Demon Discord by M.J. Haag

Chapter Seventeen

Once the drippingand twitching stopped, I turned on the water without him asking. He washed, straightened his pants, and set out another pad for me.

“I don’t need that yet,” I said so he would understand my only reason for coming up here had been him.

He stalked toward me again, cupped the back of my head, and pressed his forehead to mine.

“Thank you for not fearing me.”

“Thank you for letting me watch.”

He flashed a grin at me, brushed his lips against my forehead, and told me to come down when I was ready.

Like last time, I took a moment to cool off. However, before I went downstairs, I detoured to change shirts.

Azio groaned when he saw me come down with one of the “soft” t-shirts he’d picked out. My gaze shifted to Groth, though, who was watching just as intently.

I reminded myself that they said nudity was no big deal as I resumed my place on the couch.

“I think I might be ready for some cookie dough,” I said nervously.

Groth immediately got up and scooped some into a bowl for me like it was ice cream. When he handed it to me, his gaze swept over my flushed face.

“Thank you, Terri. You are kind to be nice to me.”

I snorted. “You’re the one who made me the cookie dough. Thank you.”

He grunted, glanced at my chest, and took his seat. Azio sat even closer to my head, almost blocking my view of the movie. I didn’t mind. However, rather than teasing his ear some more, I nibbled on the dough and read my book.

True to his word, he didn’t get upset or subtly try to pester me into touching him.

However, by lunch, my period was in full swing with the cramping. Probably because the dumb book kept making me wish I had someone dominating me—not really, but I couldn’t stop thinking of Azio’s offer. Oh, there was no way I was going to take him up on it. It was too gross. Embarrassing.

My libido disagreed.

I ignored it.

By the time the lights came on outside, I had a slight headache and just wanted to go to bed. Azio snuggled up behind me again and then did the most magical thing ever. He started rubbing my lower back. His thumbs seemed to know just where to go and how much pressure to use.

“Oh, that feels so good. I didn’t even know it hurt until you started rubbing.”

“I don’t like seeing you in pain.”

“Yeah, I don’t like being in pain either.”

He nuzzled the back of my neck.

“Will you let me help you?”

“You already are.”

“Shower with me. It will help.”

My core clenched even as I shook my head.

“No. This is good. You don’t have to do the shower thing.”

He chuckled low.

“You played with my ear and watched me coat my hand with my need to taste you. I want you in the shower rubbing your sweet pussy against my face.”

I had to fan myself again for a moment.

“I’m struggling,” I admitted. “A part of me wants to say yes—the part that was reading a romance novel all day. The other part of me knows it’ll be gross for you, though. I want to stay here, in this house, with you. I want you to keep pampering me. I don’t want to do something that’s going to have you looking at me differently or worse, turning away in disgust.”

I’d barely gotten the last word out before I found myself in his arms as he strode to the bathroom.

“Thank you for being open and honest,” he said, setting me on my feet on the tile.

My shirt disappeared over my head, leaving me actually naked on top. My hands were moving to cover the top when he whisked the bottoms down to my ankles.

“Step,” he said firmly, tugging on them.

“Azio, I’m not sure this is a good idea,” I said even as I obediently lifted a foot and set my hands on his bare shoulders. He hadn’t put a shirt back on since I’d told him to be himself.

“We both want to do this,” he said, setting aside my sweat pants. “You’re afraid I won’t like it. I know I will. You said you needed to face your fears. Face this.”

He stood and removed his pants, his erection standing tall and darker against his skin. My gaze lingered on it for a moment before I looked into his vivid green eyes.

“And if you’re wrong and hate it?” I asked.

“I won’t.”

He turned his back on me and leaned into the shower to turn on the water. I eyed his sculpted ass and wondered what in the hell I’d gotten myself into.

“Join me when you’re ready,” he said, stepping into the shower and pulling the curtain closed.

My gaze darted to the door, and I seriously debated making a run for it. Then, I sighed and used the toilet before slipping into the shower with him.

“I need to wash first,” I said.

My flush deepened as he watched me. When I turned my back to him to rinse, his hands settled on my shoulders.

“I can hear your heart racing, Terri. What do you fear?”

“I already told you. You’re not going to like this. It’s messy.”

“That’s why we’re in the shower,” he said, turning me. “The water will keep you clean to your liking.”

“What about to your liking?”

He grinned at me, showing all his pointy teeth.

“Everything is to my liking.”

Before I could respond, he dropped to his knees, parted my labia with his thumbs, and stroked the flat of his tongue over my clit. A rumbling growl echoed in the space. I yipped and clutched his shoulder for balance.

“Widen your stance. I need to taste more.”

I didn’t even think. I spread my legs the width of the tub and lost myself in the sensation of his tongue exploring my folds. He never dipped low enough to make me self-conscious, his focus, instead, holding to how I responded to his different tongue techniques. And oh, did he have technique. I was panting and mewling within minutes.

His right hand drifted over my hip to grab my ass. He kneaded there for a moment before dipping his finger into my channel from behind.

I groaned and bucked my hips into his face.

