Page 35 of Savage Warrior

After, I lay gasping. My eyes are closed. I blink and try to focus. It’s too difficult, and I give up.

The bed rocks when ?tefan moves. He crawls up beside me and brushes his lips over mine. I taste myself on him, musk and sweetness.

When I do manage to open my eyes, he’s there, propped on one elbow, his lop-sided grin infectious. I smile back but can’t think of words to say. ‘Thank you’ seems inadequate.

“That was…nice,” I manage. Lame, but the best I can come up with.

“You’re even more beautiful when you come,” he replies. “Those sounds you make…”

My skin heats. “You were watching me? And listening?” Dear God! He actually watched me unravel.

“Obviously. How else would I know what turns you on?”

“But what about you? We didn’t… I mean, you never… Did you?” I may be new to all this, but I think I would have noticed.

He chuckles and gropes around for the condom. “We’re not done yet. You wanted to touch me. How about you put this on?”

Now, my eyes widen. “How do I…?”

His grin fades. His eyes narrow, and he frowns at me. “Is this your first time, Arina?”

“Not exactly,” I lie.

“What does that mean?” His tone hardens. “Are you a virgin?”

Cornered, I still try to find an answer that won’t halt my great adventure in its tracks. “Sort of, I suppose. I’ve never actually slept with anyone before.”

“Who’s talking about sleeping? Have you fucked anyone before? A simple yes or no will do.”

“Well…”

He waits, not pressing me for my answer, but it’s clear he won’t be proceeding without it.

“No,” I whisper eventually. “But that doesn’t mean—”

His voice gentles again. “Are you sure now’s the time? One screaming orgasm doesn’t mean you have to—”

I punch him on the shoulder. “I know what I want.”

“Do you, though? After everything that’s happened to you recently? You don’t need to bargain with me. You’re safe and you owe me nothing.”

We both know that isn’t true, but I don’t say so. Instead, “I thought you wanted me.”

“I do, but—”

“Then, fuck me. Please.”

“Arina, I—”

“Don’t make me beg.”

Long moments pass while he just gazes at me, assessing what’s happening here, between us. Then, he holds the condom before me between his thumb and finger. “Okay. If this is what you want, you may as well learn some life skills while we’re here. Tear it open at one end.”

Under his patient tutelage, I manage to remove the condom from the packaging, place it over the head of his cock, which looks rather wonderful to my untrained eye, and unroll it over his length. His features take on a pained expression, but he doesn’t complain about my unpractised technique.

“Is that all right?” I ask him when I’m done.

“Perfect,” he mutters.

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