Chapter 10

Ten

She said yes. He couldn't fucking believe it.

But the scent on her couldn't be denied, not even the water could dilute it. It was incredible. Raw and rich. Honey and passion. Like the Fades had dredged up his deepest fantasy and made it real.

Inexplicably, washing her hair with a simple tincture had been enough. She'd provided heady moans and squirmed against his cock while he raked her scalp. He shivered.

Govek's nerves sparked as he worked on his courage, his control. He forced his mind to calm so he could relish and memorize every moment of this gift.

Miranda's body was sheer perfection—rosy-tipped nipples and dark curls between her thighs. She needed more meat on her, more fat to soften her limbs, but he could accomplish that easily. He would relish the task.

But not nearly as much as he would enjoy this one.

He wrapped an arm around the smooth expanse of her stomach and pulled her into his torso, tucking her head into the crook of his neck so she couldn't easily see him. He could not risk her rejecting him midway through.

Like he'd been rejected before.

"Govek?" Her voice was caught between curiosity and pleading. She tried to turn, but he tightened his hold and she didn't fight further. "What are you doing?"

"Shut your eyes," he demanded, voice thick.

"Why?" She reached her hand back and her fingertips connected with the side of his face, working down his jaw. He barely withheld a hiss as jolts of pleasure skittered down his spine.

His thoughts frayed.

"Close them." He was strung so tight. If she refused him now, he would be shattered. Worse than he'd ever been.

She hummed. The unhappy sound tore at him, but the sight of her eyes fluttering closed gave him courage.

He grazed his hands down her shoulders, focusing on his need to be gentle, soothing his desire to take command, locking away his instincts.

Calm, he demanded of himself. The insistence was so difficult it made his muscles ache.

Miranda let out a little gasp as his fingers grazed over her collarbone and down to the swell of her pink-tipped breasts. They were perfect. Soft and lush. Dappled with beads of water. His hands were shaking as he paused, giving her a moment to deny him before he went lower.

Instead, she thrust her chest up, beckoning him. And when he stroked his fingers over the firm tips of her nipples, she expelled a gusty moan and relaxed against his shoulder.

The scent of her arousal burst in his nose, sweet and thick. Fuck, did the heights of her lust have an end?

Govek bit his tongue to keep from growling in pleasure.

Thrumming her nipples, he sent her body into rippling shivers, shuddering against his cock. The pleasure in him mounted, danced over his skin, and clenched hard in his gut.

Fuck, she was so responsive.

A louder groan fell from her lips and she reached up to grab one of his hands. For an abysmal moment, he was certain she would push him away.

Instead, she forced it lower, pushing it down toward her core.

"What are you doing?" His breath hitched, hardly believing she was already letting him touch her here, even as she spread her legs to make room for his hand.

"You don't want to?" she asked, though she didn't stop moving his fingers.

"I want to."

"Good." She pushed his fingers over the flat of her stomach and passed her belly button. Down between her folds.

"Oh!" She let out a strangled sound as he grazed gently over her most sensitive place. He couldn't feel much through the gloves, but he was experienced enough with this act to know where to touch and what reactions to watch for.

She opened her eyes.

He gritted his teeth, tension dimming his own arousal even as hers bloomed sweet in his nose, coated his throat. "Close them."

Fuck, he'd said it too harshly.

But instead of tensing and pushing away, Miranda's body relaxed, and her eyes went to half-mast. A groan left her lips. His fingers slicked, gliding more easily, telling him she must have grown wetter. Her nipple beaded under his thumb.

He gritted his teeth. He'd imagined that, right? It almost seemed as if she'd grown aroused from his growling.

Govek had no time to dwell on this knowledge, as Miranda's exquisite responses to his spearing fingers made his heart seize. She pushed against the back of his hand in a steady rhythm. Bucking and whimpering. Moving him how she wanted, using him.

Being used so selfishly had never felt so good. He twitched helplessly between her folds and it made her gasp. He swirled his fingers over her breast, and she dug her heals into the sand, kicking it up under the water.

Everything seemed to please her. Every touch heightened her. His head swam with it. Drunk on her pleasure, dizzy from disbelief.

Her grip eased, and she allowed him to explore freely. He slicked his finger high to circle around the top of her folds, where he knew she would be the most sensitive, and was rewarded with her thighs quivering.

"Oh, Govek that's . . . it's so different."

Different? Different from what?

Was she referring to him being an orc? His stomach churned. Her eyes were open again. If she tipped her head, she would see him.

"Lower. Like this," she said, pushing his hand down. She forced his palm to press hard into the top of her folds and separated his index and middle fingers.

Moved them to her entrance.

Govek resisted, muscles tensing, even as his cock twitched with want.

It was far too soon for that. She couldn't possibly be ready.

He wasn't either. He wasn't ready for this to be over.

Her resistance was puny, and he swirled his fingers up to graze through her folds again.

"Too much," she hissed.

He froze as the honeyed smell of her arousal dimmed. The water chilled the flames licking through his veins.

What had he done wrong? She'd been begging for this a moment ago.

