Page 45 of Bound By the Sleeper’s Harp

His chuckle was more of a low grumble. “Well then, my apologies for kissing you.” He pulled his hands from my hair and went to step back.

“No!” A pathetic sound of protest burst from me. My fists tightened in the fabric of his shirt.

He lifted an eyebrow. “No?”

I bit my bottom lip, contemplating. “I… Maybe I can make an exception?”

He huffed. “Oh?”

My eyes were wide, regarding him, giving everything away. Right now? I didn’t care. Tomorrow? I might beat myself up over it.

“Then perhaps, so can I,” he said.

I exhaled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means, sugar, that I don’t do humans.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. “Do, as in, do? Or…”

“Do, as in, anything. Your race—” He stopped himself, jaw clenching. Something passed over his features. Something that looked a lot like hatred, there and gone.

I frowned. The heated moment suddenly began to cool, right as my logic returned. What the hell was I doing? Perhaps this was a sign—I needed to slow down. I took a step to the side, attempting to get free of him. His arms returned to the wall, caging me. “We’re not done here.”

My eyes narrowed in irritation. I opened my mouth to say⁠—

His lips crushed against mine, kissing, devouring. My stomach dropped straight to my thighs. I flexed my abdominals, trying not to give in to the rising pressure in my core. His tongue swept deep into my mouth, stroking along the roof, across my teeth. The metal ball of his piercing made me shudder. I made a tiny noise in response. He groaned, rocking his hips against mine, spreading my legs with his thigh.

A whimper fell from my chest when he pressed against my clit.

His fingers tangled into my hair again, this time, gently tugging. His other hand wrapped around my throat, until the feel of his warm palm had me caged right where he wanted. His tongue sank deeper. The hot metal of his piercing tickled the ridges on the roof of my mouth.

My desperation exploded—a mindless, rabid animal that wanted only one thing. Him.

What would his piercing feel like elsewhere? Between my legs? Wetness flooded my panties.

The hard length of him ground into me. The pressure of his cock had my core humming. A familiar desperation had me tightening. Oh, God. He was going to make me come—just like this.

“Fuck,” Bastian growled, breaking our kiss but not our connection. He looked as if he was physically trying to restrain himself. His eyes darted between mine.

A blaring ringtone broke the tension. His pocket vibrated against my hip. Bastian cursed again, but his eyes didn’t move. His phone stopped ringing. I never realized silence could be this loud. The ringing started right up again.

He made a sound of irritation, releasing my head, then fished his phone from his pocket, glancing at the screen. His brow furrowed. He slid the answer toggle and lifted it to his ear. “Bastian speaking.”

I heard a voice on the other end. Male. But not enough to make out the words.

Bastian’s frown deepened, his expression darkening. “I’ll be right there.” He hung up, slipping the phone back into his pocket.

“You’re… You’re joking, right?” I managed between my panting breaths. Was he seriously going to get me riled up and just…bail?

His throat bobbed, eyes fixed on mine.

“Well,” I huffed, trying and failing to sound nonchalant. “I guess I’m no stranger to my own fingers. I’ll just finish the job myself, then. Go…do whatever it is you do.” I tried not to let my irritation show as I weakly pushed at him to get free.

His eyes darkened, but he didn’t move. A second stretched into two, into three, emotion crackling between us. Indecision played out over his features. Then his mouth fell against mine, yet again, another growl rumbling deep in his chest. I huffed out a breath, trying not to get lost in his taste. This time, his hands explored my body. He pawed me everywhere, like he couldn’t decide where to touch first, like he wanted to touch every inch of me simultaneously. At last, he palmed my breast with one hand, brushing his thumb over my peaked nipple, through the fabric, while his other traced circles across the exposed skin of my tummy.

My breathing turned erratic. Every angry thought slid right out of my mind. He had me right where he wanted.

Keeping hold of my breast, he slid his other hand down, wedging it between his thigh and my apex, gripping my pussy with possessive intent. A zing of desperation had me clenching against the pressure. Fuck, I was tightening.