Page 101 of Trove’s Purpose

And it was a technical difference, but also all the difference.

Trove didn’t let out a shudder of disgust this time. He didn’t pull away. He instead released a long, stuttered breath, like something in him was relaxing, as his eyes closed and he leaned his head back. He pressed her hands harder against him.

Chee gritted her teeth. Resisting the urge to let her fingers press down. It wasn’t an easy thing, however. Passively allowing herself to stroke him, doing absolutely nothing. But to watch the rush of relieved pleasure on his face made it all worth it.

He brought her hands all the way down, then around to his hips, before bringing them back. He traced her hands around his cock, teasing both of them.

And when his shaft twitched, when it started to grow, Chee very nearly let out a moan. She had to bite her lip to hold it back. It was so frustrating, like her hands were hers but not hers at the same time, and being unable to grasp him, to stroke him to full hardness, to bring him in closer and feel what it was like to embrace him was torture.

Trove moved one of her hands back to his hip and he held it there, pressing his hand over hers. The other one he slowly, carefully, moved closer. Closer.

He stroked her hand down the front of his cock and Chee wasn’t able to suppress the little moan of longing that echoed deep in her throat.

The skin there was both rough and smooth at the same time. The ridges far more firm than she would have expected, more like calloused flesh than smooth skin. It was also hot. Burning her palm like a brand.

And as he held it there, it pulsed against her hand. His heartbeat, his desire, firming and growing the rapidly hardening member.

She wanted to stroke him. It would take no effort. Her fingers just needed to curl, and she could have him fully in hand.

But she didn’t. She trembled, her heart pounded, and greedily she wanted only to take more from him. But she resisted, and because she resisted, she earned a smile of loving approval from Trove.

“That’s my good mate,” he praised sweetly, just holding her hands against him. And there was none of the disgust or discomfort that had been there before. And the sight of him like that, amorous and adoring, made all her restraint worth the effort.

She beamed at his praise, her cheeks burning, her heart pounding. When he looked at her like that, she thought she might be able to do anything for him.

“I think you deserve a reward,” he praised, releasing her hands. Before she could do anything – drop them or keep them there, whichever was more in line with her ‘don’t move’ order – he was grabbing her up in his arms. He held her against him as he carried her to the bed, and for just a moment, she translated that do nothing as melting against him. Reveling in the feeling of their bodies pressed against each other.

Then she was being tossed onto the bed, and Trove was throwing himself over her.

And though he was hard and not running, he didn’t take that moment to fuck her. She wasn’t exactly surprised, though she couldn’t say she wasn’t disappointed. But the feeling luckily didn’t last when faced with a second, merciless assault.

Trove didn’t demand she be tied this time, but she made sure to keep her hands up and out of the way as he made a place for himself between her thighs.

Once again, she was treated to a near relentless assault as he demanded her pleasure like it was his right. He said it was about control, but that’s not what it felt like. Maybe last time, she’d agree, but now as he opened her body with his fingers, as he played with her clit with his tongue, it felt more like a victory.

Not even necessarily for her. This was a victory lap for him. He felt her hands on him, his cock hardened, and he didn’t need to run away. He was celebrating in her body, praising her for how well she had done, and treating her like a precious treasure to be worshipped and adored.

And when she began to scream, she felt him chuckling his approval into her pussy. Kissing and fucking her with his fingers and tongue.

And though she couldn’t say exactly what was different, tonight she actually felt like his mate and lover.

Their victory was all the better when, after he finished with her, he didn’t run away but instead gathered her limp and broken body against his and held her through the night. She was too exhausted to remember properly, but she knew that he snuggled against the back of her neck, that he held her tight, and that she remained resolute in keeping her hands off him.

Chapter 33

Trove

Trove’s cock hurt.

The Vainglory was in a holding pattern outside of Holotulle’s ring, alongside the abundance of other ships that were too big to land planetside – even an artificial planet. Chee had sent Hyde a message telling him that they had arrived, and now they were only waiting for permission to launch their landing shuttle and coordinates to where he wanted them to arrive.

But his cock hurt.

It was throbbing, somehow both demanding attention and being too sensitive to tolerate touch. He’d been hard more often than he’d been soft on their trip through subspace to get here. And maybe he should just take himself in hand and get it over with, because ignoring this problem was only causing him a lot of pain. Like the ache of an infected tooth, but in his balls.

Chee, unlike him, was absolutely fine. She should be. He spent every night adoring and worshipping her body like the most loyal of supplicants. He was also getting himself accustomed to her touch. Last night, he even told her to put her hands on his head at some point, without warning him, while he was feasting between her legs, and he didn't feel sick when it happened.

But he still hadn’t fucked her.