She milked her pleasure center shamelessly as she slid her fingers up and down and pinched her clit firmly. All the while fingers thrust rhythmically into her. She ground her hips into them. Her lower body swiveled and rocked in slow motion. She was close, so close. The rush tingled up her legs. Her body trembled as she dug her fingers deeply into a visibly constricting cunt. Fingers pinched her clit sharply as she pulled it up into full view and flung herself over.
Her pale body arched off the bed. Hips thrust upward as her mouth gaped open in a long, soundless wail. She crashed onto the shores of bliss with unexpected violence. Wave after wave of molten heat folded her into velvet pleasure while her fingers stroked her swollen cunt through it. Clit and cunt lips swelled impossibly fuller as her intimate tissues flushed deeply in wanton feminine satisfaction.
Slowly she sank back to the bed. Her fingers gently pulled out of her cunt. She dragged the liquid clinging to them up her body to trail it over pebbled nipples. Sticky fingers squeezed pouting nipples firmly. The distended points were puffy, swollen and achy, needing the attention to calm down. She massaged them tenderly as her breathing returned to normal. Her legs remained wide open and her hips rocked soothingly as if rubbing against a phantom lover while she petted herself into calmness.
Her lashes drifted open and she looked up at Gray. He stared down at her with a shell-shocked expression on his face and he seemed pale. She frowned, puzzled.
“Are you okay?” her voice was still breathless and soft.
He snapped his mouth shut and gazed down at her mutely for a moment, then sank to the bed beside her. His big body was shaking.
“No, I don’t think I am,” he mumbled.
Prin rolled to her side to prop her head on a hand and looked at him. His eyes were closed. His arresting face was somehow drawn and tight, both hands fisted at his sides, biceps bulging with some suppressed emotion with which he seemed to be wrestling. A sickening suspicion began to sneak up on her.
“Did I shock you, Gray?” she asked, worried now. “I’m sorry if that upset you,” she hurried on. “I thought you would enjoy it. It never occurred to me that you would hate it…” Prin trailed off as a bark of derisive laughter erupted from him.
He dragged a big, shaky hand down his face. “Hate it? Baby, I barely survived it.” He turned his head. Those pale eyes burned into her through a sheen of unshed tears.
Gasping, her hand shot out to cradle his clenching jaw. He seized that hand and brought it to his open mouth. His face pressed into her palm as he squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled deeply. Her body’s perfume already drifted lightly around the room. But here on her hand he could drink in her unique scent deeply.
“You are so beautiful, Princess,” he groaned. “What makes me think I deserve someone as fine as you?”
She sank into him, scattering kisses as soft as the brush of butterfly wings across his chest and neck. Steel-banded arms wrapped around her and hugged her to him in a rib-crunching hold. “But I can’t let you go, Baby Girl.” The ragged desperate words were whispered into her hair.
“Who asked you to?” she replied. Her smile hidden in his chest was beatific. So, that’s how you wrecked a warrior? Who knew it could be so easy? Sliding her hands up and down his sides, head pressed to his chest, she heard each one of his shuddering breaths. He was barely in control. She’d done that to him. Deep within her, a whole new kind of satisfaction bloomed. There was nothing like having one or two weapons stashed away. Time to let the big guy off the hook, she supposed.
“Umm…Gray?” She gently nudged him.
“Yeah, baby,” he rumbled.
“I need to breathe soon.” Humor edged her comment.
“Oh. Sorry.” His hold loosened marginally, but his face remained buried in her neck. He still breathed in a choppy gasp. His body felt so tightly clenched that the skin was a thin layer of leather stretched across a steel statue.
“Gray?” she tried again.
“Yeah?” his mumble remained muffled.
“Do you think you could let me get up soon?” Prin felt a bit more serious about this request.
“No.” Still a murmur into her skin. His rejection of that idea managed to convey a spoiled little boy who wasn’t even going to think about giving up his possession. His hands smoothed up and down her body. He just couldn’t touch enough of her. The curvy miracle that was Prin overwhelmed every one of his senses. He wanted to tie her to himself in every possible way. She hadn’t told him she loved him. Nor had she responded to the moving in thing, much less the marriage statement. Momentarily, he considered asking her again. Romantically, like he should have done the first time. Oh, hell, no! Asking was out. A desperate man did not ask for what he needed. Too risky.
The only option left was simply taking. Yep. No choice here. Baby Girl had just written her future out in stone and his dick was hard enough to do the chiseling for her. His beast enthusiastically agreed with the “just taking” plan.
“Mmmm, got a bed pan?” she inquired.
Soft laughter rumbled in his chest. “Perhaps we can make a deal.”
“It’d better be a quick deal,” her response warned.
“You say yes, we head to the bathroom.” His arms tightened again, holding her to him and preventing any escape.
“Yes! Now, Gray!” Prin’s urgency grew with each word.
