Текст книги "Sweet Persuasion"

Автор книги: Maya Banks

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Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

CHAPTER 18

Damon’s cock lay at an angle, the tip resting on his abdo men. Carefully, she curled her fingers around it, bringing it upright and to her mouth.

It was warm and softer in her mouth than just a moment ago, but at the first touch of her tongue, it twitched and spasmed. Lovingly, she stroked and sucked, feeling as he gradually hardened again. It took him longer this time, but she coaxed and licked until he was stiff and erect.

Still, she waited for his command.

“Are you ready for me, Serena?”

She nodded, never taking her mouth from his cock.

“Are you wet?”

Again she nodded.

“Show me. Take your hand. Slide it between your legs. Touch yourself and then show me your fingers.”

She released his cock and reached down, fumbling with her dress. She was definitely wet. Very wet, and her pussy ached for release. When her fingers slid over her clit, her shoulders shook. Lower, to where her moist center pulsed, she inched her finger until it was adequately coated. She retracted her hand and held it out to Damon.

He captured her wrist in one hand and gently pulled her fingers to his mouth. He put one in his mouth and sucked it inside.

“Come to me,” he said in a voice that was deep and honeyed. It mesmerized her.

Clutching at his leg with her free hand, she rose from her perch on the floorboard. He reached for the ends of her dress, lifting as she moved to straddle him. He dropped her wrist and gripped the tops of her thighs, spreading her as he positioned her on his lap.

“Put your hands on the top of the seat,” he ordered. “Lean up so I can penetrate you.”

She did as he said and lifted herself slightly as he reached underneath her to position his cock.

“Now take me, Serena.”

She eased back down, and the head of his dick bumped against her core before finally rimming her entrance and sliding within. His hand gripped her waist, and he pulled her down to meet his upward thrust.

The first shock of his possession nearly sent her orgasm crashing around her, but he cupped her chin and yanked downward until she met his gaze.

“You will come only when I tell you that you may. For now, you’ll see to my pleasure.”

She sucked in her breath and nodded even as she wondered if she’d be able to prevent something as inevitable as her release.

“Ride me,” he said.

Gripping the top of the seat behind his shoulders, she rose and fell, taking him deep with each downward plunge. He was thick, and she was so tight around him. Her pussy stretched to accommodate him, and she could feel him in every nerve ending.

He released his grip on her waist and slid both his hands up her belly to her breasts. Through the material of her dress, he plucked and tweaked at her nipples until they thrust forward, hard and erect.

“Harder,” he urged. “You’re running out of time. We’ll be home soon and fucking in my driveway as Sam waits for us to get out.”

Instead of dousing her ardor, the image he evoked sent a decadent thrill through her system. A warm flush surged through her veins, and for a moment, she was tempted to delay his orgasm until they were, indeed, fucking in the driveway of his home.

“It excites you,” he murmured, and as she opened her eyes, she could see he looked pleased.

He ceased toying with her nipples and cupped her shoulders, grinding her down over his cock. After a few moments, he ran his palms down her back until he reached the rumpled hem of her dress resting against his legs.

He tugged until the material came free, and then he reached underneath to cup her ass. His hands weren’t gentle as he gripped the globes. His thumbs dug into her sides as he lifted and then pulled her down. His cock hammered at her pussy, stretching her entrance with each thrust.

The car slowed, and she caught her breath as she frantically looked out the window to see that they had pulled up to Damon’s house.

“Do not stop,” Damon warned. “You will finish this before we get out.”

The car stopped and Sam got out. The car shook slightly when he closed his door, but he didn’t open the backseat. She could see that he stood with his back to their window, simply waiting for them to finish.

“Fuck me, Serena. Fuck me hard.”

She rode him, faster and harder as she stared out the back window of his car.

“Use your hand,” he said. “Touch yourself while you fuck me. I want to feel you come around my cock before I empty myself into your womb.”

Only too glad to accommodate him, she reached down and yanked impatiently at her dress to move it out of the way. Her fingers found her clit and she immediately began stroking the swollen nub.

His hands tightened around her ass, and his hips bucked upward, fucking her with savage intensity. For all his calm and control, when it came to sex, he was an animal.

“Come,” he gasped. “Orgasm for me, Serena. Let me feel you go wet around me.”

She moaned. Her mouth went dry and she swallowed rapidly as her hand moved faster, and he pumped harder.

“Yes,” she whimpered. “Please don’t stop, Damon.”

