Elunara narrowed her eyes as she took the book from Jordan. "Next time, wipe it off."
"I'm sorry, I was afraid of damaging the cover." He blushed.
She shook her head and let him in. "Well, if you're going to borrow my books like that, I'll just have to show you have to clean them." She pointed a finger at him. "When the mess happens, NOT after it has time to get sticky."
His embarrassment deepened. "Sorry." He mumbled.
She shrugged. "You're not the first; which is why I had to develop a method."
"I've decided to read more." He scratched the back of his head. "I don't know if I'll ever have the time to get to all of them."
She shrugged. "If you just want fap material, I could assemble you some pages a little more suited to your taste." She flipped open the book. Her eyebrow shot up. "I see why you started here."
He fidgeted his feet. "I want to learn how I could fit in." He bit his lip. "If you'd let me, anyway."
Her eyebrows rose. "You're really set on this." She said quietly.
"I'm sorry; I'll stop if you want me to."
"I just have to wonder why."
He relaxed some. "I've spent years trying to understand my feelings towards you. In the past couple, it's gotten more muddied. In the last year, I've watched you with some fascination. You eat at me. At first it made me angry, like you had this huge joke over my head. Then I realized I don't even blip on your radar. You weren't actively trying to drive me crazy, you just weren't aware of it. Grogek wasn't even holding you over my head, I just wasn't there either. Both of these illusions gone, I just watched." He reached out and played with her hair. "I kept thinking that it was just a stupid phase. I would get over it. Admittedly, every time I came to the point that I was going to bed one of the town's other women, I would pull back. Why be so cruel to her, when she'd never be enough?"
He shook his head and dropped his hand. "Then I was angry at myself, because this stupidity was bordering on obsession. I've tried and I've tried to find some other alternative. I've almost left several times. Then you said what you did to me the other day, and it seemed to all fall in place. I've decided to take your advice. Because in the end, I would rather try and be disappointed, than sit and wonder what COULD have happened."
Elunara laughed. "Good man."
He brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek. "What I've got so far, is that I don't want to take you from Grogek. In fact, I don't want to change your family dynamic all that much. What I do want is your genuine affection. Not some fantasy you play out for me. I have also decided, that I don't care who in town knows that."
"You play a dangerous game there. The town could take this whole mess completely wrong."
"I don't give a damn. In fact, why do you?" He frowned.
She laughed. "Sweetheart, I haven't given a damn about what other people think of me for the past thirty years, and I'm not about to start now. I just don't want your reputation ruined for me."
He snorted. "Right now, my reputation is a coward. You're not the first to think I'm in love with Renwa. Women who think I gave up at the bed because I was gay. I was just surprised you thought it. I've had Jerry AND Louis come to me at different times and suggests recruits who thought I was attractive." He ran his hands through his hair. "I thought that YOU of all people would understand I was straight."
She gave a small laugh. "Oh Jordan, you've made yourself into quite the mess."
"All I've really wanted to do; was seduce you." He pressed his lips to hers and slid his hands across her hips.
She sat the book down on the desk and moved her hands to his shoulders.
He pulled her body to his, wrapping his arms around her, as one hand went down to her ass, the other went up her back. He groaned at the feeling of her skin in his hands. Her fingers ran through his hair as his found hers. The devoured each other. With his other hand he pressed her pants down, sliding his middle finger down the crack of her ass.
"Please." Was a jagged whisper from him.
"Take me." She whispered back to his mouth.
He yanked up her shirt, pulling it free from her body. Wrapping his arms around her, he buried himself in her breasts. He slid his tongue up between them and was pleased by her groan. His hands went down and freed her of her pants. She stepped forward, wrapping her body with his. His mouth met hers as his hands roamed around, enjoying the feeling of her flesh in his hands. It was the fulfillment of a dream, made all the sweeter by a lack of disappointment. No, this was exactly what he wanted. With haste, he pulled off his own shirt, eager to feel the skin of her breasts pressed against his hardened chest.
She pushed at him and pointed to a bed on the wall. "That one."
He nodded and returned his mouth to hers. Even wrapped up in her, he was able to walk them both back to the bed. He lay her down and quickly pulled out of his pants, climbing in on top of her. He pressed his mouth to hers and wrapped his body with her, but did not enter. Shifting his body, he enjoyed the feeling of her skin brushing up against his. She arched against him, encouraging him to enter, but he abstained for now, wanting to memorize the moment.
When at last he decided to answer, even she had to be impressed by his discipline and control. He teased and tormented both of them with just the head, before sliding, inch by glorious inch into her. When he was at last deep enough, he groaned. "Oh, Baby." He whispered to her, the love in his heart pouring out of each word. She was amused by the affection, but it pulled at her heart.
"Jordan." She murmured as she ran her hand up gently up his neck.
"Please." He whimpered. "Baby, don't..."
"I'm not going to push you away." She whispered. She pulled his head down to hers and pressed her lips to his. "I think I'm ok with this." She said at last.
The tension seemed to go out of his body, as he whispered, "Oh, Thank the Gods." He almost wept with relief. After a moment, he began to move his hips, mouth anchored to hers. When she arched against him, dragging her nails across his back, he nearly exploded inside.
He kissed her face all over and buried his face in her shoulder. "I won't let you down." He whispered.
She laughed and ran her fingers through his hair. "Jordan, you are a mystery."
"Even to myself." He took her free hand and kissed the knuckles.
By time they were dressed and he was set to walk out, he was bouncing on his toes. She had to sigh. "Try to keep reasonable expectations."
He kissed her cheek. "You're a married woman who already has a lover; I just want to join them." He grinned.
"As long as we stay on that page."
He nodded. "I'll bring your book back, clean this time."
"Damned well better, or I make you LICK the thing."
He laughed and opened the door. Grogek blinked at him. Jordan bowed. "You will always come first." He then smiled and waved, before he ran off.
"Was that Jordan?" Grogek shook his head. "I didn't recognize him with the goofy look on his face. What happened?"
She sighed and leaned against the door. "I do believe I just agreed to be wooed."
"Are you certain you want to encourage him?"
She shrugged. "I told him to be aware that this might end miserably. He used my own words against me." She grinned. "He'd rather try and fail, than wonder what might have happened."
Grogek nodded and dropped his axe against the wall. "Good man."
Jordan met with Renwa in Renwa's new office. Zelinnia was at her desk, flipping through papers with a rapidity that made his head hurt. Renwa was meeting with some of the other controlling interests. While they debated, Jordan sat to the side, whistling to himself as he perused some of the paperwork Zelinnia had given him.