Page 26 of The Gargoyle's Gift
“Leave those there,” he warned again, taking his hand off my wrists.
“But I want to touch you too,” I rasped.
“I couldn’t stand it,” he panted. “I’m already on the edge of my control, Lovette. If you touched me back it would be my undoing.” The tremor in his voice told me he was being very, very serious.
“This time,” I agreed. “But I want a turn.”
He nodded enthusiastically, his long hair tickling along my skin. “Yes. Yes, Little Dove, I want that too. Just not right now.”
I craved that more than anything—to see him losing control by my hand. The thought alone made my blood sing in a way I’d never felt before.
Gaius slid off the side of the mattress onto his knees. He tugged me by my ankles, sliding me right to the edge until my calves rested on his shoulders. My naked center was exposed, directly in front of his face, but instead of feeling embarrassed like I had the previous time I’d found myself in such a position, I felt powerful. The way he looked at me, the tentative way he kept kissing at whatever piece of my leg he could get to as he stroked along my thighs with his fingertips, getting closer and closer to where I wanted him… it would feed my needy heart for weeks.
“So soft,” he repeated, the words drifting off to a whisper before he inhaled deeply. “Saints. I am unworthy of this.”
“You’re not.”
He dragged his tongue up my slit, from bottom to top, making me squirm. “I want to believe you, Little Dove.” He did it again. And again. And again.
“Gaius.” I exhaled with a huff, frustrated as my pulse taunted me loudly in my ears.
“Patience. I’ll not be rushed. Not after all this waiting.” One of his arms wrapped around my thigh, his palm pressing down on my lower belly as he latched onto where I wanted him most and sucked.
The pressure was so sudden and intense I cried out, a low guttural noise from somewhere deep within me. The fingers of his other hand gently stroked the delicate skin around my opening, teasing along the edge as I desperately tried to press myself closer to his touch. He grunted, and even without words, I knew he was admonishing me for my lack of patience, the one thing he’d requested.
“Please,” I begged. Every place he touched, every inch his breath caressed burned like liquid flame. “You’re the one who was in denial, don’t punishmefor it.”
There was no way to know for sure, but it felt he smiled against my flesh as he dipped a finger inside me and redoubled his efforts against me with his tongue.
I writhed, lifting my hands and lowering them again, wanting to grab fistfuls of his hair but also trying to obey by leaving them over my head like he’d instructed. A slow throb built, and he curled his finger, pressing into the soft area at the front of me.
Stars filled my vision, and I knew there was no stopping the avalanche of sensation he provoked. “Gaius, I’m going to…” Every muscle clenched as the hot knot of desire in my center finally loosened.
But he didn’t stop. As I pulsed against his mouth and hand, he continued on, firmer than before. My thighs began to shake,and I couldn’t stop myself from pulling my hands free of my tunic so they could tangle in his hair.
When I came back to myself, I was breathing hard and he was sitting back on his heels, a satisfied smirk on his face. “That was the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen, Little Dove. Let’s get you some of that chocolate and maybe some tea so I can see it again.”
It was indeed notmy turn at all that night. That’s not to say I didn’t come out a winner, because I absolutely did, but my mate had taken no pleasure of my body nor allowed me to give it back to him. The bond was not fulfilled. And I honestly wasn’t sure what that meant.
He was gone in the morning, which added another layer to my confusion. We’d cloistered ourselves in my apartment, but now I worried perhaps with my preference for open windows his hut would have been a better choice. Had he been unable to rest? Perhaps he’d gone somewhere to seek stone sleep instead. Or maybe he’d left because he was uncomfortable. I hated that I’d slept so soundly. It was very unlike me, and for once it would have been nice to have woken to something as innocuous as the bed shifting.
I waited around long enough to drink two cups of coffee, allowing him plenty of time to return if he’d gone to fetch breakfast. But he never showed.
Still riding enough of a hormonal high to keep from being too sour, I bathed quickly and dressed before taking myself down to the meetinghouse for a quick breakfast. To my great misfortune, my sister was there.
“Would you look at that?” she teased as she waved me over. “She lives and breathes. I haven’t seen you in so long I was beginning to worry.”
“It’s been less than two days,” I scoffed.
“Still. You’re avoiding me.”
“I’m not. Not anymore anyway.” I sprinkled some seasoning on my eggs, bravely meeting her eye.
“If you say so.” She leaned back, staring right through me as she sipped her coffee. “Where’s your friend?” She raised her eyebrow.
“I have no idea. I’m not in charge of watching him.” I shrugged my shoulders, trying to loosen up the sudden tension between them. I guess I wasn’t as unaffected by him not being there when I woke up this morning as I’d thought.
“Mm-hmm. Fine then. What are your plans for the day?”
