At least he hoped he did.
Chapter Eighteen
Melody’s mind buzzed with excitement. After finishing their lunch, Garen’s entire demeanor shifted. He was no longer the easygoing, sensitive, sharing man she’d spent the morning with. Back came the no-nonsense commands, given in his even tone, like he’d done when he’d first found her in the library cubicle little more than a day ago.
He led her to her bedroom, which she was surprised to see had been tidied up while they were working out, though there had been no sign of any staff about.
“Undress and put your robe on again, and wait for me here,” Garen said before stepping into the sunlit bathroom. She did as he asked and sat on the edge of the bed, her leg bouncing with nerves.
The sound of rushing water reached her ears from the bathroom, soon followed by the scent of something subtly floral. She inhaled deeply. Lavender, she thought, and something else that calmed her.
This is where it starts, she thought, eager to find out what kinds of things Garen would be doing to prepare her.
A few moments later, he reappeared in the bathroom doorway.
“Come,” he said, nodding to her.
She approached him, biting her lip as she gazed up at his blank expression. He stepped to the side to allow her to pass. When she did, he bent his head to whisper, “Don’t be nervous, this’ll be fun for us both.” He touched her hip very lightly through her silk robe and slid his large hand along her lower back, letting it rest there to urge her further into the room.
He stopped her at the side of the tub. She began to untie her robe but he reached around her from behind and clutched her hands in his.
“Let me do everything until I say otherwise.”
“Okay,” she said, dropping her arms to her sides.
He tugged at the knot in the belt and the robe fell open. The warmth of his body sank through the fabric and into the skin of her back. She wanted to lean back against him, to feel the hard shapes of his body she’d admired earlier pressed against her, but she managed to hold still to comply with his instructions.
His hands rested on her shoulders, squeezing gently before his fingers hooked into the collar of the robe. He didn’t pull at it, however. Instead he merely gripped the edges of the fabric lightly between his thumbs and fingers and slid them down along the front of it, knuckles brushing against her flesh as his hands descended.
Melody’s nerve endings came alive beneath that bare brush of his skin against hers. He paused just at the upper swell of her breasts.
“I’ve barely begun and you’re already ripe with lust,” he murmured in her ear. “I need you to take a deep breath, Melody. You need to last all night, remember?”
“Okay,” she said, taking a deep breath and trying not to shiver in ecstasy at the sensation of the fabric of her robe sliding over her erect nipples.
Garen pulled the robe open and slid it off her shoulders. His hands brushed her skin again almost randomly, but she got the sense that none of what he did from here on out would be random in the slightest. He stepped away for a moment to hang the robe on a hook on the back of the door, which he closed behind him when he was done.
Coming back to her, he gripped her hand and led her to the wide raised steps leading to the edge of the huge jacuzzi tub. She used his grip for balance as she tested the water, which felt gloriously hot after spending the day in the comfortable chill of the air conditioned apartment. She stepped in and sank down into the water, finding the comfortable contoured seat at one edge.
The heat seeped into her well-worked muscles bit by bit, and she relaxed, closing her eyes to enjoy the soak.
“Open your eyes, Melody. You don’t get to sleep through this.”
“I wasn’t …” she began and opened her eyes. They widened when she saw him stepping naked into the other end of the tub and moving toward her. His skin glistened from the steam that clung to him, and his half-hard cock swayed slightly with each step. When he reached her feet, he sank down until the water covered his stomach. He stretched a hand out to the edge of the tub and grabbed a cloth and a bar of soap, then sank one hand beneath the water and found her foot.
She wanted to close her eyes again and just enjoy the gentle sensations of his hands on her, washing her. First at her feet, then gradually up each leg. It was so relaxing after a few moments that it would have stopped being erotic if it weren’t for the way Garen’s muscles flexed with each movement, or the way he licked the moisture from his lips every so often.
He shifted to her side and continued the slow washing of her from fingertips to armpits and then down her sides, being deliberately careful not to touch anything too sensitive.
“Lean back and wet your hair,” he said, shifting closer and resting his palm against the back of her neck.
She let him support her as she slipped further into the tub. One of his arms went beneath her knees, and he held her floating body until she felt completely weightless with barely more than the lightest touch from his arm beneath her legs for support and only his hand beneath her head keeping her face above the water’s surface. She did close her eyes when the water covered her ears, muffling everything except the oddly resonant sound of her own breathing.
Nothing existed inside their little bubble. The entire world disappeared in that moment, leaving behind only the womb-like heat of the tub and Garen’s strong arms holding her floating body. When his touch shifted from beneath her knees and his hand moved higher, the sensation was merely an extension of the bliss that cocooned her already.
His palm slid up the back of her thigh, and then around, trailing heat over the top of her leg where her skin was partially still above the surface. Fingertips traced a slow line along her inner thigh until they grazed, feather-light, against the outer folds of her core.
