Page 82 of Bound By the Sleeper’s Harp

Heat shot through me, remembering how he'd made me come with those gentle bites. Poof. Just like that—my fear was replaced by reluctance. I licked my lips, glancing at the bed. It was just a bed—for sleeping, of course. “Uh. Yeah, sure. As long as you don’t mind.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “You can be my first.”

“Your first? Human?”

“No, my first-first,” he said. “I’ve never allowed other women into my bed, Elle.” He’d been calling me Elle, I realized. “It seems you’re full of firsts, for me.”

What was that supposed to mean? I certainly wasn’t the first woman he’d touched or gone down on. And while I was the first human he’d indulged in after having sworn them off, I wasn’t technically the first where that was concerned, either. So…first what?

Meow.

We both looked toward the doorway. Teddy sat there, watching us.

“No fucking way. That cat is not sleeping in my room.”

“Oh, stop. He can come in.”

“No, he can’t.”

“Bas,” I whined. “It’s Teddy. He doesn’t have to sleep on the bed. But come on, he doesn’t want to be alone either, do you, Teddy?” The words came out in a baby voice. Bastian made a groaning sound and I knew I was close. “Please?” I pouted and batted my eyelashes.

“Ugh. Unbelievable.” He stalked across the room, throwing back the covers. “Fine. But no bed, Cat. You sleep on the floor.”

I rolled my eyes and slipped beneath the covers. Bastian kept to his side. He propped himself up on an elbow, looking down at me. “You good?”

“Yep. Think so.”

He plopped back onto his back and the lights went out. Meow.

“Teddy,” we both said at the same time. I snickered. “Go lay down, Teddy,” I added. Teddy was silent after that. But that didn’t stop Bastian from muttering something about stupid cats under his breath. He probably wouldn’t admit it—ever—but something told me Teddy was growing on him.

I turned onto my side facing Bastian, then closed my eyes. Sleep felt a long way off. I turned back onto my back, and then a few minutes later, my other side, facing away from Bastian. A soft groan sounded and then hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me against a firm body. “If you don’t stop squirming, sugar, we’re going to have problems. I can’t get any sleep when you’re flopping around like a fish out of water. Stay put.” To emphasize his point, a thigh wedged between mine, and his arms tightened, holding me in place.

“Are you… Are you spooning me?”

“That’s what it looks like,” he said.

Just to test him, I pressed my hips back against him. He growled in my ear. “Elle,” he warned.

“What? I’m trying to get comfortable. You’ve got me in a vice grip.”

“I’ve got you right where I want you. Now go to sleep.”

I rolled my eyes, not that he could⁠—

“I can feel you rolling your eyes. Stop. Go. To. Sleep.”

I snickered. He was trying to sound forceful, but I felt the underlying tension in his words. If we didn’t sleep, other things would happen, and he was trying hard to ensure that wasn’t the case. Fine. I’d let him have this one. But… I couldn’t promise I’d hold myself at bay for long. He’d gotten to have his way with me, and I had yet to have my turn.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions swirling through me. Bastian’s arms were warm around me. Despite being nearly pinned, I felt safer than I had in…as long as I could remember. I might have had a fancy techy-magical security system around the house, but around my body, I had an even stronger protection. And in this moment, it felt like nothing could possibly touch me—not even Luke.

28

Soft sleek fur made Bastian’s fingers twitch. He stroked, calmed by the feeling. A comforting scent flooded his nostrils. The muscles low in his abdomen clenched and unclenched, an ache building in his hardened cock.

His hand moved again, stroking—his eyes flew open. “Fucking Teddy,” he hissed, jerking his hand back. A soft giggle wrapped around him, the most beautiful sound he’d heard in a long time. A sound he wouldn’t mind waking up to on a daily basis. His cock twitched and he shifted to ease the ache, only to press it more firmly into a soft backside. Sensation erupted, skittering across his skin, straight to his fucking toes. He jerked his hand away from Teddy and pulled her in closer. Pressing himself to her everywhere.

“I think he’s growing on you,” said the feminine voice beside him. A woman. There was a woman in his bed. His goddamn bed!