"Lower," she demanded, eyes opening wider. She pushed him downward again, arching her neck.

He gritted his teeth, wishing he could feel more passed the leather gloves. "Eyes closed, Miranda."

She whimpered and hesitated.

"Closed," he almost begged.

"It's too dark," she said. The trembling in her voice cut him.

Too dark?

"I . . . don't want to be alone."

She didn't want to be alone? What the fuck did that mean? Was his hand on her not enough? Could she not feel his cock throbbing against her back? His guts twisted with indecision.

He couldn't let her see him. He knew it would ruin it, but he couldn't force her to do something that caused her distress, either.

Clenching his teeth, Govek grazed her nipple one last time, earning another bliss racked whimper, before moving his hand up to her chin, slipping his fingers around her cheek and ear to keep her head in place.

"Ooh," she whimpered as he tipped her head away from him. She squirmed against his grip and brought her knees up.

Fuck, he couldn't have her fighting him in this. He adjusted his legs over hers, holding them in place and apart. She squirmed and wriggled.

The moment he had her pinned, the honeyed fragrance swelled to dizzying heights as her desire bloomed. It clouded every space of his mind. His instincts roared to life like never before.

Her legs jerked against him, sending erotic need blazing down his spine. He wanted to cage her like she was his prey, hold her down, tighten his grip until she couldn't even twitch.

Take her like the beast he was, hard and fast and ruthless.

His mind blazed, ripped apart at the conflict warring behind his eyes. He could not give into his urges. He would ruin this.

Miranda's gasps and moans were too sweet. Her fucking scent was everywhere. Thick and needy. He craved it, pushed for it. Dug fingers into her core again to force it higher. Her hips bucked as two digits skirted passed her entrance despite her hands pushing at him to enter.

"Why?" she whined, though he had no idea what she meant and any elaboration she might have given was cut off with a whimper as he swirled his fingers again. Lighter. Circling wide instead of flicking. "Oh, yes. That's good."

She was so blissfully transparent. So eager. He didn't have to rely on the scent of her arousal to know she was burning for him.

Govek buried his face in her neck and heaved another gulp of her. His jaw threatened to unhinge. He was losing his fucking mind.

Somehow, she wriggled her heel out of his confines and dug into his calf, trying to break free of him so she could roll her hips into his hand.

Or escape.

Heat speared him. The dark urge to hunt her roared to life, and he barely quelled it.

He firmed his grip on her chin, warning her.

It worked. She froze, groaning, panting harshly. Shivers coursed down her limbs.

"Don't fight me." He tried to keep his voice smooth.

"But I want to."

Fades help him. He bit his tongue until it bled to keep from growling.

"Please, Govek."

Her pleading almost broke him. The pressure in his groin was agony. The tension of his tight underclothes against his oversensitive cock was maddening. In a blink, he was going to rip the fucking things off and truly lose himself in her.

"Govek," she groaned, squirming against him. Her voice was like syrup, sweet and dangerous as it swept into every crevice of his mind.

Her head dug into his shoulder as her back arched, her wet hair sliding against his chin. He looked down at her chest. Her nipples were tiny buds. He longed for them to be in his mouth. Firm peaks as he flicked his tongue back and forth over her sweet, hot flesh.

Fantasies he could never make reality.

His chest rose in gasps against her trembling frame. Air wasn't enough. He wanted to breathe her in.

Miranda's weight pushed into the center of his chest, right where he was trying to catch his breath, and he lost it a moment. The distraction allowed her to dig her fingers into the back of the hand between her legs and force them down.

To her entrance.

The tips of his fingers dipped into her hot channel.

His eyes flashed wide, and pleasure exploded in his cock as it pulsed against her ass.

The entry of his fingers was so fucking easy.

"Please," she said, panting. Breasts rising and falling. Nipples taut and beckoning. "Govek."

He shuddered, pleasure blooming in his gut, spiraling up his spine. Even through the gloves, he could feel how slick she was. How hard she was pulsing.

She was ready to go off.

And this would be over.

And she would realize what she'd given her body to.

Fuck, it was too soon. He wanted more.

He slipped his fingers out of her, relishing the sensation of her tightness easing away. Wondering if he could slow this down. He slid his thumb and index finger against each other, slick despite the water.

For him.

Fuck.

He wasn't ready. But she was. And he couldn't pretend he didn't know that anymore.

"Govek." His name on her lips blazed through his mind. His cock jerked against her ass. Her hand moved down past his. He craned his neck to watch, his throat tight. She dipped her finger into her channel, thrusting all the way to her knuckle. Groaning. He quivered at the sinful sight.

"Iwant to..." His fingers trembled with the need to spear her, thrust deep into her. Bring her off against him.

And then this would be over, and he would have to face her and she would look at him with utter revulsion, and... fuck. Fuck.

"I'll do it if you don't." She reached up to grip his hand, clasping his two fingers and pulling them down.

That threat was enough for him.

Fades be fucked if he'd let her take this from him.

"Fine," he managed through clenched teeth and gave into her completely.