She went crazy in his arms, writhing and bucking as her fire raged stronger. Unbearable pressure built within her, straining to its breaking point.

And then she burst. Scattered like leaves in the wind. She went in a hundred different directions.

Vaguely she registered him holding her, soothing her with gentle hands as he whispered in her ear. Every part of her trembled and shook, almost violent and out of her control.

As she sank onto his chest, he rammed upward one last time, shaking her body with his strength. And then he stilled. His arms wrapped around her, and he held her tightly to him, both of them spent and shaking.

For the longest time, he merely held her, their bodies still connected. She couldn’t move. Could barely process what had just happened.

Then he lifted her slightly and slid out of her pussy. He rolled her to the side so that she sat in the seat with her legs over his lap. He arranged her dress so that it covered her bare flesh, and then moved her legs so that he could fasten himself back up.

He reached over and tapped at the window, and Sam immediately turned to open the door. Damon got out first and then he reached his hand to help Serena out.

Her bare feet hit the hot pavement, and she stood up on shaky legs. But Damon didn’t give her time to regain her footing before he simply swept her into his arms and strode toward the house.

She could only imagine what she looked like, and thank God Damon shielded her so well. Her face was buried in his neck, and he held her up and turned into him so that she was afforded as much modesty as possible under the circumstances.

She didn’t see who opened the door, only that it was wide when Damon got there. He swept in and carried her toward the bedroom. When he set her down on the bed, she just lay there like a limp noodle, tired and sated.

Warm lips nuzzled her temple as gentle hands smoothed the hair away from her face. He tugged her dress from her body, leaving her naked on the bed. Then he was gone. Given no instructions, she opted to remain where she was, not that she could have moved anyway.

In a moment, Damon returned with a damp cloth. Tenderly, he bathed her thighs and cleaned his seed from between her legs.

“Roll over onto your belly,” he said softly.

With his help, she managed to roll until her face was buried in the sheets, her arms splayed wide over the bed. He chuckled.

“Have I worn you out, Serena mine?”

“Mmmm.” It was all she could muster.

“Soon you will rest,” he murmured.

Soon? That meant he had something in mind. She only hoped it didn’t require her to move.

He began to caress her back, his hands rolling and kneading. She moaned in pleasure, the sounds slipping past tired lips.

Up and down her body, from her neck and shoulders to the globes of her ass, he touched, petted and massaged. Then he pulled his hands away and she heard a top being uncapped. Plastic. Warm liquid dribbled down her spine and then his hands returned, rubbing the oil into her skin.

The bed dipped as he crawled onto it beside her. There wasn’t an inch of her skin he didn’t mark in some way. His touch branded into her flesh, hot and sensual.

Chill bumps beaded and popped down her arms even as exquisite pleasure bathed her body. Julie’s massages had nothing on the magic Damon performed.

His palms cupped her bottom, squeezing and plumping, his fingers working ever closer to the cleft between. She inhaled sharply when his finger rimmed her anal entry, feather soft and seeking.

Again she heard the cap being opened. Two fingers spread her ass cheeks, baring her opening. Oil dropped into the cleft, sliding over her skin. His fingers wiped at the lubricant, spreading it and then pressing at her anus.

Her hands gathered the sheets in a ball and she squeezed her eyes shut. Did he mean to fuck her ass now, when she didn’t have the strength to possibly formulate any kind of protest? She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but this was something alien to her. She’d never had anal sex before. It hadn’t even crossed her radar.

“Relax,” he said gently as he probed delicately with his finger.

His finger slid in, and she gasped aloud. Back and forth he slowly worked his finger. It didn’t hurt. It felt . . . She wasn’t sure what it felt like. It was new. Forbidden and exciting.

As his finger continued to stroke inside, he dribbled more lubricant into her opening until it was slick. Then he added another finger.

She moaned through clenched teeth as he stretched and manipulated her. Was it supposed to feel good? Heat bloomed in her ass and radiated to her pussy until, despite her fatigue, her loins tightened, her clit swelled and the ache of a new orgasm lurked on the horizon.

When he pulled his hand away, she damn near cried out her protest. Before she could turn her head to see if he was leaving her, something else replaced his fingers. It lacked his warmth and was much harder. It felt . . . plastic.

Her eyes flew open as it breached her opening, slick with lubricant but hard and unyielding. Back and forth, barely rimming her entrance, Damon patiently worked the object.

