Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
He held her closer, feeling a wave of protectiveness wash over him. Mia was tiny and precious and delicate. Oh, she liked to pretend she was tough—she probably believed that she was—but there was no way Sev was subjecting her to some of the punishment practices he’d grown up with. He didn’t want to hit or hurt her—he wanted to cherish her and keep her safe.
That was the Kindred side of him coming out loud and strong, he knew. But there was another side of him too—the side he’d inherited from his father’s people. The part that wanted to dominate—to perform Ger’prex with a willing partner who would submit to him without question.
Sev frowned. He’d rejected that part of himself for years and he wasn’t going to bring it into play now. He just wished he knew what the PPP meant when they talked about “punishment.” How extreme did it get around here?
He didn’t have any answers—just the desire to keep his partner safe. He stroked Mia’s hair again and finally drifted off to sleep with her held securely in his arms. Nothing and no one was going to hurt her while they were here.
Especially not him.
THIRTEEN
MIA
Mia woke up feeling incredibly warm and safe. Which might have something to do with the pillow she was using, she thought sleepily. It was warm and firm and it smelled amazing—a spicy, masculine scent that made her want to get even closer than she already was.
Which was actually, pretty close. She had one leg thrown possessively over the pillow as though she was claiming it for her exclusive use. Not only that, her breasts and pussy were pressed against its side. She had on a long, silky nightshirt but it had somehow ridden up in the night, leaving her bare in front.
Not that she minded—the warm pillow—which had a reddish pillowcase she noted, through sleepy eyes—felt amazing against her bare skin. Especially her pussy, which felt hot and wet and achy. She moved her hips, grinding against the pillow which was agreeably firm, and felt her outer lips part, which put her aching clit in direct contact with the warm surface. God, that felt good!
She pressed her breasts against the pillow too. Were they bigger than they had been? Surely not. Although her nipples were certainly tender. They felt almost like someone had been teasing and tugging them the night before. Someone like…
Like Sev. Oh my God—what did we do?
Mia opened her eyes wide, suddenly fully awake. It was no pillow she was pressed against—Sev was lying on his back and she was humping her partner’s muscular bare hip in her sleep, like some kind of nymphomaniac!
“Oh God,” she muttered under her breath. In the dawning light leaking through the window, she thought it looked like Sev was still asleep. Maybe if she was very careful, she could disentangle herself before he woke up. Maybe—
His golden eyes opened and he looked down at her with a sleepy smile.
“Enjoying yourself, baby?”
“God!” Forget about slow and careful—Mia shoved away from him and pulled down the silky white nightshirt as fast as she could!
Sev sighed but didn’t move or make any attempt to stop her.
“Was afraid you’d react like this,” he rumbled. “Look, last night—”
“Shouldn’t have happened,” Mia finished for him. She felt as though her whole body was blushing—her skin was probably as red as her partner’s right about now!
“I don’t agree,” he said simply. Propping himself up on an elbow, he looked at Mia more fully. “We’re pretending to be Joined—married as you humans say. It’s not a bad thing to be close where the cameras can see us.”
“Oh, right…” Mia looked around the room. “The cameras.” To be honest, she’d completely forgotten they were under surveillance. The idea of strangers watching her hump her partner’s hip made the situation exponentially more embarrassing. God, how was she ever going to live this down?
“That’s right—the cameras,” Sev said patiently. “We’re just playing our parts, right?”
“It seemed like we were doing, uh, more than just ‘playing our parts’ last night,” Mia pointed out.
She couldn’t help remembering how good Sev’s big, warm hands had felt cupping her breasts or how close she’d come to reaching an orgasm…only to be knocked back by bad memories of the past that just wouldn’t die.
Slut! whispered an ugly little voice in her head. Think of all the whorish things you did—he’ll never respect you again! You’re disgusting.
“First I practically begged you to touch me and then I cried all over you,” she said and put her face in her hands. “God, I feel so stupid.”
“Why? For letting me in for once?” Sev asked. “For letting yourself be the least little bit vulnerable? I opened up to you too, Mia. Does that make me stupid?”
“No, of course not—you’re a guy.” Mia sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “You can do whatever you want and not get judged for it. And now I’ve gone and ruined everything.”