my toes. I moan as he keeps going, determined to draw every ounce of pleasure out of me.
He’s smiling at me, mighty pleased with himself, as I squirm away because everything has gotten too sensitive down there. Utterly sated, I roll over and rest my head on his chest.
While he absently strokes my shoulder, I squint down his body and grin at the very obvious erection tenting his pants. “Are you okay there, ace?”
“No, I’m not. In case you can’t tell, I’m hard as a rock.”
I shudder with laughter, my face buried against his pecs. Then I rise up on my elbow. “Permission to do something about that?” I ask hopefully.
He gives me a stern look. “We’re not having sex. It wasyourrequest to go slow.”
“And now I’m requesting to go fast.” I purse my lips in thought. “How about a compromise?”
“I’m listening.”
I swallow another laugh. “No sex. Just…this.”
Before he can argue, I kiss my way down his chest, feeling his muscles quiver beneath my lips. I reach his waistband and slide my fingertips beneath it. Dancing them along his flesh.
When he shivers, I look up. “Permission to continue?”
I’m gratified by the pure need sizzling in his eyes. “Yes.”
I tug his pants off his hips, and his cock springs up, hard and ready for me. Gently, I tease my fingertips along the length of him, rubbing my thumb over his tip. Welcoming every husky groan and heavybreath that escapes his mouth as I lick and stroke before finally sucking him into my mouth, as deep as I can.
“Fuck,” Gray chokes out. He slides a hand in my hair, bunching it into a ponytail, guiding my head over him. “Keep doing that. Yeah. Slow and deep, just like that.”
I feel him throbbing against my tongue. His body is tense, muscles quivering as if he’s struggling for control. He lets me lead, even though I can tell it’s taking every bit of restraint on his part.
On my next upstroke, I lick a circle around his crown and peer up at him, summoning a strangled expletive from him.
“You have no idea how good you look doing that.”
My own arousal begins to rise, but I ignore it, focusing on his pleasure. It isn’t long before my thorough attention has him letting out a choked groan of warning. I stroke him through the release, enjoying his heavy-lidded expression, the way his teeth dig into his lower lip. He collapses breathlessly and tugs me up his body.
“That was incredible,” he mutters.
His pants are half off. His abs are sticky. So is my hand. I don’t care. I curl up beside him again, feeling his heart hammering beneath my ear, watching his chest rise and fall as his breathing steadies.
“I’m sorry for what I did.”
The words slip out before I can stop them, and I instantly regret it when I feel him stiffen. But I forge on, needing to get this out.
“I was agonizing about it on the flight back here tonight, and I think I managed to make some sense of it. Every time I’ve used incitement in the past, it was by accident, and I always told myself that I would never, ever do it on purpose. Steal someone’s will from them…” I bite my lip. “But when my life was in danger at the Silver Jubilee, I didn’t even hesitate. I incited Jayde to save myself, and I’ve felt like a monster ever since.”
“Wren—”
“No, let me finish. I felt sick after I used incitement on Jayde. But not today. There was guilt, yes, and so much remorse for breaking my promise to you, but…” I gulp through my clogged throat. “I don’t feel like a monster for trying to save your life. In my head, there was literally no other choice. I’m sorry I did that to you, but I’m also notsorry. Or at least a part of me isn’t, because it feels like this is the first time I used incitement for somethinggood.To help someone.”
Gray goes quiet for a second. Then he lets out a breath. “Fuck. I’m furious that you did that to me. But I also hate the thought of you believing you’re a monster. Because you’re not. You did what you did today because you wanted me and Evlynne to be safe. I get that. I would’ve done the same thing.”
“So you don’t hate me?” I whisper against his shoulder.
“Never.”
His lips brush the top of my head in a reassuring kiss.