Then her opening widened, stretched tighter around the plastic as he pushed it further inside. It was smaller at the tip but larger as it gained depth.

No longer able to contain her curiosity, she tilted her head up and asked, “What is it?”

Damon’s free hand settled on the small of her back. “It’s okay, Serena. Trust me. I won’t hurt you. I’m inserting a plug. I don’t want taking me to be painful for you so you’ll wear this for a while.”

With that he gave another little push and her opening stretched even further.

“Oh,” she gasped.

“Just relax and don’t fight it,” he murmured. “Trust me not to hurt you. Enjoy it.”

For several more seconds he continued the in-and-out motion, each time pressing just a little harder. And then with one firm shove, he lodged it into her anus.

Her head reared off the bed, and she cried out in surprise. Her ass throbbed and burned around the seemingly mammoth plug. Her legs spasmed and seemed to act of their own accord as she fought the intrusion.

Damon’s lips pressed to the small of her back as he kissed and murmured soothing words to her.

“It will be all right. Breathe, Serena. It will get better.”

“Yeah?” she muttered as she sucked in deep breaths. “Have you ever had one of these up your ass?”

He laughed. “No, I haven’t.”

“Then don’t tell me how it feels,” she ground out.

He rolled her until she was lying on her side, facing him. He wore an amused smile as he gazed down at her.

“All right, then you tell me how it feels.”

She swallowed as some of the hot buzz abated in her ass. Replacing it was a warm . . . hum. Low and thready, simmering in her veins, like coffee just before it boiled. As worn out as she was, she could totally go for another orgasm about now.

“It feels . . . edgy. Sharp but not unpleasantly so. I feel full. There is pressure there that makes my skin crawl and feel itchy, like I want something, but I’m not sure what. Does that make sense?”

His hand settled over her hip. “It makes perfect sense. Do you like it? Can you imagine my cock inside your ass?”

Her entire body trembled at the image of Damon riding her, plunging deep into her bowels.

“It feels so big,” she said.

He grinned. “I’m bigger.”

She closed her eyes and groaned. “How the hell do you think you’re going to get your cock in there if you’re bigger than that damn plug?”

“Oh, I’ll get there,” he said, his voice deep and husky. “And you’ll love every minute of it, I promise.”

“I didn’t expect the pleasure,” she said as she wrinkled her forehead in confusion.

“Is it pleasurable then?” he asked.

“I honestly don’t know if the act itself is pleasurable or if it’s because of who is doing it, but yes, it feels . . . good. It’s exciting and I feel restless and aching, like I have a need that’s unfulfilled.”

He moved over her then, pushing her until she lay flat on her back. The pressure in her behind intensified as some of her weight fell on the plug. He positioned her to his liking underneath him, and then he slowly moved down her body until his head was just above her mound.

He spread her legs wide, bending them until her knees hit the mattress. Her pussy was wide open to him, and suddenly she felt small and vulnerable.

He ran a finger through her folds, teasing and light until he came to her pussy entrance. He slid one long finger inside, pressing down until she could feel him touching the plug through the thin barrier of flesh that separated her vagina from her anal entry.

“As much as I want to bury my dick in your sweet pussy, I won’t do so now. You’re tired and probably sore and if I take you now, it will feel tight because of the plug in your ass. I don’t want to cause you any discomfort. But later . . . later I’ll show you what it feels like to take two cocks at the same time.”

She trembled and shook underneath his questing fingers. How could she be so close to orgasm again?

As he withdrew his finger, he lowered his mouth, nuzzling between her folds until his tongue slid over her clit. Her hips bolted upward as lightning seized her groin.

He parted her further until she lay helpless and open to his mouth. Tiny air currents blew over her most intimate flesh, coupled with the warmer puffs of his breath. His tongue slid erotically from her entrance to the hood protecting her sensitive nub. He licked lightly at her clit, drawing it to a taut peak. Then he sucked it into his mouth, and wave upon wave of electric sensation exploded through her groin.

She arched into him, each movement rocking the plug deep within her ass. Each sensation, like an ocean wave, rolled inward, broke and then fanned out, surging like liquid through her muscles.

Hungrily, he licked and sucked at her pussy like he was starved for sweetness. He circled her entrance once and then again before sliding his tongue inward.

She shuddered and convulsed, but he gripped her hips and held her tightly in place as he gave her pleasure.

