To Seduce An Assassin (The Omaja Series Book 2)(66)

“And I don’t want to hurt you,” he added.

“By…by taking my virginity, and then shunning me?”

“No! No, Sheir-zin. I mean physically hurt you. Intercourse is painful for a woman the first time.”

“I’ve heard tell of such. But it seems a necessary evil, one I must go through in order to have a second and a third time.”

“We have an oil made here in Nandala for this purpose, but I don’t have any. It’s only for new brides. It’s part of the way our culture attempts to keep relations before marriage at least somewhat restricted.”

“Oh well; you don’t have any. Let’s just take our chances.” She pulled him back down for another kiss, trying to wrap a leg around his hips.

He broke off the kiss, breathing hard, and pried her leg off his thigh, pressing it back down to the rumpled bedclothes. He moved his groin carefully away from hers. “No, Lahdli. No. I want your first time to be as enjoyable as possible.”

She clutched at his shoulders. “You can’t just stop now, like this. Not when I’m—I’m—”

“What?” he whispered.

“Feeling all this want.”

He chuckled and hung his head a moment, then looked up at her again. “I know. I feel it a hundred times worse than you do, trust me.”

“Don’t leave. Please don’t leave. I need your arms around me tonight.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Sheir-zin. Just let me breathe for a second, get some control.”

§

Confound it, the woman would not stop moving against him, hugging him, and kissing his neck, and Yavi was about two seconds from climaxing in his trousers. He gently untangled her arms from around his neck. “I must excuse myself for three minutes. I promise I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?” she whispered, her Villeleian accent like sensual liquid velvet in his ears.

“To my latrine, if you must know.” That was partially true.

“Oh. Of course.” She released him.

He rolled over and pushed the filstoc aside, then looked back at her. “If the ghost appears while I’m gone, ask him to hold off a moment before doing anything threatening or scary.”

She punched his arm. “Why did you have to bring him up before leaving me alone in the dark? I had forgotten about him.”

“I haven’t forgotten about him.” He grinned down at her as he stood up. “In fact, I’d like to thank the little bastard. He’s the reason I had an excuse to stay with you tonight.”

“Yavi!” She stretched forward to punch his stomach, which only added to the aroused throbbing of his cock.

He grabbed his shirt off the floor and hurried to the door. “Be back in three minutes. Time me if you like.”

Inside his own room, he picked up a used towel from the lower shelf of his washstand, freed his aching shaft, and stroked himself quickly to release. He visited his latrine, washed his hands at his washstand, donned his shirt, and returned to Graciella’s bedroom door just in time to make his predicted arrival.

He tapped lightly. “Graciella? It’s me.”

“Come in.”

He slipped inside, barred the door, and went to the fireplace to build another fire. “Any sign of demon boy?”

“No. He heard about your terrible jokes and decided that was enough torment for me for one evening.”

Yavi grinned, crouching to stack a couple of logs in the fireplace. “Torment, eh? Is that what I’ve inflicted on you tonight? Six years of celibacy must have really eroded my lovemaking skills.”

She laughed. “I rather think they have made your skills sharper.”

“How would you know? What do you have to compare me to?”

“Only my fevered fantasies of you.”

He struck a flint, noticing his erection was springing to life again already. “How have I measured up? To me in your fantasies, that is?”

“Quite well, I must say.”

He rose, using the poker to spread the fire before turning to face her, hands on hips. “Now, my dear, we are going to sleep. I’m not getting back in that bed with you unless you swear by the Gods you will go to sleep.”

“I swear. By the Gods. But you have to hold me in your arms while I sleep. If you hold me, I promise to go to sleep. If you refuse to hold me, I will jump up and down on the bed until daylight.”

Tempting as it was to take her up on that threat and then watch her breasts bouncing up and down under her gown, he chose a saner response. “It’s a deal.” He moved toward the bed and picked up the blankets, and she scooted aside to make room for him to crawl in beside her.

He sucked in a deep breath and willed his erection to remain under control as she snuggled eagerly into his arms. She tucked her head under his chin, positioning her fragrant hair directly under his nostrils. Her sweet, feminine body molded itself to his larger, more muscular frame. He held his breath and waited.

Like a miracle, she closed her eyes, and dozed off within mere minutes.

He relaxed and breathed deeply, smiling. He’d basically ignored his oath tonight, and yet his heart felt light and free. He knew that could only mean one thing.

He was truly, deeply, in love.





Thirteen