A soft warmth unfurls inside me at that.
They’re offering romance and to go at my own pace.My pulse is still racing, but it’s different now. Less with fear. More… with anticipation.
Sylvian’s sits down, completing the circle around me. “We’ll take care of you,” he murmurs.
One by one, they take turns drawing closer, our breaths mingling in the space between us. Their lips find mine in soft, lingering kisses that leave me breathless, each touch igniting a fire deep within me. Ashton’s kiss is teasing, his lips curling into a smile against mine, light and playful, while Sylvian’s is slow and deliberate, his hand cupping my cheek as if I’m something precious. Oberon’s kiss is firm, grounding me, and Cassius’s is tender, a gentle exploration that sends shivers down my spine.
The heat in the room grows, and I feel myself melting under their attention. My body hums with nervous energy, but it’s mixed with something else. An awakening of desire I hadn’t realized was there. Cassius pulls back slightly, his lips hovering near mine, and I can feel the warmth of his breath against my skin, tantalizing and intoxicating.
“Do you want to try?” he asks softly, his voice barely above a whisper, his gaze searching for any sign of hesitation.
I swallow hard, my heart pounding. “With… with who?” I ask tentatively, my voice wavering. The question hangs in the air, filled with unspoken tension.
He smiles gently, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Me,” he says, his voice calm and reassuring. “I’ll be the first, since we all agreed I could be gentle and stay in control the way you need for your first time.”
I feel a mix of nerves and excitement swirl within me. Cassius takes my hand, leading me to the bed, while I draw in deep breaths to keep from passing out. My heart races as I sit down, knowing what this means, what I’m doing. It feels strange knowing the others are here, watching, but Cassius’s gentle touch draws my focus back to him, a grounding presence that I desperately need.
He cups my face, his thumb tracing slowly along my jaw before tilting my chin up. For a second, he just looks at me. Like he’s deciding something. Then his lips brush mine. Soft. Careful. Barely there. Like he’s testing the moment… or giving me time to pull away.
I don’t.
I lean into it instead, my breath catching as my lips part without thinking, and that’s all it takes.
His hand slides into my hair, fingers threading through it as he pulls me closer, the next kiss is deeper, more certain. His control slips just enough for me to feel it as his hold on me tightens, and his body goes rigid.
I gasp softly against his mouth, and he responds immediately, angling his head, pressing in closer as the kiss deepens again, slower this time but heavier, more deliberate. Not just touching. Holding. Claiming.
His thumb brushes along my cheek as he kisses me again, then again, each one lingering longer than the last, like he’s memorizing the shape of my mouth. Or losing himself to it.
I don’t know which.
Maybe both.
My hands reach for him instinctively, fisting in his shirt as I pull him closer, a strange urgency building deep inside me. He breaks the kiss just long enough to breathe, his lips brushing the corner of my mouth, my cheek, my throat, sucking gently. Awakening so much heat inside of me that it feels like I’m on fire.
My breath stutters. I follow him when he pulls back, chasing the warmth of his mouth, not ready for it to end, not ready for the distance.
A quiet sound escapes me before I can stop it. His hand tightens slightly in my hair at that. Not rough. Just enough to hold me there. Just enough to make my pulse jump.
When his mouth finds mine again, it’s different. Deeper. Hungrier. Still controlled, but only barely now.
His other hand slides to my hip, keeping me close as if he has no intention of letting me go. And this time I don’t just lean into the kiss. I meet it. Kissing him back. Claiming him the way he claims me.
I hear a sound. Ashton’s half-stifled moan, then Oberon’s low, approving grunt. I steal a glance, and see them both watching intently. Ashton’s hand is in his lap, kneading at the bulge in his pants. Oberon’s arms are still folded, but his chest is rising faster. Sylvian’s gaze is fixed on my face, like he’s cataloging every twitch and shiver.
Cassius slides a hand up the inside of my arm, so light it makes my hairs stand on end, and then he’s undoing the sash on my robe. I gasp as the fabric falls away, exposing the thin silk nightgown underneath. The air is cold on my skin, but his hands are warm. He runs his fingertips from my shoulder to my elbow, marveling at it like it’s treasure.
“You’re beautiful,” he says, and I believe him. The way he says it, like it’s a fact of nature.
He draws the strap of my nightgown off my shoulder. I look away, embarrassed, but he turns my face back and kisses my eyelids, my nose, my cheek. I melt under his mouth. He’s gentle, so careful, but every touch is more insistent.
“Is this okay?” he murmurs.
I can only nod. My heart in my throat.
He slips the gown lower, exposing my breasts. I flinch, but his hand steadies me, and then he’s cupping one, thumb brushing the nipple. The sensation is electric. Nobody’s ever touched me there before. I expect to feel shame, but instead I’m burning up. He draws slow circles around my nipples, never quite touching the center, and when I squirm he smiles, a sly glint in his pale blue eyes.
“Sensitive?” he says.