In and out, he fucked her with his tongue. Slow and sensuous, as though he were tasting the finest of wines and savoring each sip.

Her orgasm began as a slow curl, a heated wisp rotating deep within her core then fanning out as it grew and billowed, a storm gaining power.

Swelling like a symphony on the cusp of its crescendo, her release built until she could bear it no longer.

“Please,” she begged. What she pleaded for she wasn’t sure. Mercy? Satisfaction? Relief from the unbearable tension pulling at her body?

And then he whispered, soft and gentle against her moist flesh. “Come, Serena mine. Come for me.”

Sweet agony flashed and sped through her pelvis. Her movements were no longer her own. She cried out as her body slammed back against the bed, her legs suddenly wrapped around his shoulders.

Tears slid down her cheeks, and she puzzled over how they got there. She hovered on the brink of consciousness, fighting for the briefest of seconds to remain aware, to not let go of the piercing fragments of her orgasm.

But as the frantic pleasure slowly faded away, replaced by a more lazy sweetness, she let go, no longer able to keep her eyes open.

A thumb brushed across her cheek, wiping away the wetness of her tears, and then she heard his gentle command.

“Sleep, Serena mine. I’ll take care of you.”

Comforted by that quiet vow, she allowed herself to slip away into the welcoming oblivion that sleep offered.

CHAPTER 19

Damon watched as her eyes fluttered shut, and almost im mediately, her breathing became soft and even. She was exhausted.

He smiled and carefully slid his arms underneath her. As he picked her up off the bed, she moaned in protest.

“Shhh,” he soothed. “I want you with me, Serena mine. You can rest as soon as I’ve made you comfortable.”

And he did want her with him. The ferocity of his desire to have her near him startled him. But like her, he was indulging in a fantasy. It wasn’t real, no matter that he might wish differently.

He carried her from the bedroom and toward the spacious living room where a fire burned in the hearth. Her plush pallet had already been arranged at the foot of his armchair and was several feet from the fire.

Kneeling, he set her naked body on the down-filled, body-sized cushion. She murmured sleepily, but curled into a ball and fell back into a deep sleep. He stroked a hand through her hair, pulling it away from her face. Then he let his fingers glide down her lean body to her hip and finally to her pale buttocks.

The flesh-colored plug split the cheeks of her behind, and he hardened slightly at the idea of thrusting his dick where the plug currently resided.

Rising to his feet, he collected his laptop from the coffee table and settled into the armchair. He kicked off his shoes and sent them sliding across the floor and away from where Serena lay.

He stretched his legs until his feet touched her slender back. Absently, he rubbed his toes up her spine and into the silkiness of her hair. He liked touching her, having any contact with her he could.

He opened his laptop and left his feet lightly resting on her side. As he worked through his e-mails, he occasionally glanced up, his gaze seeking Serena out. Every once in a while, she sighed and her body rose and fell harder before a sleepy, contented sound whispered past her lips and she settled back down again.

When he was down to his last e-mail, his cell phone rang. Frowning, he yanked it up without looking at the LCD and punched the on button so the ring wouldn’t disturb Serena.

“Damon,” he said shortly.

“Damon, hi, this is Faith.”

His expression eased and he relaxed in his chair. “Faith, it’s a pleasure to hear from you. How are you? How is Gray?”

“We’re both fine.”

He could hear the smile in her voice, could envision her sweet features.

“How is Serena?” Faith asked.

There was slight hesitation behind the question as though she wasn’t certain how to voice her concern. He smiled and glanced down at Serena even as he rubbed his foot lightly over her hip.

“She’s asleep at my feet,” he replied.

“Your feet? Good grief, Damon, you really do take this slave thing a bit far. I thought you went for collaring and tying them to your bed?”

He chuckled. “Only at night.”

He heard her mutter something under her breath.

“Serena is fine, Faith. Surely you didn’t think I’d mistreat her.”

“No, of course not!” She quickly defended herself. “I hope that isn’t what you think. I can’t imagine you ever hurting a woman. Not intentionally, anyway.”

Damon’s brow rose. “I’m not even going to ask.”

Faith paused for a long moment. And when she finally spoke, there was a glint of steel in her tone. A direct contradiction to her usually sweet manner.

“Look, Damon, you’re my friend. I count you among my dearest friends.”

He smiled. He considered her a dear friend as well.

“But so is Serena,” she continued. “And I’m a little worried. About you both.”

