It’s soft. So fucking soft. I’ve been dying to stroke it again, run my fingers through its length like he did to mine when we were inside of the oubliette. My hand twitches, fingertips itching to… to touch him back.
So I do.
Rys leans into my hand, his cheek nuzzling my palm as I thread my fingers through his wavy hair. There’s no resistance. It’s thick, but it’s smooth. Silky. My fingers glide right through the strands before I brush up against his pointed ear.
He groans. I can’t tell if it’s a good groan or a bad one.
Just in case, I yank my hand back. “Sorry.”
Rys is quick. He takes his hand from my elbow, lashing out to wrap my fingers in his warm hold. I gasp at the rush of pleasure that floods through me at the firm touch. He slowly guides my hand back through his hair, placing my fingers along the points of his ear.
“They’re sensitive, but I want you to touch them. I’ve never let a female caress my ears before. I like it when you do it. Do it again, Leannán.”
It’s a command, but one I’m more than happy to listen to.
With a feather-light caress, I stroke the tips of his ear on purpose this time.
He shudders and I feel so fucking powerful. I want to get more reactions out of him. I want him to lose total control, too, and I want to be the reason behind it. I want to strip him naked and touch every part of him while he does the same thing to me.
I want him.
Still brushing his ear with one hand, I turn slightly. “Can you...”
He leans into my touch, his eyes partially closed in bliss. “What would you like me to do?”
I wiggle my fingers toward the front of the cell. “You know. I’ve seen some of the other guards do it.”
His lips thin. His eyes lose that dopey, lust-filled look. “In the succubus’s wing?”
“Well, yeah.”
“I could. But not from inside the iron.”
That doesn’t make sense. I saw him conjure the fire that kept in the lantern that nearly burnt Dusk to a crisp. “But—”
He knows exactly where my thoughts are at. “The faerie fire I offered you was the most I could conjure. You needed it more than me, and I gave it to you. So long as Siúcra feeds on me, with the iron cage keeping me trapped, I can’t make as much as I used to.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Then I guess you’ll want to stop.” On a sigh, Rys lifts his hand back up to his hair, taking mine and moving it away from him. He settles it against my thigh before leaning back, giving us both some space.
Hang on. Did I say that? “I just thought I’d ask for the cover, but it doesn’t bother me either way. Unless… unless you’re afraid someone will see us.”
His breathing is a little heavier than it was before. Almost as if he can’t help it, he shifts, leaning toward me again. “No chance of that. I know the patrols. When I worked for the queen, I helped devise the rotation. With the culling, there aren’t enough prisoners to spend too long in our wing. Other prisoners require closer attention and, as you’re aware, many will visit Posey to earn her favors. We most certainly have some time.”
It sounds like he’s coming around to the idea.
Scratch that. It sounds like he’s totally on board.
Yes.
And then, because Rys really is my gentleman cellmate, he gives me one last chance to change my mind.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Ah, baby. I don’t have to do anything.”
That’s what I’ve been trying to get across all along. Once I figured out that I can hang onto my free will so long as I don’t give up my true name, all of my decisions are mine. I own them. And if they’re mistakes?