“Well, I didn’t know how you felt about it. I mean, for a while you had your monthly and I knew you felt sick. After that, well…”
“Well, what?” I demanded. “Why haven’t you kissed me or done anything else? Why won’t you touch me? Don’t you like me? Don’t you want to touch me?”
“God and Goddess, Auri, of course I want to touch you.” His voice was slightly hoarse. “But I don’t want to take advantage of you. I mean, you’re a virgin, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am,” I said, puzzled by the question. “So?”
“So, I didn’t want to hurt or scare you.” He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. “You’re so delicate, so little…”
“I’m bigger than I used to be,” I pointed out indignantly.
The floaty sensation was beginning to leave me, and I was beginning to feel more alert mentally. But I was having other sensations as well—a tingling in my nipples and a heat between my thighs that reminded me of how I’d felt during the Mating Flight.
“Ryse, I’m starting to feel kind of funny,” I told him.
“Funny how?” He frowned, clearly concerned.
“Kind of…tingly and sensitive and hot,” I said, trying to put the strange feelings into words.
“Uh-huh.” He didn’t sound surprised. “And where exactly are you feeling tingly and hot, little one?”
“Well…here.” I touched the tips of my breasts, which were so tight they ached, pressing against the thin white fabric of my nightshirt. “And…here.” I blushed as I pointed between my thighs. I wasn’t wearing any underpants under the shirt because all of mine were still in the laundry service.
“Mmm-hmm.” Ryse nodded. “Welcome to the after-effects of sweet grass,” he told me. “You’re going to need to touch yourself very badly for a while, I’m afraid.”
“What?” I demanded, my cheeks getting hot at once. “Touch myself?”
“It’s the only way to get over the sweet grass effects,” he told me. “I remember when M’alex had growing pains—I nearly rubbed myself raw, I jerked off so many times.”
His frank words made me blush even harder. I couldn’t believe this! Was I really going to have to touch myself? It really was like the Mating Flight all over again!
And yet, I could tell he was right. The heat and need were growing inside me, making me squirm against him restlessly as I pressed my thighs together, trying to ease the sexual ache growing there.
“I can go in the bathroom if you want,” Ryse offered. “I mean, if you’re shy to touch yourself with someone watching.”
I bit my lower lip, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and need.
“I don’t…don’t want you to go,” I confessed. “This is scary, Ryse. What if I need your help?”
He frowned.
“I shouldn’t be ‘helping’ you like that, little one. Not while you’re under the effects of sweet grass.”
“But I don’t feel floaty anymore,” I protested. “I just feel so needy.”
“Touch yourself then—it should help,” he told me. He stroked my hair out of my face. “I’ll hold you while you do it if you want me to.”
“Yes, please…” I said softly.
Feeling suddenly hot and restless, I sat up for a moment and slipped off my nightshirt completely. I threw it to one side and lay back down with my head on Ryse’s broad, bare chest.
I heard him let out a faint groan and looked up to see that his golden eyes were half-lidded as he looked at me.
“Are you all right?” I asked, anxiously.
“Fine. Forgive me, little one. You’re just so beautiful,” he murmured.
I felt a blush of pleasure suffuse my body. I loved that he thought I was beautiful. It made me feel pretty and feminine in a way I hadn’t since I had come to the Academy.
