I nodded, though I didn’t know how it would be possible to go any slower. All I could do was sit there, taut and edgy, as he explored my skin with complete concentration, almost worshipful. The pulse point in his neck moved rapidly. His jaw was locked tight. Heat flooded me, making sweat bead underneath my dress as Senator Navis took my face into his hands, and I didn’t hate it.
God help me, I wanted to hate it.
“Slow,” he whispered, almost to himself. And he leaned forward. His lips touched mine as softly as two petals moved by a breeze. “Remy . . .”
He was the master of self-control, working his lips onto mine with more pressure, one tiny bit at a time. I reached up and grasped his wrists, needing to anchor myself, and his warm breath across my lips made me moan. He stopped and took gulping breaths, our faces close, more intimate than I’d ever felt with another person. And he was a person. Not a human, but also not a monster. Not to me.
And yet, I still had a job to do. And right or wrong, I was the only one who could do it.
With my heart in my throat, I opened my mouth enough to run the tip of my tongue across his bottom lip. He moaned and pulled back an inch. I clutched his wrists.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. “I’ll take care of you.”
“Remy.” His voice was thick.
“It’s okay.” I wouldn’t let him move away, but neither did I push. “You can handle this, Navis.” I let him catch his breath, and then I whispered, “Look at me.”
He was struggling, and that was exactly what I needed. After thinking all night about what to do, and now knowing what he was willing to do, I had a plan.
He looked at me, and I swear, it looked like he’d smoked a bowl of some seriously strong stuff. I pulled his hands down from my face and took them in mine. He was shaking and staring at me with those predatorial eyes again. Though he looked high, he definitely didn’t look weak. He wanted to pounce.
I needed to get back to Primo Town and tell Linette that the master vessels were coming in two days. I couldn’t get the gate code unless the Senator’s mind was way gone. And if he was that far gone, I’d be stuck here in the palace, so the gate code would have to wait. He had to be able to give his guards the order to take me to Primo Town. If he was out of his mind, even if I got my hands on a weapon, I could not singlehandedly shoot my way past all of the guards. I’m idealistic, but not that dumb.
“We need a short break,” I told him. “That’s how we can build your tolerance. Short breaks, and we’ll build up to more.”
“You want more.” It was a statement, practically growled, not a question.
“Yes, Navis.” I dared to touch his face, watching him exhale with desire. I reached to the coffee table where he’d set his walkie-talkie, and I placed it in his palm. “Let your guard know that I can visit little Kelsey in Primo Town. Just between us, she was shaken up after the people were punished. You don’t mind if I go, do you? Just for ten or fifteen minutes? And then when I get back, you’ll be calmer, and we can have more time together.”
He swallowed, lifting the device to his mouth with a shaking hand. Oh, my gosh. Was it working? His voice came out thicker than usual, but still clear enough.
“Escort Ms. Haines to Primo Town for a ten minute visitation with the girl child.”
I beamed at him. “Thank you.”
I stood and smoothed my dress down, then looked at him, legs spread wide, staring up at me with that chiseled face. He looked like some sexy millionaire on a book cover. Ugh. We didn’t have time for sexy staring. If the guard saw him like that, I was dead.
“Senator, sit up,” I hissed.
He blinked, cleared his throat, and got to his feet quicker than I thought possible. He pushed up his sleeves and ran his hands down his hair. Then he moved behind his desk and I sat demurely on the loveseat again.
Seconds later, a guard knocked and opened to let herself in. It wasn’t my imagination that she narrowed her eyes at me, then the Senator, in suspicion. And then her face became a mask of unfiltered jealousy and rage. I scooted to the far side of the sofa. This is what he meant when he said the Baelese who weren’t mating would be edgy.
“Mimasol,” the Senator scolded, standing. “Control yourself!”
Mimasol? Where had I heard that name? I wracked my brain until I remembered. This was Milna’s mother. And was she jealous of me being near the Senator? They had mated and had a child. Was it possible for these people to become attached to lovers like humans did, despite their “no monogamy” laws?
The female guard panted, staring down and clenching her hands into fists. The Senator yelled another name, and a male guard came running in.
“Put Mimasol in a room by herself to calm, and take Ms. Haines to Primo Town.” His voice was steady. “Ten minutes.”
The guard gave him a jerky nod of his head and poked Mimasol with the tip of his rifle. I followed them out at a distance and watched the female crumple into a ball on the floor of the next room before being closed in. I was really glad not to be Baelese, and I wished I could stop feeling bad for them.
As we walked out into the heat, I couldn’t believe my plan worked. Still, my nerves were shot the entire way to the gates. When we arrived, there were definitely less guards than normal. I got out of the vehicle and rushed to the barn to find Linette and Kelsey on short stools, milking a cow. The guard watched me closely from the doorway as I went forward.
Linette saw me, then lowered her head and kept working. Kelsey jumped up and I put a finger to my lips to remind her not to draw attention to herself. When she came forward, I put out a hand to stop her from hugging me.
“Do not touch,” the guard called. Her voice echoed through the barn and Kelsey’s face fell.