“There’s no need for you to concern yourself, Faith. Serena and I are consenting adults, and we’re both very aware of what’s at stake and what isn’t.”

Faith made a sound of impatience. “You hate games, Damon. You of all people like things ordered and to your liking. I dare-say you’re quite spoiled and used to having what you want when you want it. This whole fantasy thing . . . I just hope you aren’t going to end up expecting something from it that Serena can’t or won’t give you.”

“I do believe you’re trying to protect my heart,” Damon said in amusement. “I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”

“I just don’t want either of you hurt,” she said softly. “Especially you, Damon.”

A flood of warmth entered his chest and bathed his insides. Faith . . . she was like a ray of sunshine on a cold, gloomy day. There wasn’t another way to describe her. She had a heart of gold and was tenaciously loyal to the people she loved. Even to her detriment, as Gray Montgomery would certainly attest.

“I appreciate your concern, Faith. Truly I do. But this is between me and Serena,” he said gently. “We’ve both made our terms very clear. No one is entering this blind.”

Faith gave a small laugh. “That was a tactful way of telling me to mind my own business.”

“Yes, it was,” he said with a smile.

“Okay, I can take a hint. I worry about you, Damon. That’s all I wanted to say.”

“Your worry is wasted on me.”

He smiled as she told him again what a dear friend he was and then they rang off. He was still smiling as he put the phone down between his leg and the side of the chair.

Quietly, he closed his laptop and laid it aside on the end table next to his chair. For a long while, he stared into the flickering flames in the hearth and absorbed the sensation of being content in his home, a beautiful woman at his feet. He was . . . happy.

A few moments later, his housekeeper Carol entered the room, clearing her throat to draw his attention. He looked up to see her standing in the doorway, her eyes cast discreetly away from Serena.

“Is there anything you need, Damon?” she asked.

“I’d like a glass of wine for now,” he said after a moment’s consideration. “In an hour’s time, I’d like dinner served here in the living room.”

Serena would be hungry, and he easily pictured her comfortably settled between his knees, her head on his lap as he fed her with his fingers. Then he’d stroke her hair and they’d talk while they relaxed and enjoyed the evening. Later . . . He wouldn’t get into later just yet. Sitting with a hard-on and nothing to ease it wasn’t exactly fun.

After Carol retreated, Damon reached for the novel he was halfway through and opened it to read, after another glance at Serena.

He was pleased by the trust she’d granted him thus far. She had reservations, as he’d expected, but she’d handled them bravely and with grace. She wasn’t a coward, nor was she a quitter.

And she pleased him. How she pleased him. He’d told her often enough, for he wanted her to be secure in his approval, but there was no explanation for the surge of pleasure her presence brought him. He wasn’t sure he wanted her to know the extent of his somewhat muddled feelings. Hell, he wasn’t even going to try and sort through them.

He frowned as he remembered Faith’s concerns. Her worry hadn’t been for Serena. It had been for him. Was he so transparent? Had he no strength to enjoy a brief affair with no emotional involvement?

His frown eased, and he became more pensive than irritated. His emotions were already involved. He’d never viewed sex as a stark, mechanical process that two mating bodies participated in, absent everything else. Even when he knew there was no future for him and the woman he took to his bed, he still treated her with respect, and he kept a small part of his heart reserved for each one. He knew all their names, what they looked like, what they enjoyed, what their dreams and aspirations were. Even when those dreams took them beyond him.

Each time, he steeled himself going in, knowing that what he enjoyed with his partners couldn’t last, and at the end of the affair, he’d viewed their parting with only a small amount of regret and sadness.

He stared down at Serena over the top of the book that he still hadn’t read a word of today. The idea of her moving on did odd things to him. Inspired a sort of panic deep in his soul. A stirring, a protest, a cry of a man for his mate.

He shook his head to rid him of such absurdities. This was sex. Sex with emotion but still just sex and fantasy. It wasn’t real. None of it was real.

Letting go of Serena would be hard, but he would do it. Keeping a woman tied to him when she had no wish to be there wasn’t something he wanted any more than he wanted to contemplate the idea that he’d never find a woman who could love and accept him even knowing what he’d demand from her.

Carol returned with his glass of wine, and he sat sipping as he stared into the fire. His book, now forgotten, was laid carelessly over his lap, marking a place he had no intention of returning to.

