Page 55 of Savage Union

He had his eyes shut tightly—clearly he was trying to pretend he was asleep. But I wasn’t buying it—and I wasn’t going to let him freeze to death on the floor.

“Get up, boy,” I said, nudging him with my foot. “Come on—time to get in bed.”

His eyes popped open and he looked up at me.

“I don’t…don’t know if it’s a g-good id-dea for us t-to sleep t-t-together,” he said.

“Gods, listen to you—your teeth are chattering!” I frowned down at him. “Come on—get in bed. I promise I won’t touch you.”

I felt much calmer now—mainly because I’d jerked off in the shower several times before coming to bed. On one hand, it made me feel like a horny teenager to have to take care of myself like that. But on the other, the release of my seed and need had brought clarity with it.

I was in control of myself now—I wasn’t going to do anything we might both regret. Cass was a Crewmember—it would be unethical to have a relationship with him. I was going to keep my distance, even if I had to disappear into the bathroom to jerk off seven times a day.

But Cass didn’t know any of that. He was still looking at me with distrust in his big, amber eyes.

“Come on—I can’t let you freeze.”

Leaning down, I slid my arms under his slight frame and lifted him easily.

“Oh!” His eyes went wide as I put him on the bed and then climbed in beside him. “Captain, I don’t think?—”

“Look, I’m just attracted to you because you have Catamite blood—youmusthave,” I said, as I drew the coverlet over both of us. “I’m normally not a lover of men, as I said. And now that I know what’s causing the attraction, I can ignore it. And you can too. I’m sorry that I kissed you earlier,” I added, trying to make him feel more at ease. “It was…an unfortunate mistake.”

“An unfortunate mistake,” he echoed and I noticed that his teeth were no longer chattering. Good.

“Exactly—one thatwon’tbe repeated,” I said firmly. “For now, let’s just try to get some sleep. Good night, Cass.” And I turned my back to him.

“Er…good night, Captain.” His voice sounded high and uncertain but I felt him settle cautiously beside me with his back to mine. Good—things were getting back to normal.

This is not a big deal,I told myself firmly.We can get over this—get past it. I’ll never touch him again.

But even as I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, I was tormented by fantasies of turning to take Cass in my arms and kissing him again.

And then doing much…much more.

30

JESSINA

Itried to get comfortable beside Turk…but my body was wound too tightly and I still ached with need. I had tried once again in the shower to get myself off…and failed once more. For some reason when I reached between my legs to rub myself, it only made my desire worse and worse and I couldn’t get over the edge of orgasm.

This had never been a problem for me before. I might be a sheltered Mafia Princess, but I’d heard the maids talking and giggling together which had stirred my curiosity at an early age. I’d been finding my own pleasure by rubbing the little button all the maids called a “clit” for years now. So why was I suddenly incapable of reaching the peak on my own?

I had no answers and I was completely miserable. The desire inside me wouldn’t die. I kept replaying the kiss over and over in my head—feeling Turk’s hard, muscular body pressing against my own, his cock grinding against my pussy…

Goddess, I had to stop thinking of him like this! I had been determined to keep my distance from the big Brute—it was one reason I’d made a little nest for myself on the floor. But it seemed that Turk wasn’t going to allow me to sleep apart from him—even though I knew I ought to.

I ought to slip out of bed right now and sleep down there, I thought to myself. There’s no way I should be in the same bed with him.

But it was really cold down there. I hadn’t noticed it before, but it was absolutelyfreezingat the foot of his bed. I’d been shivering so hard my teeth were chattering before he picked me up and put me in bed with him. I didn’t want to go back to the hard, cold floor. Not when I felt so safe and warm beside him.

It will be all right,I told myself uneasily.It can’t hurt just to sleep beside him—to sleep back to back.

If only I had known how wrong I was…

31

JESSINA

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