Page 70 of Havik: Warlord Brides
“Anything else I need to know?”
He lifted his head. “Is that not enough?”
“Well, this is a good chance to clear the air. So far, you’ve told me about a young guy who was starved for affection but wasn’t mature enough for a relationship. That’s not a crime.”
“Vanessa believed me to be cruel.”
“Because of a lie and a spiteful man.”
“No. My actions made the lie plausible.”
“So, you should be punished forever? Not allowed to learn and grow as a person? It’s all hairshirts and flagellation from here on out? What you told me doesn’t change my opinion of you.” Her fingers tangled in his hair. “You’re a good man.”
She tugged on the braid and the tattoos warmed from black to a silvery glow. Last night had been perfect as their bodies joined, but the dark hid her gorgeous husband. She wanted to explore. She wanted to appreciate every inch of him in the light. Plus, he had that tail. She wanted another taste.
“How long until we reach Rolo…our destination?” she asked.
“Six days,” he said.
“Hmm. That might be enough time.”
“For?”
“Come and find out.”
Taking him by the hand, she led him to the cockpit. She spun the chair around and pushed him down into the pilot’s seat. Without speaking a word, she spread his legs wide and knelt.
He looked good there, with his strong legs spread wide and surrounded by starlight.
She ran her hand up his thighs. Last night, while satisfying, had been cloaked in darkness. She wanted to explore. “Can I touch your tail?”
“Always.” He shifted and his tail landed in his lap with a heavy thunk.
She ran a hand down its length, feeling the strength in the corded muscles. The skin felt different from the rest of him, a bit rougher. Segmented, the tail looked like it would move in a jerking, disjointed manner, like links in a chain, but she had witnessed it swaying behind Havik plenty of times to know that was not true. It moved with grace. Now that she could feel the raw strength of it, she found it hard to believe that it was purely for sex and not a weapon.
“The barb is just to feel good?” She ran a finger along it but did not break the skin.
“Only for my mate. Only you.”
“Can you feel this?”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Sensation is stronger at the base. When you grabbed it last night—”
“You liked it?”
“Yes. More than anything,” he breathed.
She glanced down to the floor, his earnestness turning her suddenly shy. Silly. “I like this,” she said. “Seeing you. Talking about what we like.”
“Agreed.” He caressed the side of her face; his tail thumped in his lap.
She licked her lips and suddenly needed to find something out. She stroked the length of his tail, relishing the feel of the rough skin under her hand. “Good?”
“Very.”
She licked his tail, his rough skin bumping and scraping against her tongue. He groaned and the tail twitched out of her grasp. “Not good?”
“Too good. I could not remain still,” he answered, his voice growing husky.
