“I…yes. I guess so.” Goddess,what was it about him? Why did he affect her so intensely?

“Come here then.” He pulled hertowards him gently and leaned down to kiss her. Trin moved her head so that hislips fell on the corner of her mouth.

“Wait—now? But the feast isn’tuntil tonight.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You’vegot something else you want to do—want to visit the ornamental gardens or sucksome more dream gas bubbles from the fountain?”

“Well…no.” Trin looked down ather hands.

“Look at me.” He lifted her chingently and looked into her eyes. “I want to take my time with you, baby. Wantto open you and kiss you and taste you until you’re as hot as you can possiblybe before I put that damn phallus inside you. That takes time, especially whenyou’re all keyed up and nervous.”

“Well…” Trin sighed. “All right,I guess. So…how do we start?”

“Slowly,” he murmured, strokingher cheek. “Slowly…with just a kiss.”

“A kiss? Like this?” Daringgreatly, Trin leaned up and touched her lips to his, initiating a kiss betweenthem for the first time.

Thrace growled in approval at her newfoundboldness. He kissed her back, eagerly but gently, parting her lips with his andteasing her delicately with his tongue. Showing her, perhaps, the way heplanned to penetrate her.

Her heart started beating fasterat the thought and she would have pulled away from the kiss but Thraceended it first.

“That was nice,” he murmured.“But that wasn’t exactly where I meant to kiss you.”

“You…you mean…”

Slowly, he nodded. “Remember howI kissed you when I offered you obeisance?”

“Yes,” Trin whispered.

“Well, I thought we could startslowly. Like that.”

“Okay.” She lifted her chin andtried to sound calm. She had committed herself to doing this and she wasn’tabout to back out now. “So…do you need me standing up?” she asked.

Thrace shook his head. “First I need you naked.It’s going to be hard to get to you with all the lace and frills in the way.” Heflicked at the red dress she’d put on that morning contemptuously.

“Completely naked?”

“Mmm-hmm.” He nodded.

“All right…”Trin felt reluctant,even though he’d seen her in that state the night before. And you slept naked in his arms, reminded the little voice in herhead helpfully. Don’t forget that. Youmight as well just strip down and stop making such a big deal about it.

Stiffening her resolve, shestarted to do exactly that, but Thraceintervened.

“Let me, Mistress,” he murmured,looking into her eyes. Trin let him and he helped her off with the red, flouncydress and tossed it carelessly on the back of a chair. In a way, it was arelief to get it off—the lace on that particular dress was extremely itchy. Butnow Trin felt cold and exposed. She had the urge to try and cover herself withher hands but instead she stood there, her back straight, trying not to shiver.

Thrace seemed to know what was wrong becauseinstead of starting at once, he pulled her into a warm embrace, wrapping hismuscular arms around her and holding her close to his broad chest.

The minute their bodiesconnected and his warm, spicy scent filled her nose, Trin felt an immediateeasing of the anxiety that had threatened to overwhelm her.

“Mmm,” she murmured, pressingher cheek to the hollow of his throat and inhaling deeply. “I love the way yousmell. I’ve never smelled anything like your scent before.”

“No one has,” Thrace murmured. “You’re smellingmy bonding scent—the Kindred have it too. It’s a trait we share with them.”

“Bonding scent?” She frowned upat him.

“A special scent our bodiesproduce to draw a chosen female to us. Don’t worry,” he said lightly. “Itdoesn’t mean I’m going to try and bond you to me. It just means I want you…wantto do this badly. To pleasure you. To worship your body with mine.”

“Oh, Thrace…” His soft words affectedher deeply because she could hear the sincerity in his tone. He really wantedto bring her pleasure and to help her through this ordeal. This wasn’t just abusiness transaction or paying off a debt—the big Havoc cared for her in a way that went beyond any of that.

Andmaybe you care for him too, whispereda little voice in her head. Maybeyou…love him? But that was ridiculous—a daughter of Zetta Prime couldn’tlove a male. She just felt close to him because they were in a tight situationand he was her only ally. Right?

“Mistress…” He cupped her cheekin one gentle hand and looked down into her eyes. “May I offer you obeisanceagain? May I kiss between your thighs and bring you pleasure?”

“Yes,” Trin whispered and thistime there was no hesitation…no guilt. She wanted to feel his mouth on heragain, as she had the night before. And she trusted him to be gentle, to nothurt or rush her. He had said he wanted to take his time…she was willing to lethim.

“Lie down then.” Thracearranged her at the end of the sleeping platform so that her lower legs hungover the side. He got one of the long bolster pillows and put it on the floorin front of her.

Trin propped herself up on herelbows and watched his preparations with a fast beating heart.

“For my knees,” he explained,when he saw her watching. “I plan to be here a long time and the floor getsdamn hard after awhile.”

“Oh,” she whispered. Now thatshe was out of his arms, not pressed to his chest, the uncertainty wasbeginning to creep in again. Thraceseemed to sense that because he knelt before her and leaned forward to wrap hislong arms around her waist. He wasn’t between her legs, just to one side ofher, yet the warmth of his big body seemed to surround her and calm her downagain.

“It’s okay, baby,” he murmured,rubbing his warm, scratchy cheek against her belly. “Just relax. Relax and letme make you feel good.”

At his urging, Trin allowedherself to lay back against the sleeping platform. Thrace had placed several pillowsfor her head as well, so that she could be elevated enough to see exactly whathe was doing.

He knelt before her, his handson her upper thighs and met her gaze.

“Slowly,” he murmured. “Gently.I just want to offer you my obeisance, Mistress.”

“All right…” At his urging, Trinallowed her thighs to drift apart. Thrace settled between them, hisbroad shoulders splitting her wide.

“Gods,” he murmured hoarsely,his eyes flicking over her wet core. “So fucking beautiful.” He inhaled. “Andyour scent is so delicious. It will be a pleasure to worship you with my mouth,my lady.” He ran his big, warm hands up her thighs and framed her pussy withhis long fingers. Then slowly, reverently, he parted her swollen outer lipswith his thumbs, revealing her inner folds.

Trin was embarrassed to see thatshe was already glistening with honey. Apparently no matter what the judgmentallittle voice in her head said, her body wanted this—wanted it badly.

“Thrace…” She bit her lip, tensingher thighs.

“Just a kiss at first,” hereminded her soothingly. “Just an obeisance. But I need you to be open so thatI can kiss you properly. As you were last night, remember?”

The reminder that they hadalready done this the night before put Trin somewhat at ease.

“All right,” she whispered,feeling some of the tension in her legs ease. Thrace must have felt it toobecause he leaned forward and nuzzled her inner thigh very gently with hischeek.

Trin moaned softly at thescratch of his stubble against her tender flesh. It felt good—as though he wasigniting her nerves, getting her ready for the fire he was going to set withhis mouth.

“So fucking gorgeous,” she heardhim mutter hoarsely, and then he kissed her as softly as he had the nightbefore.

As it had been last night, thekiss was soft and reverent…but this one was much deeper. This time she didn’tsense that he was trying to hold back from licking or tasting her. She felt histongue, hot and wet and eager, press fully against her open slit as he kissedher. The sensation sent shivers of desire through her whole body and shetrembled under his mouth, her nipples tightening into tight points of puredesire.