Clipped Wings (Clipped Wings, #1)

*

Thursday morning arrived too soon. I woke before Tenley. She was in her usual spot, snuggled into my side. It was still early, which meant I had plenty of time to thoroughly enjoy her. I wanted to take it slow, nothing like the aggressive, hot sex from last night, because this would be it for a while. And not because of the stupid rule, which I had no intention of following, based on where things were going with her.

After the first session, she would be off-limits while her back healed. The first few days were usually the worst, the discomfort a difficult adjustment. We hadn’t talked about what would happen between us then, but I planned to make myself available as much as possible. The emotional impact of a session could be a lot to deal with, especially one of this magnitude. After my first substantial piece I went on an epic bender, the events of which were hazy. The parts I did remember weren’t all that pleasant. Courtesy of my inability to deal, I required extensive touch-up work. At least with Tenley I could walk her through it if she wanted me to.

Tenley stirred beside me, uncurling into a stretch. Her body went rigid while her muscles vibrated, then she threw her leg over mine, trapping my dick under her hip.

I palmed her ass, pulling her tighter against me, her little moan a sign I wasn’t the only one up. She nuzzled in, her forehead pressed against the side of my neck. TK mewed in discontent when I moved her off my chest to make room for Tenley.

She cleared her throat and licked her lips, peeking up at me with sleep-heavy eyes. “Morning.”

She sidled up even closer and I helped shift her weight until she was lying on top of me. I wanted her, and I assumed by the strategic positioning of her body that she felt the same way. Her palms slid under my shoulders and she laid her cheek on my chest, giving me a full-body, naked hug. Her knees were tucked tight against my sides, and while the important parts were lined up for action, I got the distinct impression it wasn’t meant to be solely sexual. I returned the embrace.

“I’m going to miss this,” I murmured into her hair.

She lifted her head. “Two months is going to feel like forever.”

I snorted. If the one-day sabbatical on Sunday was any indicator, my self-control would be well used up before her tattoo was complete. “Yeah, like I’m going to be able to wait that long.”

“Oh?” she asked, perking up.

“It seems kind of pointless.” One of my hands drifted over the swell of her ass, ready to help out with friction if need be.

“You don’t think it will cause problems with Chris and Jamie?” she asked, kissing the bottom of my chin.

“Jamie doesn’t give a shit, and it’s none of Chris’s goddamn business,” I said. It came out more heated than I meant it to.

Tenley tried to move away, but I tightened my hold on her waist. I didn’t want the conversation to take a negative turn, not when my remaining hours with her unclothed were limited. With the session scheduled for later in the evening, I wanted her relaxed today, not stressed about things that shouldn’t matter.

“I’m sorry, sometimes Chris pisses me off.”

“Lisa said this whole thing has been a point of contention between you.”

Lisa and I needed to talk about the kind of information she disseminated to Tenley. Tenley didn’t need to worry about Chris and his issues. Or what caused them.

“It’s not like avoiding this”—I gestured to our current position—“is going to change anything other than make me testy.”

“We wouldn’t want that.”

“Definitely not.” I shook my head with mock solemnity. “I’m a pain in the ass when I’m in a bad mood.”

“I can only imagine,” she said, her lips torturously close to my nipple.

“You’re not supposed to agree with me,” I said, smacking her ass. Not hard, but her eyes went wide.

Her mouth covered the barbell and she sucked gently. Her teeth followed, scraping over sensitive skin, tugging on steel. It was hard to fake anger when she did things like that.

“You’re the one who said it. I can’t help that you’re sensitive.” Her smile was all seductive innocence.

“I’m not sensitive.” I found the implication mildly offensive, even though it might have been true.

“Of course you’re not.”

“You better watch yourself,” I threatened. It was idle. I had no recourse planned, at least not in the immediate future. Later, maybe, when she wasn’t expecting it.

Tenley pushed up on her arms, preventing groin to groin contact. “You think you’re so scary, don’t you?” She looked at me through her lashes, smiling coyly as she arched her back and her tight, rosy nipples grazed my chest.

“And you think I’m not?” I cocked an eyebrow, interested to see where she was going with this. I liked it when she was playful. I also liked it when she was aggressive and needy, or soft and submissive.

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