Page 86 of Sway's Peace
To him, it was no question that he would be remaining at her side. He already had her on his ship, in his room. Making space for her in his life would be no problem. He was already planning the required steps he’d have to take to make her his mate permanently.
A feast was no problem. He was no great chef, but he could pull something together. Before they had their first synthesizer, the crew used to take turns cooking and foraging and stealing food on Rik-Vane. He had much better options int eh city that would certainly make a suitable offering.
And he’d already heard her sing for him in her human tone. He was eager to hear it again. He would never get enough of that high pitched, wavering tone.
As for dancing…
Well, Sway couldn’t remember the last time he had truly danced, if he ever had. Music was inherent to his people, and dancing, naturally, followed suit. But he was so separate from his people and their culture that he didn’t even know how to do it on his own.
Swaying with Grace, letting her lead him through human style steps during his welcome party, was the only time he had ever danced. He wasn’t sure he could do it on his own, but he knew for certain that he could dance with her. And that was all they needed.
But as he made those plans, as he had those thoughts, he hadn’t actually stopped to think if he could ask Grace if she would be his mate.
Of course, she would not have the same oversight. Not Grace, who was always so elegant and polite. Who made it her business to be hospitable and helpful to others. Who coordinated details and handled plans with ease. Of course, she wouldn’t forget that step.
Since it had completely slipped Sway’s mind, he didn’t think the question would be that important. But to actually hear her ask it made the entire world stop for a moment, and he realized in an instant, as she was smiling up at him with joyful hope tinged with nervous trepidation, that he was a fool. And he was so glad that she was not.
He should be asking her that. He should be telling and showing her how much he wanted her, how much he appreciated her, constantly. He had already drawn so much strength from her, using her presence to keep his steady and controlled through this whole ordeal with his father. He wanted to give her that same support in return. Not because it was fair or right – hecertainly didn’t care about concepts like that – but just because hewanted to.
He wanted her to feel as supported and loved as she made him…
Oh. That’s what she meant by learning to shower her in adoration. In appreciation. The way she made him feel by being there for him, by supporting him, he could give that back to her. Even in something as simple, as basic, as wonderful, as asking to be her mate, showing that he wanted her so much that he needed to have her with him forever, and seeking that same desire from her in turn…
Sway through his arms around her and jerked her in close.
“Yes,” he groaned, the word dragged up from the depths of his soul. Rough and ragged, he let out a shuddering breath as he repeated, “Yes.”
Grace started laughing. It wasn’t a sound of amusement. It was joy and relief and a pure happiness so invigorating it demanded to escape somehow.
And that was probably the most beautiful sound she had made yet. Better than her whistle, better than her chatter, equal to the steady thrumming of her heartbeat he felt beating there in the curve of her throat. Her joy, her laughter, made everything seem clear and focused in a way that it hadn’t been in too long. Since even before Rik-Vane.
Grace made sense. She seemed right. Even if all the confusion and bad thoughts and everything else in his life combined, it couldn’t equal to his certainty that she belonged right here, in his arms. In fact, in comparison, nothing else seemed to matter.
She kissed him first. She always moved first. Bold and confident in how she followed her desires. He was glad for it. Not because he didn’t want to do those things, but only because he was a fool who didn’t realize how important they were until she did them. Until she taught him how to cherish and adore.
Yes, he was grateful for her. And it was a pure, good, clean feeling.
He accepted it, and he accepted her, hitching her up and holding her close as he quickly took control over the kiss she had started. She laughed into it, still high on her joy, and the sound burned through his blood like fire, lighting him up from the inside.
Her back to the door, he tried to translate all the emotions he felt into action. Kissing and claiming and caressing her with all the clumsiness of his affection, but all the experience of his life. It was a strange combination, but one he was partially grateful for.
He knew how to seek out the little spots that made her shiver and pant. He knew how to feel her reactions and exploit them for his own gain. He knew how to pay attention to her body and make it jump and dance as he pulled the most beautiful music from her throat.
Sway might not know how to love someone properly, he may not know how to shower them in adoration, but he knew how to touch to bring pleasure. He knew how to seek out those places on others.
His cock was hard as iron. Fully extruded and throbbing in a way that was somehow both painful and yearning. Like he needed the ache of it to feel it properly. He didn’t even give his hips permission to grind against her, but when he felt the tremorshake through her body and heard that sweet gasp in her kiss, he leaned further into it. Adding more pressure. Squeezing her thigh as he pantomimed taking her right there against the wall.
He grabbed for her clothes, fully intending on ripping them off her so he could do just that.
But, to his surprise, she’d stopped him.
A single hand on his chest was all it took. A slight pressure. She couldn’t force him back, but just that suggestion made him pull away. He blinked at her hand, then up at her face. Confused, but not unwilling to pause at her whim.
“Not yet,” she said, breathing quickly but giving him a smile like she had a secret. “I want it to be special. Do you mind waiting? Just a little bit longer, I promise.”
He did, in fact, mind. He wanted her so badly it hurt. He knew that sex would relieve that pressure in his groin. He might not have enjoyed what he’d done with others in the past, but sometimes his body had been stimulated enough for him to get the rush of pleasure that came with an orgasm. He bet it would be even better with her.
But it wasn’t like he was so impatient he couldn’t delay for a bit longer. He had no idea what she meant by special though. It was with her. How could it bemorespecial?
