Chapter 11
ELEVEN
Torture. That’s what it became after five nights of Jessa. After the evening meal, Virak would change his clothes and go to the training room. For a time, his mind would be focused on his mechanical opponent, but then his awareness would shift to the door at the rear of the room.
She would enter silently, melting into the shadows, and watch him train for a time. It was never long, because he could not hold his concentration on the fight. His gaze always found her. She always captured and held his attention.
He would stand there, chest heaving and blood racing from his vigorous training session as her footfalls padded closer.
His balls would grow heavy and full. By the time she stood before him, inches away, his cock was hard and bulging shamelessly in his trousers.
He didn’t try to hide it. He wanted her to see what she did to him.
Every night, she ran her fingers over his skin, or rather, just above his skin. Close enough for him to feel the swirl of air and for his skin to sensitize acutely. She moved closer to him, letting him feel her uneven breath on his skin as she slowly circled him.
He wanted her to touch him now. He wanted it so badly, he ached everywhere. He wanted to tell her, to grab her, to pull her body beneath his and pump his aching cock into her, but instead he stood there, breathing her in. Waiting for something inside him to snap.
Tonight was no different. She circled, she nearly touched, waiting for a sign from him to go further. He was ready to go further, but his control, apparently, was more rigidly disciplined than he would like it to be.
“You were more relaxed today,” she commented as she eased away from him.
He said nothing. Stars danced at the corners of his vision. He worked hard to keep his thoughts coherent.
“Okay, then.” He heard her sigh. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
No. It wasn’t enough. The ache turned sharp and stabbing, and without thinking, he turned and grabbed her wrist.
The move was so fast she gasped. Her eyes flew wide and her mouth opened in a circle of surprise.
The sensation of touching her rocked through him.
He could feel her pulse hammering beneath his fingertips.
His senses were deluged with new sensory information and the sheer overwhelming flood of it made his skin feel as though a thousand needles pricked it, but he did not let her go.
Their gazes met like a shattering of glass. He knew he must look ferocious. The coiled need inside him felt monstrous. He could not remember having felt so alive, so bold, so free.
He jerked her against him, not in full control of his movements. She didn’t resist. Her body pressed flush to his and held there.
He drew in a hiss through his teeth as her soft, generous curves nestled into his firm angles. Her lips remained parted, but surprise had shifted to desire. A soft moan came from her lips as her belly pressed along his swollen cock.
His breathing turned ragged. He clenched his teeth on a twist of need and pain and the devastating sweep of sensations engulfing his body.
It was just so much. There was no way to do this and not show weakness.
Now, that was a trait that had no worth in his life.
Rulers, he was taught, were expected to remain emotionless under all circumstances.
To show weakness was profoundly unthinkable.
As sweat poured down his body, Virak fought back the shudder that his body was desperate to release.
“Let go,” she said, low and gentle. “It’s just me. Just you and me.”
Her face was open and soft and tilted up to his. A groan escaped him as he gazed down at those plump, pink lips. He bent his head, slowly.
This was a test for them both. Virak didn’t know if he could do it. Part of him was terrified to know what kissing her felt like. “I feel like I am falling into an abyss,” he murmured. “And there will be no climbing out again.”
Jessa’s body rubbed against his as she pressed up to the balls of her feet. “Let yourself fall,” she whispered.
He closed the gap, compressing the space between them into an electrical charge. There was no going back. Virak knew deep down that what he did next would change him forever, but it was as though an invisible hand pressed on the back of his head, pushing him down, into those moist, lush lips…
He closed his eyes. His lips touched hers. The lightest brush of skin to skin rocked him to his core. He was drowning, submerging deep into a bottomless world of need and thirst that would never be slaked.
The pinprick sensation sprayed over his face like a thousand sharp knives, but the burn of it lessened with each stroke of his lips over hers.
“Hmm,” she purred against his mouth. “You feel as good as I thought you would.”
She leaned up then and planted her lips more firmly on his, kissing him sensually. Virak drew in breath after shaky breath. His head swirled as her mouth worked his in an erotic dance. Then, her mouth opened and her tongue slid over the seam of his lips.
He opened his mouth on a small gasp and she slipped inside. All he could do was stand still as her questing tongue found his and delicately touched it. His mouth felt like it was on fire as he sighed into the sensations rioting within him.
The kiss deepened. The sharp edges of her touch began to smooth into the beginnings of pleasure. He groaned into her mouth and slid his thumb over her wrist. Her pulse hammered harder.
Then, inexplicably, she stepped back. One trembling hand covered her reddened lips. “I—I think that’s enough for tonight.”
He wanted to disagree. He wanted to grab her and drag her close and continue, but when he reached for her, she held up a hand.
“No, Virak,” she said raggedly with a flushed face.
“Why?” he demanded. “You enjoyed this.”
“Yes!” she burst out with a gasping laugh. “I did. I enjoyed it a lot.”
“Then why stop?”
She blew out a gusty breath. “Because if we keep doing this, I’ll want more than you are ready to give me. I’ll push you too fast.”
He knew exactly what she was talking about. “I am ready.” He cupped his full, aching cock. “This is ready.”
Jessa reached out and laid a hand flat on his bare chest. Virak, still conditioned from years of resisting touch, shifted backwards before he could stop himself. It was an old habit, but the expression on her face showed that he had just proved her point.
She raised her brows and dropped her hand.
“See? Virak, you haven’t been touched by anyone since you were a toddler.
Tonight was huge progress, but take some time to process.
There’s no rush.” She smiled at him, tilting her head.
“I’m not going anywhere.” She turned and swished off, hair flowing behind her like an inky dream and leaving a trail of luscious scent and scraping need in her wake.