Chapter 14
Tavryn
My heart pounds as I lead Banjo back to our quarters. Every time he lengthens his stride to catch up with me, I walk faster. If I even glance up at him, we won’t make it to our rooms. I’ll be pulling him into the closest alley and pushing him down on his knees before he can ask what’s going on.
The problem with teasing Banjo is that I wasn’t only teasing him. I’m just as worked up. I hadn’t even had to watch him; the sound of his soft breaths and the jerk of his hips against my tail had been enough.
“Tav, hun,” Banjo pants, reaching out to grab the back of my jacket. I don’t stop. “Can you slow down? Please?” He lowers his voice as he continues. “D’you know how difficult it is to run with a hard-on?”
I roll my eyes, though I relent and slow my pace a tad. “This isn’t running.”
“If that ain’t runnin’, I don’t ever wanna see you run,” Banjo replies.
The change in speed is enough to let him catch up to me, but I successfully fight the temptation to look over at him.
I keep my tail around his wrist, telling myself I’m keeping him close for his safety and not because I want him there. “You got a plan for when we get home?”
Home. The word in this context startles me, and I make the mistake of glancing up at him. Stars, every single inch of him is gorgeous, even out here in the grimy passageways of Qauvela. Banjo stares back at me, tilting his head ever so slightly. His golden curls catch in the dim fluorescent lights.
Yes, right, he asked me a question. “You’re going to wait for me in my bedroom,” I tell him. I need to take control of this situation, and Banjo is giving me the perfect opportunity. “Clothed. I’m going to freshen up. I’ll join you when I’m ready.”
“Okay.” Banjo nods easily. Like the thought of arguing never even crosses his mind. It pleases me greatly, but I resist the urge to praise him until he’s actually done what I asked him to do.
Not that it’s hard. Even Banjo should be able to sit on a bed and do nothing…
though knowing Banjo, the do-nothing part might be difficult.
I’d ask Stells to entertain him if I didn’t want to risk her thinking it’s okay to listen in on us.
For a computer, she can be quite the little voyeur when given the opportunity.
A few minutes later, we’re back in the security of our rooms. I let out a breath, my posture relaxing.
I can’t wait to take my boots off. I’ve been wearing them far too much recently to keep up appearances in front of Banjo, and my feet are paying the price.
Luckily, I don’t have to concern myself with that anymore.
Banjo shoots me a flirty wink before heading to the bedroom. I stand there for a moment, watching him walk away. It’s impossible not to with the way those tight pants cling to his perfectly round backside. He pauses, noticing my gaze lingering on him.
“You know you don’t gotta just look,” Banjo tells me, swaying his hips enticingly. My eyes flick up to meet his for the briefest moment before working their way back down his body. “You can touch. I ain’t stoppin’ ya.”
My head falls back as I groan. This human will be the death of me, I’m sure of it. “What did I tell you to do?” I ask, words coming out between gritted teeth. I’m not upset, though I sound it; I’m just trying to keep myself from running over there and jumping him. Banjo laughs.
“I didn’t forget,” he promises, heading back down the hallway.
I follow him after a moment, since the bathroom is in the same direction.
Once the bathroom door is closed, I strip off my layers, all the way down to my undergarments.
I quickly wipe down with a warm cloth, a necessity after being in that disgusting bar, before shrugging on my robe and tying it tight around my waist.
Being away from Banjo doesn’t ease my arousal at all. If anything, the anticipation of what’s to come only makes it stronger.
I walk the few steps across the hall to the main bedroom, pausing for a brief moment to inhale deeply.
Banjo was right to ask if I had a plan. I have many, so many it’s hard for me to choose exactly what I want to do with him tonight.
We still have plenty of time together, but I’m unsure if it’ll be long enough to work all the way through my list.
It definitely won’t happen if I don’t stay focused.
I can’t let Banjo’s charm and incredibly attractive body distract me from my new mission of making sure he returns to Earth utterly debauched and ruined for any other being.
The idea of Banjo spending the rest of his life pining for me doesn’t give me the satisfaction I expect.
Instead, there’s a pang of something else, something that I very quickly push aside as I open the bedroom door.
Banjo sits on the edge of the bed, hunched forward so his elbows rest on his knees. The heel of his foot taps a quick rhythm against the floor, but other than that, he’s still. Apparently, he can be a good listener.
