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  “Master!” she wailed again and then went rigid in his arms as the pleasure coursed through her, arching her back and curling her toes, electrocuting her with undeniable desire.

  At last she collapsed, panting in his arms.

  “God…oh, God…” Her voice was hoarse in her own ears. She felt exhausted—completely spent and her body went as limp as a rag doll in his muscular arms.

  “Elaina,” he murmured in her ear. “Are you all right?”

  “Fine, I just…” She shook her head, too tired and emotionally stripped bare to lie. “I’ve just never come that hard before. It was amazing.”

  “You’re amazing—so fucking gorgeous when you come,” he growled softly. “I’ve never seen a sight so beautiful. But was it enough? Are you satisfied?”

  “I think so. For now. Uh…” She looked down between her legs where his long fingers were still buried in her pussy. “Terex…”

  “Sorry.” He withdrew slowly and Elaina crawled off his lap. She wouldn’t have minded staying put but it seemed a little awkward now that the sharp edge had been taken off her desire.

  “Um…” Elaina shifted uncomfortably. “You want me to, uh, get you a washcloth or…” She gestured at his right hand where his fingers were still shiny with her juices.

  “No need.” Keeping his eyes locked with hers, Terex slipped his fingers into his mouth and sucked them clean, lapping away her honey with apparent relish, as though it was the best thing he’d tasted in ages.

  “Oh…” The sight made Elaina’s pussy clench all over again for some reason. “You…you don’t have to do that,” she whispered.

  “I know. I want to do it,” he murmured softly. “Gods, you taste as good as I thought you would.”

  The bulge at his crotch looked painfully erect. He must be hurting, Elaina realized. Crawling forward on the bed, she reached for him but Terex drew away.

  “What’s wrong?” She looked up at him, feeling hurt. “I just wanted to help you, Master.”

  He sighed. “You can stop calling me that now. And we have to stop ‘helping’ each other or we’ll never get anything done.”

  “All right.” Elaina shivered, already missing the warmth of his arms. “Then I need to find something to wear. I’m cold.”

  “I’d like to dress for sleep as well. I think some clothing was left for us in the wardrobe—come on.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The wardrobe was a big, free-standing piece of furniture lined with some fragrant wood that smelled like a cross between cedar and pine to Elaina. But though it smelled amazing, it didn’t contain any night clothes for her. There was a set of silky black pajamas for Terex that had magnetic closures instead of buttons, and plenty of clothing for both of them to wear during the day at court, but nothing for her to wear to bed.

  “I guess I’m supposed to sleep naked?” Elaina frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. Though she was less self-conscious about the big Kindred seeing her without clothes now, it was still uncomfortable to walk around in the nude.

  “Here.” Terex handed her the long sleeved, silky black sleep top which was part of his pajama set. “You wear the top, I’ll wear the bottoms.”

  “Thank you.” Elaina pulled it on gratefully and yawned. “God, it’s been a long day.”

  “Why don’t we go back to bed and plan what to do tomorrow before we fall asleep?” Terex asked, as he finished pulling on the sleep trousers.

  “Good…” She yawned again. “Good idea.”

  “Come on then.” Swinging her up into his arms unexpectedly, he carried her towards the bed.

  “Hey—you don’t have to do that!” Elaina was taken off guard but she didn’t really mind. It was nice being held by him, feeling his big warm body against hers.

  “Maybe I want to. Maybe I like taking care of you.” He gave her a small smile and kissed her forehead gently before laying her down on the bed.

  “I kind of like it too,” she admitted, feeling her heart flutter. “And I want to thank you for, uh, helping me out just now,” she added as she crawled under the elaborate gold bedspread and between the silky sheets beneath.

  “It was necessary,” Terex said seriously, dimming the lights and joining her between the sheets. “It’s difficult to concentrate on anything else when you’re being constantly tormented and distracted by desire.”

  The way he said it made Elaina remember his words on the Kindred Mother Ship when he’d been protesting that she shouldn’t come with him. “Just having you near me is a distraction. The sight of you…the warmth radiating from your skin…” he’d growled. Was it possible this was what he’d meant—that he was so attracted to her sexually he could barely concentrate on his mission?

  But I’m nobody, she protested to herself. Why would a big, muscular warrior find her so incredibly attractive he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to do his job right? Still, Kate had told her back on the Mother Ship that Terex was afraid he might not be able to control his sexual urges around her and he himself had spoken of being “attuned” to her. So maybe…

  “Do I distract you…like that?” she heard herself saying. “I mean, uh, sexually? Is that the reason you didn’t want me coming with you in the first place?”

  Terex took a deep breath.

  “Yes,” he admitted, softly, turning toward her. He propped himself up on one arm and looked down at Elaina, who was lying on her side, her head on an elaborate gold pillow. “I’ve been dead—sexually dead for the past ten cycles ever since my mate, Solange, passed over to be with the Goddess. And then you came along and my body came alive again. I’m sorry.” He shook his head helplessly. “I can’t help it.”

  “Any more than I could help being affected by that damn aphrodisiac,” Elaina murmured. “It’s all right, Terex. I find it kind of, uh, flattering, actually. I mean, you’re this big, strong, powerful warrior and I’m just a nobody from Earth.”

  “Don’t speak so of yourself,” he said fiercely. “You’re beautiful, Elaina. And intelligent and wise and…Gods. I should stop.”

  “Probably.” But she didn’t really want him to. She wanted to keep him talking. Now that they were in bed and comfortable together, she seemed to be waking up. “Tell me about the Master thing,” she said, looking up at him. “I mean, tell me why you didn’t want me calling you that in private?”

  He frowned. “It is…a shameful part of my past. One I have not told to anyone.”

  “I understand if you don’t want to talk about it,” Elaina said quietly. “But I wish you would. I want to get to know you better. And, well…” She shifted. “I was pretty open with you just now. I mean, I’ve never…never done anything like that with a guy before. I mean, I’ve never let one—had one—make me come.”

  “No?” He looked surprised. “Then how did you…”

  “I always just took care of myself.” Elaina shrugged. “It was easier that way. Partly because my ex wouldn’t have been remotely interested in even trying to make me come that way and partly because, well, it’s difficult to let yourself be so vulnerable.”

  “I see.” Terex nodded. “And you wish me to repay the favor by telling you of my shameful past?”

  “I want to get to know you,” Elaina repeated. “That’s all. I think we’re in a pretty precarious situation here. The better we know each other, the greater the chance we’ll get out of it alive.”

  “True.” He sighed. “All right, I’ll tell you. But I hope…hope it won’t change the way you see me.”

  “What I see is a big, strong, handsome guy who lost his wife and then had a lot of other bad things happen to him,” Elaina said honestly. “But despite all that, you’re still committed to doing the right thing. I think that’s admirable.”

  “Thank you. That’s…a very generous assessment. All right…I’ll tell you as best I can.”

  “Thank you.” Elaina readjusted her pillow and looked at him expectantly, ready to listen.

  * * * * *

  Terex sig