Page 27 of Wagered to the Orc
Just the thought of calling herminehad my cock jumping against the inside of my kilt. “I’ll no’ ask ye to do aught ye’re uncomfortable with, Effie.”
Her gaze dropped back down to her linked hands. “I…I have never had such a thing happen to me. I did not know if I was supposed to react that way.”
My lips twitched. “Ye didnae ken if ye were supposed to fall apart in my arms as ye reached yer climax?”
Her cheeks darkened again to accompany her silent nod.
Gods below.
“Come here,” I commanded gruffly, pushing my chair away from the table and pivoting it. When she hesitated, I added a, “please.”
The reminder that I didn’t own her, and she had agency here, seemed to help.
When Effie stood and moved to my side, I snagged her hand and tugged her into my lap. She went willingly, curled up against my chest and tucked her head beneath my chin.
I stroked her arm through the thin linen of her chemise, almost wishing ‘twas wet again so I could see as well as feel her body.
I cleared my throat. “What we shared, lass… ‘Twas natural. What happened to ye was natural.”
“I was supposed to…?”
I hid my proud smile.
“Ye were. Ye were perfect.”
Her fingers curled around the wool over my chest. “Just as you said?”
She remembered my whispered praise? MyKteercrowed, and beneath her sweet arse, my cock pulsed, wanting more.
“Aye, Effie. Just as I said, and more. Yewereperfect. The only thing to have made it better was if ye screamed my name as ye came. We’ll have to try that again next time, aye?”
She stiffened, and I held my breath, praying to the goddess that she’d agree. That there wouldbea next time.
Her breath slowly released and her shoulders seemed to loosen. “I…will have to remember that.”
My arms tightened around her in relief. Shewanted to try again!
After a moment I worked up the ballocks to ask. “Effie, I dinnae own ye. Ye dinnae owe me aught. So, I’m asking this as a male ye have nae obligation to: Would ye allow me to touch ye again?”
I saw the tips of her ears—about all I could see of her face from this angle—pinken, which shouldn’t be possible, and she burrowed her face against my chest. After a long moment, she mumbled something, but ‘twas too muffled by my plaid to understand.
“What?” I prompted.
With a mighty huff, she pulled away just enough to stare at the base of my throat. “You are really going to make me say it?”
“Och, aye, lass.” How could she doubt this? “I want to touch ye again more than I want to finish that fine meal, but I’ll no’ if ye dinnae want it too.”
Her eyes squeezed shut. “I want it too.” Her whisper was harsh. “I never thought…” She swallowed, and my tongue watered, imagining licking her throat there. “I never thought it possible a male would…”
My chest squeezed at the same moment myKteercrowed, and I decided ‘twould be my life’s work to prove to Effie that she was worth more than the arseholes in her life had taught her.
“Then can I ask ye something?” I prompted gently, shifting forward so I could pull the scroll from mybelt. I leaned forward and swept my plate and bowl to one side and unrolled the colorful vellum. “’Tis about this.”
She twisted, then sucked in a breath. “Where did you—oh.” Her fingers hovered over the figures entwined in an extremely athletic position. “I am sorry I hid it. I just knew I had to keep it safe for Sorcha.”
“’Tis yer cousin’s?”
“She says…” Effie snuck a glance at me. “She says it belongs to all women. She says ‘tis important we study it to know what is possible in congress with a man.”