Melody opened her eyes, suddenly needing to watch his face while he touched her. His attention was focused between her thighs, his full, kissable lips open slightly and his brow furrowed as though with intense concentration. For a second she was certain he’d darted his tongue out to lick his lips, but she must have been mistaken, for what she’d seen hadn’t been anything close to what a tongue should have looked like. Except he isn’t human, she reminded herself. It didn’t matter anymore when he slipped his thumb and forefinger along between her folds, down the length of her slit, and spread her open enough for the heat of the water to sink deeper.
Following the contours of her pussy back up, he paused at her clit and stroked slowly and with barely enough pressure for her to feel it. But she did feel it and all it did was serve to make her crave more. She forced herself to remain still, letting the need build, trusting him to stop at the right moment like he said he would.
Just when she was sure she would have to push him away, his hand disappeared from between her thighs and he moved again, sliding down onto the seat she’d rested on earlier and pulling her back against him.
She didn’t move or speak, but sighed when he wrapped his arms around her torso beneath her breasts and pressed his face against her neck.
“Sweet Melody, you are an amazing creature. I do hope Skye knows how lucky he is that you’re his.”
Melody gripped his hands in her own and squeezed. “If he’s half as amazing as you, I’m sure he’ll figure it out.”
They remained like that for several moments until her desire subsided enough for her heart rate to reach a somewhat normal pace. Garen shifted behind her again and soon she felt something cool trickle along the top of her scalp followed by his fingertips massaging into her hair.
“So this is the full wash treatment, huh?” she asked, trying to lighten the mood as much as she could. As much as she wanted his touch in all kinds of places on her body, she wished even more for the light banter from their workout.
“I plan on seeing to every inch of you, head to toe,” he said.
Me
lody let herself sink back against him with a sigh. If this was what her days would be like with Garen, she had no room to complain. His every touch made her feel both alive and content, even in the midst of being aroused to the point of distraction. She could easily get used to this, if it weren’t for the tiny knot of anxiety over seeing Skye again that threatened to ruin the mood entirely.
Chapter Nineteen
Garen took his time with every task required to prepare Melody for her evening with Skye. By the time he was finished, he’d been intimately acquainted with virtually every inch of her luscious body.
She didn’t push him for any more attention than he gave, even though her aura was a molten glow at times, quivering with her need as much as her muscles did beneath his touch.
Thankfully, some of the tasks were more benign than others and they had short respites. While he dried and styled her hair for her, she sat still and quiet, and he wondered if she was contemplating the evening ahead of her.
“What does he like?” she asked, surprising him as he brushed out her silken, honey-colored locks.
“Skye?” he asked, sweeping her long hair back over her shoulder and tugging her bulky robe open again to let her hair drape over her bare, smooth skin. The touch was meant to arouse her again after her aura had cooled down a bit in the aftermath of the bath that had left Garen’s balls aching painfully. He wouldn’t have Skye to fall back on tonight, or for some time, so he resigned himself to dealing with the discomfort for the foreseeable future. Tonight, he hoped to spend flying high enough and long enough for the chill of the upper elevations of the atmosphere to cool him off. Shifting was one of the only ways he had discovered to give him some relief from the frustration of a lack of sexual release.
Melody’s red-gold aura brightened and her cheeks flushed when he pulled her hands away from the front of her robe to let the terrycloth slide off her arms and expose her breasts.
“Yes,” she said, keeping her eyes on his. “If I’m going to be his lover, I want to know how to please him, too. You two were lovers, right? What kinds of things does he like in bed?”
Garen suppressed the urge to kiss her simply for her earnest interest.
“Skye won’t be shy about telling you what he likes, but if you want to surprise him, offer to undress him, and go slowly. He likes being teased a bit as long as he knows he’ll be fulfilled.”
“Teased, like what you’ve been doing to me all day?”
Garen smiled and tweaked her nipple, gratified by her light gasp and the giggle that followed.
“Like that, just don’t play. He takes lovemaking seriously.”
Melody frowned slightly. “That’s no fun. What about you?”
“I avoid it.”
Her brow creased and she gave him a dubious look. “But you said you went out last night. That doesn’t sound like avoiding it.”
He pushed her robe completely off and reached for a bottle of lotion. He squeezed a dollop into his palm and, beginning at her feet, he smoothed the milky liquid into her skin, massaging as he went.
Melody sat quietly expectant and let out a little sigh when he dug into the heels of her feet with his fingers.
“I wasn’t out seeking a lover. Just someone willing to share their Nirvana with me.” He glanced up at her. Sensing the explanation was still inadequate, he added, “We didn’t fuck. That’s what I meant when I said I avoid it.”
Melody’s expression darkened. “You don’t like sex?”
He gave her a rueful chuckle. “I love sex. It’s just rarely satisfying to me in the same way it is to you. The physical part of it doesn’t …” He sighed harshly through his nose. Sweet Mother, he would be happy when he didn’t have to keep his race’s secrets from her, much less his own secrets. “I can’t come,” he said. “Not unless I’m with Skye.”
He hated the pitying look she gave him after his confession and lowered his head to focus on massaging more of the sweet-smelling lotion into her calves. When he ventured higher and swept a slick, lotion-coated palm down the top of one thigh, she stopped him by placing a gentle hand on his cheek and urging him to look at her.
