Chapter 4

Lucian slid under my blanket in an instant.

I had no idea when he'd so smoothly taken off his shirt. His eight-pack and narrow waist nearly blinded me.

He lowered his face next to the ends of my hair spread across the pillow, then raised his eyes and looked straight at me, from my brows down to my mouth. His gaze was heavy and longing.

...

Even someone as dense as me could tell—what lay beside me wasn't a quiet, docile creature. It was a wolf, barely restraining itself, waiting for permission to bare its teeth.

I cleared my throat in embarrassment and stammered an apology.

"Lucian, I'm sorry. I've never raised an incubus before, so I didn't know about your, um, urges. I honestly thought you were only there to help humans with housework."

"It's fine," he said, his voice rough. "I like doing housework for you."

But the rumbling in his throat grew louder.

Uneasy, I swallowed hard and recalled the first line of the care manual I'd just read: When an incubus is hungry, you can let him hold you. Your warmth and scent will help soothe his agitation and desire.

So I said, "Lucian, if you're really uncomfortable, you can... hold me."

His eyes brightened. "Okay."

He wrapped his arms around me. At first the embrace was careful and restrained. But when he saw I was only blushing and not pulling away, he grew bolder. One hand pressed against my back, the other slid around my waist. His tail coiled tightly along my leg.

Then he buried his face in my neck and breathed in softly. His breath grazed my skin, warm and disorienting.

God.

Those abs were the real thing. Absolutely worth the money.

After a while, he murmured hoarsely, "Odette, I still feel... uncomfortable."

I was still half-dazed, gazing at the lines of his abdomen. "Then what else do you want to do?"

He raised his head. "May I kiss you?"

I hesitated. "Maybe not."

It felt too intimate. I was embarrassed.

He dropped his eyes, disappointment flickering across his face.

"That's all right. I'm not that uncomfortable. Holding you is enough for now. Go to sleep, Master. Don't worry about me. I'll still make your breakfast tomorrow."

But instead of relaxing, I was hit by a wave of guilt.

"You've misunderstood," I said quickly. "It's not that I don't want to. It's just... too fast. And don't be so hard on yourself. I bought you, so naturally I'll take responsibility for you."

"Truly?"

"Truly. You can kiss me. But only a little."

I bit my lip, shy.

"Thank you, Master."

Lucian lifted his head from my neck. I expected him to dive straight in, desperate to sate his hunger—but instead he first pressed a kiss to my chin. Then his tongue, soft and hesitant, brushed my skin, like a small animal testing whether it was safe.

He was trying to please me.

My mind drifted hazily. Of course—incubi were clingy creatures by nature.

Still, the damp warmth on my chin made me instinctively raise my fingers to wipe it off.

Naturally, my hand grazed his lips.

Without missing a beat, he began kissing my fingers instead—slowly, deliberately—his dark eyes locked on me.

God. Now he really did seem more like a dog.

I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed his tail with my other hand and muttered, flustered, "Lucian, just kiss me already. Quit messing around. You can kiss me for a while if you want, okay?"