Page 44 of Excess

We stayed there for a long moment, and it felt so different from our usual interactions that I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.

Blake sighed heavily, his breath ruffling my hair. “I really misjudged you when we first met.”

I smiled against his chest. “I’m not upset about it. I imagine you’ve met a lot of clients like me in your time.”

“I’ve never met anyone like you, Inika.”

I didn’t quite know what to make of that, and even though I’d applied more Om-Guard on the cab ride home to mask the stress smell, I was worried that my scent would give away my reaction. Blake’s hands lingered on my hips as I stepped back, his eyes looking critically over my outfit as if he hadn’t just said something that had the power to decimate my heart. “I’ve got you all dirty. Not in the fun way this time.”

“Hugs are fun.” I was impressed at how light I managed to keep my tone. “And I need a shower anyway. I just went to Pilates.”

“Did you now?” Blake asked, his gaze lingering on my leggings like he’d just noticed I was wearing them. Back to flirty. Back to horny. This was much safer ground for us. I knew how this went.

“Mmhm. My poor calf muscles are aching. And my glutes…” I sighed dramatically, switching my body language from reserved to fuck-me in an instant. “I think I need a massage.”

“I’ll keep that in mind for later,” Blake said with an easy wink, releasing me and picking up his tools again. “Until then, princess.”

Well, I’d wanted to own my own mistakes, and I’d successfully made the first one.

Chapter 13

BLAKE

How the fuck was I meant to focus on anything else when Inika had come to me and asked me to fuck her through her heat?

The entire day was a write-off.

Fortunately, my task today was creating the decorative ceiling boss that sat in the central point of the arches, which was fiddly enough to make time pass quickly, but artistic enough that it didn’t demand perfection the way the smooth plasterwork on the ceiling did.

By quarter to three, I was showered and ready, eagerly awaiting Inika’s arrival in the spare room.

Leo: Can you watch Freya tonight?

I exhaled heavily, regretting checking my phone at all.

Blake: Why?

Leo: There’s a new club just opened up that I want to visit.

Ah. He hadn’t been able to build bridges with Ronnie again then. Good. Then again, there was always a chance that whatever hole he was heading to tonight was even worse than Leviathan.

Leo: If you say no, Dad will cancel his plans to have dinner with Jasper.

Manipulative little fuck.

Blake: Fine.

Dad deserved a night off—or several. He was retired and his kids were grown. Instead, he probably did at least as much child rearing now as he’d done when Leo and I were young, considering Mum had been our primary caregiver.

Inika let herself into the room quietly, wearing a loose-fitting black dress that I was convinced was hiding some elaborate lace contraption underneath, though I didn’t know where that idea had come from.

Immediately, I was aware that Inika’s body language wasn’t as relaxed as it usually was. Her smile was there, but it was a little less sure than normal. Her scent wasn’t broadcasting distress, but she didn’t have slick pooling in her knickers yet either.

Of course not, you fucking asshole. You rejected her this morning.

I hadn’t necessarily thought of it as a rejection at the time. It wasn’t as though I didn’t want to spend Inika’s heat with her—I did. More than anything. But five days away would be an unfair burden to place on Dad, who’d have to pick up Leo’s slack all on his own.

“Come here,” I said gently, opening my arms and waiting for Inika to close the distance between us. I was rusty as fuck when it came to providing comfort—if I’d ever had the skill in the first place—but I’d try for her.

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