Page 15 of Drawn into Oblivion

“Do not fear me or my gift, dear Mai. I would never harm my children,” he reassured her as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

She took a deep breath, her dread washing away beneath the waves of comfort he emanated. The Divine One touched her cheek with his other hand and told her to close her eyes.

“Imagine him,” he whispered. Mai knew exactly to whom he referred. “Imagine his face, his voice, and the way he makes you feel.” Her face flushed as memories assailed her, somehow more powerful with the Divine One touching her face. His fingers traveled down, stroking her neck and conjuring warmth beneath her skin.

“My gift to you, Mai of the Cherry Tree, Elder of Spring, Elder of House Sakura,” he recited. “It will remain for several hours until and unless it is serviced.” He dragged his fingertips from her sternum to her navel, leaving in their wake a giddy heat that sizzled along her nerves and made her gasp. She mewled as the tips of her breasts puckered, and a desire for Rosuke’s hands on her body filled her thoughts.

When his touch slipped between her thighs, she cried out as a burning, consuming want reared up inside her. The tender private place between her legs felt heavy and swollen, and throbbed for something she couldn’t imagine or define.

She hungered, ached for satisfaction—whatever would ease the keen emptiness the Divine One had left in her. An intimate touch, warm lips, the press of skin, soft gasps, and friction—all of it Rosuke. His hands, his lips, his body, his voice.

“Let lust ride you as you ride it. Enjoy its heady pleasures,” the Divine One whispered as he withdrew, the last of his words echoing from far away.

She opened her eyes with a gasp and looked around the empty baths. Nothing had changed while she’d slept. Feeling flushed—and from more than just the hot water—she wiped her hand across her warm forehead. Though she wasn’t groggy, her fingertips had wrinkled, which indicated how long she’d been out.

The distracting ache the Divine One had left was most definitely still there, burning under her skin. Thoughts both novel and vivid popped into her head unbidden—the urge to touch herself, to touch Rosuke and feel his touch on her, and in places she’d fiercely protected until now. She felt…vulnerable. Wild. Short of breath.

Deciding to return to her room, she stood and carefully stepped out of the pool. After wrapping a towel around herself and pulling her long, damp mane of hair over her shoulder, she entered the changing room, grateful her panic had faded enough for her to catch her breath. She dried herself, first scrubbing the cloth across her back and then wiping her legs. Though she tried to focus on the task at hand, her mind turned to Rosuke again. How would those rough hands of his feel while pulling her against him and stroking her waist, her hips, her…? She realized she was rubbing her towel against her pert nipples and dropped it in shock.

She shook her head to try to clear the cobwebs and picked up her underrobe. She wasn’t entirely dry yet, but she wanted some layer of protection, even from herself. She tied it shut and picked up her dress, this one a dark brownish-red.

When her matching belt was in place, she used a white ribbon to gather her hair into a ponytail and looped its length once so it sat neatly against her back. She would wait until she was in her room to braid it. Then she took her damp towels to a large basket in the corner. Before leaving, she picked up the underrobe she’d worn that day and slid open the door of the women’s changing room.

Stepping into the hallway, which was dimly lit by a couple candles in widely spaced lanterns, Mai took a deep breath. Only a moment’s walk, and then she’d be in her room, where she could tuck herself under her blanket, fish beneath the folds of her dress, and explore until something happened. Divine One have mercy, she hoped something happened.

She shut the door to the changing room behind her and turned to trudge back to her room, only to find someone blocking her way. She leapt back with a loud gasp.

Rosuke was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, and was obviously waiting for her. Just seeing him made something deep inside quicken and melt. She swallowed a tiny mewl and squeezed her thighs together, afraid something would drip down her leg.

By the way his unbound hair hung and subtly shone in the candlelight, she could tell he had also just bathed. She had never seen his hair down before, only ever pulled back. The urge to drop the underrobe in her arms and touch his hair was so strong she had to clamp her hands around her clothes. She didn’t understand the intensity of her reaction, but she recognized it all the same. Her burgeoning desire frightened her, and though she wanted to protect herself, she also wanted him. Badly.

Now she understood why the Divine One had said she might not appreciate his gift. He was using her desire and curiosity to overpower her fear. However, the depth of her desire frightened her even more than Rosuke did. As he leisurely perused her, his gaze warm and appreciative, she let her eyes do a little roaming as well. She normally saw him in his military uniform, but tonight he wore a dark gray set of looser, more traditional clothing. She stared at the exposed sliver of his chest and resisted licking her lips.

“Good evening, Mai,” he said.

“Good evening,” she murmured, both delighted and frustrated that she had run into him here and now of all places and all times. A corner of his mouth curled with amusement. He had figured out she was avoiding saying his name. But after keeping people at a distance for so long, using first names with no title was just too intimate.

“What do you want?” she asked, voice thick with emotion. Not wrapping herself around him took every ounce of self-control she had.

“You,” he softly declared, no pretenses. All the blood in her body rushed to her face. He straightened and took a step toward her. “I can’t stop thinking about that kiss.” Another step. “Please do not fear my intentions or doubt my control, but you should know I intend to woo you.”

She stared at him for a moment in silence, her thoughts frozen.

“Why?” she blurted. Damn it all, her heart was soaring. “I was horrendously rude when we first met, and I’ve hardly improved in that regard. I know what everyone says. That I’m cold. And I am quite plain compared to the women who seek your affection. A week ago, a woman from your own House Dragonfly—”

“The bold honesty you displayed the day we met is something I miss,” he declared, refraining from commenting on how observant she was of his many admirers. “Now you are uncertain perhaps, but not cold. I see how kind you are to Oka. The house elders all say how clever you are, and how they value your thoughts. That you think yourself plain is utter nonsense. To look at you is to want you.” He spoke in a harsh whisper, his sincerity clear. She clutched her throat, worried her heart would crawl out.

“I-I feel so anxious when you’re around,” she admitted. Hurt flashed across his face, followed by acceptance. “My heart wants to explode and my stomach twists into knots. Even now, I am so nervous my hands tremble. I cannot.” Shaking her head, she backed up a step. Oh, Mai, what a coward you are.

“My heart also races, and I fear I’ll say too much of how—” He swallowed. “I wouldn’t rush you. We’d proceed as slowly as you need,” he said gently. “I cannot say I’ll only ever want as much as you can give, but I’ll always stop when you tell me to. I want you to be comfortable with me.”

“You want to seduce me, then? Is a night in my bed all you want?” she accused, purposefully misinterpreting his words. She wanted him to get angry with her, to walk away and forget her. He didn’t cooperate.

“I do not refer only to intimacy. I want to understand you and learn the things you enjoy. I want you to learn about me as well. Of course I want you physically, but that can be done in steps. I can show you now, if you like,” he offered, holding out his hand.

“What do you mean?” she asked, eyeing it.

“I want to show you something. I want you to see what committed lovers look like.” He took the step she had put between them, but his hand didn’t come any closer.