His head shoots up as I walk in, that wide grin quickly appearing on his face. It only grows as his eyes roam over my body, taking in every inch of exposed skin like he’s never seen it before. He looks half a second from falling to his knees to worship me.
I suppose if we’re going to deviate from my plans, that’s not the worst way to do it.
“Gosh,” Banjo breathes, swallowing thickly as he drags his eyes back up to my face. “You are just stunnin’.”
The compliment makes my cheeks flush. Other partners have appreciated my appearance, or at least acted like they did, but none of them went on about it like Banjo.
It’s like he can’t help himself. And I’m eating it up.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt this confident or desirable.
I act confident all the time, yes, but mostly that’s all it is. It definitely never feels like this.
“Oh yeah?” I reply, smirking as I move towards him.
I put one knee on the bed beside him, holding his shoulder for balance as I pull the other up so I’m straddling him, but hovering over his lap.
Our only connection is my hand on his shoulder.
He looks up at me, eyes dark with desire.
I want more. I want him to tell me I’m beautiful so many times I’m forced to believe it.
“Yeah.” Banjo’s hands hover at my hips like he’s unsure whether he’s allowed to touch me. I let out an amused snort. Poor baby. It must be so hard to behave himself when I’m basically sitting in his lap.
I resist the urge to sink down onto him, enjoying the feeling that being taller than him gives me. “Look at you,” I whisper, tracing the low-cut V of his corset vest. Banjo shivers even though I’m not touching his skin. “You’re supposed to wear something under this.”
“I am?” he replies dumbly. He glances from my hand back up to my face. Maybe he honestly didn’t know. Actually, knowing Banjo, he probably didn’t know. It doesn’t matter. I can still pretend.
“Don’t act like you didn’t know.” I hook my hand under his chin, forcing him to hold eye contact with me.
“You put on this skimpy outfit because you wanted everyone who looked at you to know how much of a cockslut you are. You wanted them to think about how easy it would be for them to bend you over and do whatever they want to you.”
Banjo’s eyes are glassy as he stares up at me, his mouth open in a perfect O. I give him a moment to let my words sink in. He said he likes this. I wonder how far I can push him. He looks like he might need some prompting, so I add, “Isn’t that right?”
“Yes,” Banjo groans. He drops his hands to the bed so he can fist the sheets. “‘Cept they can’t do anything to me.”
I tilt my head. “And why’s that?”
“‘Cause I belong to you,” Banjo whispers. His tone might be low, but he says it like it’s a well-known fact.
Arousal, hot and intense, crashes through me, to the point that it takes every amount of my control not to come on the spot. I catch his lips in a kiss so forceful it sends us tumbling back onto the bed. Banjo lets out an appreciative moan, his arms finally coming up to wrap around me.
I knew this was going to happen. I knew I’d get in here and Banjo would very thoroughly distract me from tonight’s mission. At this moment, I can’t bring myself to care, not when this perfect, sexy man is currently kissing me back as if his life depends on it.
I brace myself with my hands on either side of Banjo’s head, still refusing to fully let our bodies meet.
By this point, touching him doesn’t bother me, but it’s fun to play the game.
The distance makes him squirm, and his hips jerk up off the bed in search of friction I keep just out of reach.
He moans, low and breathy. I pull away, nipping lightly at his plush lower lip.
“Let’s get you out of this.” I deftly work my way through the metal clasps that hold the front of the corset vest together. Once I’ve undone the last one, I push it away to reveal miles of perfect, creamy skin. “There. Much better.”
My hands itch to touch, to trace every curve and divot of muscle before following them with my tongue.
Banjo lifts a little while I look, tugging the vest off and tossing it to the side.
Neither of us bother to remove his collar, though I assume he’ll lose the pants sooner rather than later. They do look uncomfortably tight.
“You wanna?” I don’t realize what Banjo’s asking me until I feel him tug at the tie holding my robe closed. I bat his hands away to give myself a moment to consider it.
The look on his face tells me it’s entirely my decision. He won’t pressure me either way. It’s funny how something so small can mean so much.
I should reward him for being such a good boy.
I could open the robe. It’s not like having my chest and stomach exposed bothers me. Plus, if it’s open, that means there’s no layers between us. The thought of feeling his skin against mine is enough to convince me fully.