He turned his head and kissed my fingertips. Then my palm and up my arm.
“You said we can take our time and wait until we are both ready.”
I nodded. “I wasn’t pushing for more. I only wanted to touch you like you touch me.”
“I want to bury myself between your legs and find the pleasure I know only you can give me. I want it so badly I lose my hold on sanity. But I refuse to repeat my past mistakes.
“Let me love you as I have. Let me show you the joy you can find in receiving my attention. Please.”
I let him have his way and relaxed as he slowly showed me the joy I already knew he could bring. And when my pulse was racing and I was trying to catch my breath after shattering, I told him exactly how much I’d enjoyed it. The flush the experience brought to my face only deepened with my words, and when he asked questions about what I liked best. My answers started the game again. Only, this time, I encouraged him with praise or redirection.
My lungs stalled the second time I shattered, and I wailed loudly the third time.
When he tried to kiss me there afterward, I accidentally kicked him in the shoulder and knocked him off the lounge.
Shocked, I sat up and stared at him. Sprawled on the tile, he looked at me and burst out laughing. I grinned back and shook my head as I flopped back.
“We need to do something else,” I said. “I need a break.”
“Are you hungry?”
“I could eat,” I said, rolling to my side to look at him. “What did you have in mind?”
The slow smirk on his face robbed me of breath for a few beats.
“You wouldn’t survive if I put my mouth there,” I said, sitting up.
He stood gracefully, already wearing loose-fitting jeans, and offered me his hand.
“You are correct. I would not survive. The thought of it alone robs me of reason.”
He stood back and openly looked at me as soon as I was on my feet.
“Will you dine like that?” he asked.
“No, but I’ll wear that grey dress for you.”
It appeared on me. I could tell right away I wasn’t wearing anything underneath.
“And we’re eating with Zotera, right?” I asked.
Hades sighed. A shirt appeared on him as he nodded.
“It will be as you desire.”
My hair slithered up off my neck as we left the bathing room. A long mirror like the one in the store appeared next to the bedroom door so I could see myself before I walked out. My bare feet peeked out from beneath the skirt. The earrings Hades had made me hung from my ears, accented by the swept-up intricate weave of braids. And the dress itself looked completely stunning on me.
Over my shoulder, I caught Hades’ hungry gaze as he took in my reflection as well.
“Pretty,” I said. “But I think it’s missing something.”
He frowned slightly. “Speak what you need, and I will provide it.”
Instead of speaking it, I reached back and wrapped one arm around my waist and another just above my breasts so it looked like he was caging me. Then I tipped my head to the side.
“Kiss my neck,” I said.
Holding my gaze in the mirror, he dipped his head and used his teeth to scrape my sensitive skin.