Page 40 of The Hornet’s Hucow Pet

That’s progress. I’ll take progress.

I step behind her and rub her hips, sinking into the muscles responsible for the worst of the soreness.

Nova lets out a deep sigh, comforted. Then she finds my gaze again, mind working entirely too hard for how recently she was unconscious with exhaustion.

“It’s already been a few days… when do you need to go back to see your patients again?”

“That’s irrelevant.”

“But what if they need their doctor?”

I settle a tolerant, evaluating look on Nova.

She withstands it bravely, keeping her chin tipped up.

“Fine,” I murmur, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “You’ve earned an indulgence. There are other doctors they can visit while I’m away.”

Her brow furrows. “How long will you be away? Until I’m… cured?”

I nod. “If you like.”

“What if I… don’t want that?”

“Why not?”

Nova looks down. “It’s a lot of pressure. Pressure to get better.”

I can already feel the ache ramping up in response to her concern. The pain reacts, worsening at any sense of lingering danger. And when the pain itself is a lingering danger, it’s a vicious cycle.

I grip her face firmly, which always succeeds in scattering her thoughts. “There’s no rush, little lamb. We have all the time in the world.”

She relents, but a pout clings to her lip.

I sigh. “If it puts you at ease… I could resume my practice earlier than expected. I’ll take you to the office with me. You’ll have to behave, of course.”

She nods eagerly. “I can behave.”

A ghost of a smile reaches my lips. “I will greatly enjoy testing that.”

Nova blushes, and it spreads down her pale chest in the most delicious way.

“But,” I add, “I will be taking at least a month to have you all to myself.”

“What about⁠—”

“Ah-ah. Choose wisely before you defy me, Nova, or you’ll soon find out how quickly and how many times you can orgasm when subjected to stimulation without reprieve or mercy.”

Her pupils blow wide as her vision loses focus. Heat pulses at her core. “Not fair,” she whines, blinking and trying to regain her composure.

I silence her by stuffing her mouth with fruit.

She looks up at me, shocked and incredulous, cheeks puffed out from my abuse.

I let out a quiet laugh, and she leans over and shoves my arm.

Then her azure eyes shine up at me. “I like your laugh.”

It’s my turn to blush. Still, my composure doesn’t crack. “I apologize that you’ll hear it so little, then.”