“Mathias? Are you all right?”
“Yes.” I leaned down over him. “You’re wonderful. Everything.”
“Are you—“ He paused and gulped. “Are you holding back?”
“No.” I felt horrible that he might think that. I deftly snapped the cock-ring back into place without him seeing.
Saber put his arms around me. “You don’t have to, you know. The pregnancy hormones make me want it. And the stretching is good for the birth. You can’t harm the babies. You don’t need to—“
“I know that. You told me.” I brought my body down beside him, my hand trailing over his stomach.
Saber leaned up on one elbow, turning to face me. He reached his free hand out and touched the hair at my temple. It was still in a tight braid, but some strands had loosened.
“When is your next Burn?” he asked quietly.
This was the first time he’d ever broached the subject with me. Something about the topic sent a shiver down the back of my neck. I didn’t want to think about it. And yet, I did. I wanted to bond him, and that could only happen during a Burn. Yet not being able to knot made everything incomplete.
“Not for another month.”
“I can take it. I can be here for you during. I just want you to know that. My increased hormones will accommodate it. Invite it.”
When I didn’t say anything, Saber added, “But only if you want. I just thought I’d say that, so you can choose. I mean, we’ve never talked about being exclusive.”
“I don’t want anyone else,” I interrupted him.
“Good,” came his soft response. “Me neither.”
“It might come sooner.”
“What?” He seemed confused.
“My Burn. It happens. I mean, because I’m taking hormones right now. It can affect it.”
“You are?”
I nodded. My face was so hot right now. I didn’t know what to say. I wanted him to know everything, but shame washed over me like a tidal wave.
Saber put his hand on my chest and pushed me until I was flat on my back. He sat further up in the bed until he could lean over me and place both his hands on my feverish face.
“Are you all right? That’s all I need to know.”
I nodded, looking up at his bright, intense gaze.
“Good. You aren’t sick or anything?”
“No.”
“That’s a relief,” he said. “Because I just found you and I want to keep you. You know that, right?”
“You do?” My words sounded pathetic, but honestly, I wasn’t sure at this point what he really wanted.
“Of course I do.”
What did I want? I wanted Saber. I had already proven to myself I couldn’t be apart from him even for one night. Trigg had said he was a keeper. And Trigg tended to be right about a lot of things in life.
“You should have someone better.”
“Better?” Saber asked.