Feeling the need to touch Serena, he slid the balls of his feet over her satiny skin, tracing the line of her spine and then the curve of her hip and her small waist. Her hair spread out behind her, a splash of midnight, inky and smooth, like liquid silk.

He would definitely see to her hair every day. It was a joy he had no intention of denying himself. He would be the one to wash it when she bathed, and he would dry it and comb through every single strand.

The fire had died down to a bed of glowing coals, but he couldn’t make himself get up to go add more logs. He was content where he sat, his woman across his feet where he could feel every breath she took, every little sigh and twitch.

Shadows crossed the room as dusk fell, sweeping softly over fading daylight. A single lamp illuminated the room, casting a glow over Serena’s sleeping form. As if wakened by the warm fingers of light, she stirred beneath his feet.

He watched her shake off the web of sleep and slowly raise her head. She turned immediately as though in search of him. Their gazes connected and satisfaction coiled deep in his chest that her first waking thought had been of him.

“Come to me,” he whispered, holding out his hand to her.

She blinked away the last vestiges of fatigue, and her eyes brightened and glowed in the soft light. She got to her knees and slid her hand into his.

For a moment he merely enjoyed that first touch, the tingle that slithered up his arm, bathing his skin in prickles of awareness. Then he pulled her upward and coaxed her onto his lap.

She settled into his chest, snuggling like a kitten seeking warmth. He wrapped both arms around her, holding her close. To his surprise, her lips nuzzled against his neck, pressing tiny kisses to his skin.

“Are you hungry?” he murmured.

“Starved.”

“Carol will be bringing our food any time now.”

He slid one hand over the curve of her hip and to the softness of her buttocks. His fingers glanced off the plug, and she tightened against him.

“Does it hurt you?” he asked as he traced the edge of the plastic.

She shook her head against him.

“I’ll remove it when we go to bed,” he said.

Unable to resist, he brushed his lips across her forehead. In response, she tilted her face up, a clear invitation for him to taste her lips.

Sweet, like licking a drop of syrup from a spoon. Her taste was familiar to him yet each time was like the first. Exciting and electrifying.

Her fingers fluttered to his jaw, stroking and touching him as he deepened the kiss. When she started to withdraw, he put his hand to cover hers, pushing her back to his face. He enjoyed her touch. Needed it.

A part of him long buried beneath ice thawed whenever her warmth enveloped him. The aching part of his soul eased. She was his comfort when he’d long decided he would have none.

A sound behind them caused him to pull away. He glanced behind him to see Carol standing in the doorway with a dinner cart.

He motioned her forward then arranged Serena in a position that afforded her the most modesty, despite his earlier assertion that she would grow to ignore the presence of others.

Carol poured wine into the glasses, uncovered the plates and then briskly walked back out of the living room.

The enticing aroma of the food wafted through his nostrils. Next to him, Serena shifted and sighed in contentment as she too caught the smell.

He reached out to pull the cart a little closer to the chair. As he’d requested, Carol had prepared an array of finger foods. Shrimp. Decadent pieces of scallop and lobster drenched in butter. Crabcakes and grilled salmon.

“Mmm, I love seafood,” Serena said.

He took a piece of the lobster and held it to her mouth. He coaxed her lips open and left the morsel on her tongue. Before he could take another piece of the food, she sat up and reached for the plate to choose an offering.

She picked a shrimp and held it to his mouth. He opened and allowed her to feed it to him, her fingers brushing like fire across his tongue.

They fed each other in silence, taking turns offering food from their fingers. Their gazes never left each other for long, only to take the next bite and return with a smoldering blaze.

When at last the food was gone, Serena laid her head on his shoulder with a contented sigh.

“Full?” he asked as he stroked her hair.

“Mmm-hmm.”

“You sound . . . content.”

She raised her head just so she could see him. His hand stayed tangled in her hair and continued its downward trek.

“I am.”

Her husky sweet voice stirred a longing inside him that had nothing to do with sex or the urge to bury himself deep inside her. It was more. Something just out of his reach that he was at a loss to explain.

“I’m glad.”

He pulled her back to him, letting her softness mold to his body. Against his neck, she yawned and snuggled sleepily into his arms.

“Why don’t I take you to the bedroom and remove the plug? You can have a long soaking bath, I’ll wash your hair and we can have an early night.”

She stilled against him and then once again, she pulled away to stare at him with confused eyes.

“You’re asking?”

He smiled. “Not everything is a dictate, Serena mine. I’m a reasonable man when it suits me.”