Grinning like a fool, he scooped her up and sprinted to the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, Prin was once again clothed in one of Gray’s shirts and had just been deposited on a kitchen chair. His care of her in the bathroom was a repeat experience from the hotel. She calmly let him clean her. It was cute actually. He was so intense with his attention to detail. So serious in his duties that pampered her in every respect. The only furnishings she’d seen in the house besides the bed were the kitchen table and chairs. Gray grabbed things out of the fridge to make them sandwiches. It probably shouldn’t be amusing that he did it without allowing her to help. He hadn’t let her do a thing yet. It was also amusing that while her feet had touched the floor several times, she had yet to walk a step in his house. However, she had a pressing question, which pushed all else aside.
“Gray, what did I agree to upstairs?” she cautiously asked.
He glanced at her as he transferred the sandwich materials to the table, and then sat down beside her to make them. “Everything,” he responded seriously.
Her eyebrows climbed her forehead. “What ‘everything’ are we talking about?”
Shrugging, he stated, “Everything I want. You said yes. I figure it applies to everything.”
Laughing, she turned more fully toward him. He handed her the first sandwich. “That ‘yes’ was given under severe physical duress. No court in the land would uphold it.”
“Don’t much care what the courts think,” he responded taking a big bite out of his sandwich.
She frowned at him. He looked at her again and frowned, too. “Eat, baby. Tomorrow you can’t have much before surgery.” She took a big bite, mulling over what just occurred. He seemed entirely serious about his “everything” theory.
Chewing thoughtfully, she went over what she knew of him. He was a Dom. He waited on her hand and foot. He was an incredibly loving man who could barely bring himself to put her down. He was decisive and ruthless in his demand that she know all the pleasure he could give her. He’d apparently moved into this house to be near her, uprooting his entire life instead of asking her to uproot hers.
He anticipated her needs consistently. He displayed a possessive tendency that might be a problem. Now, though, it was sort of cute. He was a bit of a control freak, she suspected. He might be disturbingly cute now, but required caution in the future. He was painfully honest in his intentions. He exposed his weaknesses to her fearlessly. He gave his entire being into the effort, whatever it was. He’d apparently honored his word about no contact after their night with great difficulty, but he had done it.
She slipped out of her chair. Hi
s entire body tensed as pale eyes narrowed. She padded over to the refrigerator and grabbed the gallon of milk. Prin rooted around in the cupboards until she found some glasses and came back to the table. Pouring them each a glass, she sat back down. He relaxed and continued chewing.
She almost giggled, but struggled to school her features and remain composed. Sipping her drink to hide the smile, she then finished the sandwich. Barefoot, only dressed in one of his shirts, and the man stiffened when she got up to walk around. Yep, logical thought was not driving her big warrior at the moment. That she had put him in this place amazed her. She knew exactly what he was feeling because she felt it, too. She needed him in ways that were primitive, elemental and scary. However, Prin was done being scared. Every moment was precious now. He knew the truth and still wanted her, so be it. She’d take everything he gave her and return it back to him. But the big idiot needed to understand that.
“Do you want more?” Gray asked.
“No, I’ve had enough. Thanks,” Prin assured him.
“Mm,” he grunted and turned back to eat his second sandwich.
She watched him speculatively. Obviously, he was willing to do whatever it took to keep her. His body tensed as she moved around the kitchen, never relaxed until she again sat back down. Those eyes tracked her without blinking. Big boy was making sure she didn’t head for the door. Obviously, he’d made a decision and was going to paste her “yes” on it.
Well, damn! Looked like he’d just signed on for the full ride. Time to rescue him from the emotional ledge the big lug had worked himself out onto. He needed to trust her, too. To know he was safe with her. Watching her like a hawk every time she got near a door would get old quick. The temptation to tease him with her knowledge died a quick death as she looked at the powerful man beside her. He’d already reached into her body and captured her soul. His gentle grip cradled it in his heart and she couldn’t breathe when she thought about what might have happened if he didn’t want her.
When he finished eating, she quietly said, “Ask me again, Gray.”
Instantly alert, Gray studied her. She sat beside him placid as a pond on a windless day. Pale eyes searched her face but found nothing to give away her feelings. She simply regarded him and waited. His stomach twisted as he realized what she was doing. It was a test. Would he give her the freedom of choice?
He knew if he didn’t give her that choice, he could never be sure of her. Never know for sure where her heart was. If she didn’t choose him, could he live with it? Hell, NO! Beast roared. Mine! She’s mine and we are not giving her up! Squeezing his eyes shut, he did not attempt to hide the struggle that was raging in his mind as his face grimaced. She’d obviously figured it out already anyway.
The dainty little woman just marched herself right into the lion’s den fearlessly with that request. She didn’t know what he was capable of. She couldn’t realize how dangerous the man sitting beside her could be. However, he knew that she did. The power had never been in his hands and they both knew it. In her submission to him, she’d enslaved him to her. Now it was time to cowboy up, to take it like a man. Time to put the money on the table and pick up the cards. He couldn’t think of any more corny sayings. Getting down to business was the only thing left to do.
He took a deep breath and left his chair to sink down on his knees in front of her. Once again, his hands rested lightly on her thighs as he looked up at her.
“Marry me, Prin.” It still wasn’t a question, but it was the best he could do.
She smiled down at him. Her hands rested over his, holding them to her thighs.
“I love you, Gray,” she said, her hands stopping him from surging up to her.