An apology rose to my lips, but he ripped it away by thrusting his finger deeper. I bucked again, and he growled. His tongue was relentless, circling my clit and making me ache for more.

“Please,” I rasped. The flat of his tongue pressed firmly against the little nub while his finger curled inside me.

My mouth opened in a silent gasp, and I topped headlong into a slow, drawn-out, channel-clenching orgasm. His finger stilled, causing one last involuntary clench. He kissed the inside of my thigh and slowly withdrew.

“You were perfect, my Terri,” he said, standing to hold me to his chest. “You did so well facing your fears. Allowing your pussy to clench around my finger will help. You will see. Let me wash you. Then you can sleep.”

He made it sound like I’d been the one doing all the work when I hadn’t needed to do more than stand there and writhe in his secure hold. And now he wanted to wash me? The man was perfect.

He continued to praise me during his gentle washing then left me alone to dry and re-dress. I appreciated the privacy and took a moment to regroup. My legs felt boneless and barely able to support my weight, and I couldn’t ever remember having such a relaxing orgasm. Ever. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep.

But I doubted that would happen. I’d seen his rock-hard length when he’d walked out. More than likely, he’d be waiting on the bed, spread out like a starfish. And I wasn’t bitter about the idea of him wanting some reciprocation.

After what he’d just done, he deserved it. My cramping was an echo of what it had been.

Embracing the idea of giving a little payback, I left the shirt and pants on the bathroom floor and walked out in my underwear.

Azio’s hungry gaze tracked me all the way to the bed, where he stood waiting. Rather than grabbing for me, he pulled back the covers.

“Sleep, my Terri. If you have pain, wake me, and we’ll shower again.”

Ignoring the seductive call of sleep, I closed my hand around his cock. Or tried too. He was too thick for that.

He grunted and made another strangled noise when I gave him a teasing stroke.

“What if I’m not tired?” I asked.

He released the blanket and gently removed my hand from his hard length. Before I could feel any sting of rejection, he kissed my palm.

“I see your weariness. Sleep. You can touch me again when you wake.”

This time I let him help me under the covers and snuggled back into his chest when he climbed in behind me. The heat of the hand he set over my lower abdomen finished the job, and I slept like a baby until sunrise.

His hand soothed over the cramping pain that woke me.

“Do you want to shower again?” he asked when I winced.

I flushed and nodded.

He made a soft growling sound and carried me to the bathroom. We repeated last night’s experience, and he did his best to wring every last clench from me. Panting and weak, I almost collapsed on him. He took the opportunity to gently massage my breasts, which made me moan in appreciation. Each brush of his thumb over my nipple sent an aftershock to my core.

After that, he washed me gently and was going to leave me to finish when I stopped him with a hand on his very hard length. He removed my hand and kissed my palm.

“This isn’t about sex, Terri. This is about making you feel better. You can touch me when you’re ready.”

In awe and slightly relieved, I watched him leave. While I’d been willing to help him, it wouldn’t have been on the top of my list of things to do. Eating would be. Then maybe paying him back.

Feeling a little guilty, I finished showering and got dressed. I kept the sweats from yesterday and chose another see-through shirt. Tugging it into place, I winced a little at the ache in my boobs. All par for the course as far as period progression went for me.

I made my way downstairs and smiled at Groth.

His gaze flicked to my chest then my face.

“Would you like pancakes?” he asked. Based on the fragrant scent in the air, he was already making them.

“I would love pancakes. Do you want help?”

I moved toward the island, but he waved me to the couch.

“Go relax. The hot water bottle is ready. I will bring you your food.”

“Thanks, Groth.”

Settling in for another day of being pampered, I watched Groth move around the kitchen before frowning and looking around.

“Where’s Azio?”

“He went to retrieve the things you gathered.”

I jolted upright.

“He what?”

Groth blinked at me as I scrambled off the couch and rushed toward him.

“Why would Azio do that? He knows it’s not safe.”

“He will be fine. He took many brothers with him to clear out the infected. They are too close to Tenacity for safety.”

My brain glitched. They were going back to the same spot on purpose, knowing the infected would be waiting.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” I said softly.

Groth picked me up without warning and carried me back to the couch. Then he pulled a Mom move by setting his palm against my forehead.

“You are not warm. I’ll send for Cassie.”

I grabbed his hand when he started to stand.

“I’m not sick-sick. I’m sick with worry. I don’t want Azio to die, Groth. I…really like him.”

The worry melted away from Groth’s expression, and he grinned at me.

“Azio really likes you, too. He will return. He knows you need him.” He patted my shoulder and stood. “I have chocolate syrup for your pancakes. That will help you feel better.”

The caring giant spent the rest of the morning doing his best to distract me with chick flicks and questions about why women did some of the things they did in the movies.

As the hours passed, though, he noticed my growing worry and coaxed me from the couch to help him make lunch. I did my best to ignore the returning cramps and other aches, along with the fading daylight.

I was sitting on the couch eating my fears via the last of the cookie dough when the front door opened. Swiveling in my spot, I turned to glare at Azio.

“About damn time,” I yelled.

Then I threw my spoon at him and winced at the aggressive boob jiggle it caused.

“And I want my bra back!”