“Permanent damage?” She looked up at Thracefearfully. “What does that mean?”

“It means you need to let me help you now.” Hetook a step towards her but Trin retreated.

“I…I really don’t think…”

“That it’s proper?” He blew out a breath in obviousfrustration. “Listen, Trin—we’ve gone well beyond caring what’s right or wrongaccording to your personal code of ethics or what the Goddess of Judgment says.We’re talking about pain and permanent damage—you need to let me help you.”

“I…” Trin shook her head, wishing she could put herobjections into words. But her mind was a jumbled chaos and her breasts wereaching so much it was hard to think.

“Think of it this way,” Thrace murmured, stepping closer tocup her cheek. “I’ll be performing an obeisance, like I did for you earlier inthe sleeping chamber. That’s all.”

“But…you just kissed me then,” Trin pointed out.“It was gentle…respectful.”

“And I’ll still be respectful,” Thracepromised her gently. “I would never treat any part of you with disrespect,Mistress.”

“That…that article said you have to suck vigorously.As in hard,” Trin objected. “That just sounds…obscene. And besides,I don’t think I could stand that right now. They hurt so much.” Shepointed down to her bright scarlet nipples and her breasts which still felt sofull and achy.

“I’ll be gentle, baby.” Thrace stroked her cheek with afeather light touch. “You know I will.”

“Well…I guess if you’re gentle.” Trin shifted andfelt something strike the backs of her thighs. With a start, she realized shehad backed herself against the black marble counter which ran the length of theroom.

“Here.” Thrace put both hands on her hipsand lifted her easily, as if she was a doll. He sat her carefully on the highcounter so that his mouth was on the level of her full, naked breasts.“Comfortable?” he asked, looking at her with half-lidded eyes. “Ready to let mehelp you?”

“Yes,” Trin whispered in a small voice. “But…”

“But what?” he was already cupping her breasts inhis big hands, about to lean forward.

“I mean…how can you not mind doing this?” Trinmotioned down at herself, at the obscene sight of her too-full breasts andscarlet nipples, so different from her usual berry brown color. “I mean I look…bizarre.”

“You’re beautiful—always beautiful to me.” Hecupped her cheek again. “And didn’t I tell you there was nothing I wouldn’t dofor you?”

“Thrace…youdon’t have to.”

“Yes I do. And I want to.” Leaning down heraised her aching right nipple to his lips. “Watch me, baby. I’m going to startout very soft and gentle.”

“A-all right.” Trin didn’t know what else to say.And before she could think of anything, his warm mouth was closing around hertight nipple.

Trin clenched her hands into fists, trying to braceherself. By now her breasts were so full and achy that even a soft breezeblowing across her nipples would have hurt. So she didn’t see how letting Thracesuck them could be anything but excruciating. She closed her eyes, gritted herteeth, and tried to get ready for the pain.

To her surprise, no pain came. Instead, there wasthe soothing sensation of warmth and then the feeling of his tongue bathing heraching tip very, very tenderly.

“Oh…” Trin whispered, unable to say anything else.Before when he’d kissed her while paying obeisance, he hadn’t used his tongue.Now, he was lapping gently and delicately around her swollen nipple, making herfeel strange all over. Strange but good…relieved. And hot.

Thrace released her for just a moment and looked up ather.

“Going to suck now, Mistress. Going to suck yoursweet nipple. Let me know if you need more or less.”

Trin nodded and watched as he recaptured her nippleand drew it as deeply into his mouth as he could. Then, very gently, thesuction began.

At once she felt a sense of release, as though thepressure that had been building up inside her was beginning to ease. But thoughit was getting better, the easing of tension wasn’t quite fast enough. Sheneeded more.

“Thrace…”She ran a hand through his hair, looking down at him, his mouth latched on toher nipple. “I need more…need…harder.”

He released her once more.

“As my lady commands,” he murmured. Then, pullingher close, he nuzzled his face between her breasts, the scratch of his cheeksmaking her moan. “Harder then,” he said hoarsely.

This time when he pulled her nipple into his mouth,Trin could feel a deep, steady suction that made her moan. Goddess, surely itwasn’t right the way this made her feel! It was almost as though there was aconnection that went directly from her nipples to her pussy. With each deeppull on her breast, she felt an answering surge between her thighs. Her clitwas throbbing with need and desire as Thrace tended to her.

After a while he switched breasts, sucking the leftnipple just as eagerly. Trin groaned as the intense need growing in her pussyignited and her body begged for more. She could no longer ignore the fire hismouth on her nipples caused. She had to do something to relieve this desire.

Without thinking about it, her hand slipped downand opened the towel still wrapped around her waist. Her fingers found herswollen pussy lips and parted them to slip inside. But with the first lighttouch, she gasped in pain.

“Ouch!”

Thrace stopped sucking at once.

“Did I hurt you?” His eyes were dark with concern.

“No, I…I hurt myself,” Trin confessed.

“What? How?” He frowned.

“I…”

“Just tell me, Trin.”

“I…” Her face was on fire but she knew he wouldn’tstop asking until he had an answer. “I tried to…to touch myself, like I didwhen you held me last night,” she whispered. “But I guess I’m too sensitivebecause it really hurt.”

“Let me see.” Despite her weak protests, he pulledthe towel all the way open, baring her pussy. What he revealed made Trin suckin her breath—her pussy was swollen with need and as scarlet as her nipples. Itwas clear to see since the outer lips parting of their own volition to revealher inner cunt, slick with her juices. The little pearl of her clit wasstanding out, prominently on display as though begging for attention.

“Oh, no!” Trin moaned at the sight. “Not theretoo!”

“It’s all right,” Thrace murmured. “You’re just inneed, Mistress.” He placed a hand on her inner thigh. “Do you want me to easeyou?”

“I don’t think you can. If I can’t even stand myown touch…”

“I think I can help you if you’ll let me. Thecompounds in my saliva that are easing the pain in your nipples should work onyour pussy too.” He looked up at her. “Will you let me try?”

“What, you mean…lick me? There?” Trin felt her faceheat as she nodded between her legs.

Slowly, he nodded. “It would be the fastest way tohelp you feel better.”

“No.” Trin closed her thighs though it made herswollen pussy ache sharply. “I don’t…don’t want you to do that. I don’tfeel…comfortable with that.”

“I kissed you there when I was offering youobeisance,” he pointed out.

“That’s not the same thing,” she said stubbornly.“You only kissed me. You didn’t…didn’t spread me open and…and lick me.”

“What’s the matter?” he asked softly. “Is lickingtoo much like penetration?”

“It’s close,” Trin admitted, dropping her eyes.“Closer than I want to get.”

“All right.” he sighed. “What if I licked myfingers and touched you with them? Would that be all right? As long as Ipromise not to penetrate you with them?”

“I…guess so.” Trin didn’t know what else to do.

“You know, my tongue is a hell of a lot softer thanmy fingers,” he pointed out.

“I know.” Trin nodded. “But I just…feel morecomfortable this way.”

“You may change your mind in a minute,” hemurmured. “Remember I told you last night that sometimes something can feel sogood it’s almost painful?”

Trin bit her lip. “Yes…”