“I wish I could see what your aura looks like,” she said. “Because I can tell you at least enjoy touching me.”
Her gaze flicked down to his clothed hips and back up. He snorted in amusement. “I hope it doesn’t bother you because I’m likely to be in this state anytime I’m within a few feet of you.”
“Are you like this with other … humans?” she asked. He urged her to stand, and she turned obligingly so he could smooth more lotion into her bare backside. His palms tingled from the friction of massaging her and he was grateful for her passivity during her preparations. He could sense a level of excitement in her that was less from physical arousal as it was anticipation of seeing Skye again, he was almost certain.
“Not to this degree, no.” Not even Skye gets me this worked up from his mere presence.
“And why is it only Skye who can get you off, do you think?”
Garen stood and began working the lotion into her shoulders now, and then down her arms. He didn’t answer her at first, but only because he really had no idea how.
Melody finally spoke into the void. “I’m sorry, it’s probably none of my business. It’s just that you’re so good at making me feel … well, amazing, really … I feel a little guilty that I’m taking his attention away from you.”
Garen poured another dollop of lotion into his palm and distributed it between his hands, then stepped closer and slipped his arms around her ribcage and under her breasts, smoothing the lotion up over those glorious, full mounds and rubbing gently. Melody sighed and leaned back against him. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her naked form in his arms.
“I think I can accept the loss if this is what I get in return,” he murmured in her ear. “I don’t care if I never have another orgasm if it means spending my days getting you worked up for Skye. Just promise me one thing.” He turned her around to face him, smiling slightly at the dazed look on her face.
“What?” she asked, one golden eyebrow arched over her slightly glassy blue eyes.
“Promise me you’ll be honest and tell me if you’re unhappy with anything that happens. Anything Skye does or doesn’t do. Or anything I do, for that matter.”
She nodded and reached up to place her hand against his cheek again. “All right. So far I have no complaints other than being supremely horny, but that just means you’ve done your job well.”
“We’re almost done for the day,” he said, walking to her closet. He stood in the small space for a few moments, blindly flipping through the racks of clothing and simply taking deep breaths to try to find some semblance of sanity again before the final bit of prep he had planned. His cock finally subsided back to a more manageable state so he could think clearly. He spied the garment he’d been looking for and snagged the hanger, carrying it back out to Melody.
Her mouth dropped open when she saw the length of sheer, dusky blue muslin edged in lace. “Oh, wow. Is that what I’m wearing?”
Garen couldn’t help but smile at her wide-eyed reaction. “Not every night, but the first night should be special.”
“It almost makes me wish I were still a virgin so I could experience it all like it were new.” She stepped forward eagerly, reaching out to take the hanger from his hand.
Garen pulled back. “Not yet. There’s one more thing we have to do before you put this on. Go back into the bathroom and use a cloth to dry off a bit.”
She blinked at him. “But I’m not … Oh!” Her aura pulsed as she realized what he meant, then she turned to do as he asked.
When she came back, the scent of her arousal was only slightly subdued. He’d have her delicate aroma filling the room again before they were finished and she was ready to meet Skye. With a gentle squeeze of a tiny bottle, gold liquid pooled into
his cupped palm. His heart pounded as he stepped toward her, knowing that this particular task would leave his own head buzzing from the proximity to her pulsing aura and the need to bring her off so he could taste her energy again. He had no choice but to restrain himself now, however.
Suddenly he couldn’t bear to have her eyes on him while he did this. “Turn around and rest your hands on the bench,” he said.
Melody gave him a perplexed look, but did as he asked. The bench in her dressing room was low and quilted, her palms sinking into it when she leaned on them. She obligingly spread her legs, intuiting his goal. Her nether lips parted for him, their freshly waxed skin pink and smooth. Now it was all he could do not to sink to his knees and bury his tongue between the juicy folds.
He spread the sweet almond oil over his palm and fingers and cupped her gently between the thighs, covering her entire sweet snatch with his hand and massaging the oil as delicately as he could into her bare flesh. She grew hot and wet from his touch almost instantly, her aura swelling almost to its breaking point.
“Oh God, Garen. That’s too much …”
“Just a bit more, and then you dress.”
She let out a low, soft moan followed by a relieved sigh when he moved his touch away from her clit, spreading his fingers and sliding them back along her outer lips. He moved his hands higher and smoothed the remaining oil between her spread ass cheeks until the tight rose of her asshole glistened as much as her pussy.
When he was finished, the scent of her mingled with the almondy scent of the oil, making his mouth water.
Tonight he would definitely fly, long and hard. Once he’d cooled off enough, he would gorge himself on food at one of his favorite restaurants in the city. The restaurant was owned by a Gold dragon he knew well, and its menu was comprised of dishes that were all the most sumptuous treats designed to satisfy a dragon’s appetites when sex wasn’t readily available. He was a frequent, valued customer and anticipated spending a lot more time there for the foreseeable future.
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