The red welts from the cane that morning had already faded, just as the bruise on his head had shrunk. Thankfully, Zandians healed quickly, especially in the presence of the crystals. He clapped his hand down on her ass, fast and hard, pouring every ounce of his sexual desire for her into the punishment.
She yelped and cried out, cursed and condemned him, but he continued on, turning her perfect, heart-shaped ass red. He smarted the backs of her thighs, shoved them apart, and slapped her inner thighs.
Eventually, she stopped cussing and started to plead. “Please, Tomis. Please, please stop. I need you. I need your fingers, your cock. I need something. Please.”
He wasted no time plunging his fingers into her welcoming channel. He made a cone of them and beat them in hard, his knuckles smacking against her clit.
His sweet little female came almost immediately, her scream of satisfaction echoing off the nearby rocks. Veck, he prayed there were no beings anywhere nearby. Her pussy squeezed his fingers in short bursts, and he continued pounding her with them until she’
d finished.
He lifted her and dropped to his ass, pulling her onto his lap.
Breathless, face flushed, eyes glassy, her beauty socked him in the gut.
“Better?” He might be breathless, himself.
She nodded, awe shining from her lovely expression. “A little.”
He shoved her shirt up and nibbled on one nipple then laved it with his tongue. Ah, veck. He had to stop, or he’d go way too far. “At your service,” he murmured.
She snaked her arms around his neck, collapsing against him. “I thought you were the master.”
“Mmm hmm. And don’t forget it. I could just as easily tie you up and give you no satisfaction.” Still holding her, he stood and carried her along the path. He wanted to get to the waterfalls before starset.
“But you wouldn’t,” she whispered, teeth closing around his ear.
No. She had his number. He would never be able to deny her pleasure. Delay, perhaps—to heighten her satisfaction when he gave it. Or to punish bad behavior. But never withhold.
~.~
Talia couldn’t deny the pleasure of being carried by the great warrior. His massive chest and arms flexed with her weight, but he never seemed to grow tired. In fact, she was certain he enjoyed it, too.
She noticed the way he surreptitiously dropped his face into her hair and drew a deep breath, as if savoring her scent. Or how his fingers idly caressed her thigh. Now and then, he’d drop a kiss on her head or shoulder or one of her arms around his neck.
She admired the strong lines of his face, his constant vigilance of their surroundings. Tomis’ protection made a gooey warmth flow through her entire being.
But it wasn’t a feeling she could trust. Just because he wanted to keep her safe and alive, didn’t mean he wanted her for his own. He’d made it quite plain he couldn’t—wouldn’t—claim her as a mate. Wouldn’t breed her, despite the mounting desperation she felt to be satisfied in that way.
Damn him.
His refusal cut her more deeply than she cared to admit. She was nothing more than a job to him. Yes, he enjoyed aspects of the job, but he refused to take himself outside its confines.
He stopped and lowered her feet to the ground. “I won’t make you walk, I just need to change your legs to the other side.”
“I can walk now,” she offered, although her body loathed to be parted from his, as if simply from skin to skin contact, it knew it might get satisfaction again soon.
“No.” Stars, she loved when he turned stubborn.
Instead of letting him pick her up with her legs to the side, she jumped to straddle his waist. His palms came up to her bare ass, still tingly and warm from the spanking he’d given her. She looped her arms around his neck and leaned her head close to his neck to make herself easier to carry.
Tomis muttered a curse. “I don’t know if this is going to work, female,” he said, but he started walking forward at the same pace as before.
“Why not?”
He kneaded her bottom with his hands. “Because I can’t handle having that wet pussy so close to my cock, starshine, without wanting to be inside it, instead.” He walked on, but his hands shifted restlessly. He propped her ass up with one forearm, freeing the other hand to stroke her buttocks, squeeze them, roughly. He groaned. “Stars, I can feel your wet heat through my pants. I want…”
“What do you want?” She traced the shell of his ear with her tongue.