He sank down. Perhaps it was a good news, bad news thing. If that was the good news, the bad news was going to suck. The dark warrior kneeling at her feet tensed as he waited. Whatever she said next sentenced him to a half-life of pain, or the gift of everything.
“I need you to really think about this, though,” her quiet voice continued. “Monday night there is a good chance that I will no longer be the same woman I am now. I don’t even know how I’ll handle it if there is only one breast on my body by the end of the day. On the other hand, if the worst happens and we’re talking months instead of years for a future, then what happens? I don’t know what happens next.” Prin squeezed his hands as he started to interrupt her. He subsided.
“I know for me, since the moment we met, it’s been a really strange time. I’m not saying my feelings aren’t real, it’s just everything is more intense. I know you read me somehow. Perhaps you’re picking that up. I don’t know. Perhaps both of us should just slow down until we know what’s going to happen. Let our emotions settle.”
“What exactly do you mean, ‘settle’?” Gray questioned cautiously.
Prin sighed. “I don’t know. Not do the wedding thing. Just get through this before we try to plan a future.”
“I can do that.” Gray gazed at her seriously, not moving.
“You’re waiting again, Gray. I don’t know what you’re waiting for.” Prin frowned at his still form. He was kneeling at her feet and he should have looked at least a little humble, instead he looked like a panther ready to pounce. He was holding himself so still the leashed power rolled off him in waves. The unwavering, unblinking regard of those pale eyes as his whole attention focused on her was disconcerting.
“I want to make sure you know I hear you, Baby Girl. That I am listening with my whole being to everything you have to say. Everything that scares you or makes you uncomfortable needs to get out in the open now, so we can handle it,” he explained.
“I guess that’s what I have to say. I don’t really know what I expect you to do about it. I just needed to say it.” Prin released his hands on her thighs.
Gray didn’t pounce. He slid his arms around her waist and nestled his cheek into her tummy. Closing his eyes, he thought about what she was saying, as Prin ran her fingers through his hair. She’d said she loved him. That mattered more than anything else. If he had that one, he could deal with whatever she needed. Marisa was right, she felt crowded by the house, his moving, all of it. On top of what she was already dealing with, it was too much. How could he become an asset instead of a burden?
The last thing he wanted to be was another worry. He needed to find a way to do this in the next two minutes, before she got around to the female notion that they needed time apart. Or, came up with some other idea designed to shove a man away. Tightening his arms around her, he started talking. Unconsciously slipping into a different speech pattern as he related the secrets of his heritage.
“When a man releases his soul to the universe in Dream Walking, he has no control of its destination. The universe ebbs and flows at will. Those things that draw his soul to them in the great expanse do it because they recognize one of their own. That’s how we know our spirit guides. They draw our souls and speak to them.
“I have heard in legends of a soul finding its mate in the Dreams. This is only spoken of reverently and with great fear. If you find your heart in the Dreams, you will never find it in the Waking Times. Only the past or the future inhabits the Dreams. Never have I heard of one soul drawn to another when both live in the present. Never have I heard of one soul traveling unerringly to that other soul, over and over again.
“I asked my Grandfather about this. He also has never known it to happen. He seemed very troubled about it. He said if two are drawn so strongly that the Dreams are not a path to the universe, but only a path to each other, they are a pair who has been searching for each other a very long time. He advised me not to look back for the reason we search for each other so desperately. Whatever pain separated those two souls in the past must be so great, it would be best to leave it in its own time.
“I know the Dreams are not part of your culture. The concept of Dream Walking and all it represents is strange to you. Prin, you know it exists. You know I have held you in my arms for around two years now.
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“Honey, even if I didn’t find your spirit brave and your thoughts fascinating, I would still love you. There is no event or circumstance that will stop me from loving you. You will always be the most beautiful creature in the universe. My soul will fly to yours every time it is set free. For it is not free at all. It is yours.
“I will do whatever it takes to make you comfortable through this difficult time. Except leave you. I will not do that. I will back off if you want. I will go as slowly as you want. However, I will not go away. I cannot go away. It is not possible for me to rip my soul away from yours. Do you understand what I’m saying? I am powerless in the face of what you are to me. You are my mate. The only woman in this life, or any life after who can complete me. My love, I tell you this to explain. Not to trap you or burden you.
“The house, my moving, all these things mean nothing compared to you. Nothing will drive me from you. Nothing that occurs Monday has any hope of altering my feelings for you. My only wish is to ease this for you. Tell me how to make this easier for you.”
Gray remained bent over her lap, his massive arms wrapped around her sweet body and waited for her to respond. He’d laid his being at her feet. All that he was or would ever be was contained in this one little woman. He couldn’t think of another way to explain it to her. That would have to do.
Her hands continued sifting through his hair during his entire speech and didn’t pause now. The silence between them wasn’t strained or uncomfortable, rather peaceful and gentle. Finally, she took a breath to speak.
“You don’t give a girl much wiggle room, Gray,” Prin commented quietly.
He turned his face and pressed an openmouthed kiss into her abdomen. “I give all that I am, Prin,” his voice rumbled over her pelvic bone.
“I guess we have a lot of work to do,” Prin answered.
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