He did. He rubbed it once, then twice, while her body undulated in wild abandon. She did not know how he held her. She was moving, arching, needing.
Then he stopped. Everything stilled, trembling on the edge of madness.
“More?” he rasped.
In answer, she jerked backwards enough to hit hard against his dragon.
“More,” she commanded.
“Yes,” he agreed. Then she felt him thrusting against her back, his hips working his dragon along her spine as he thrust his fingers into her.
And that glorious pearl he polished? It ached for him. It ached, wanting him. Then he spread her thighs as wide as they would go, and he rubbed his calloused finger all the way up.
Her pearl vibrated, and her body echoed it.
“More,” she gasped. “Please.”
His growl was low and thrilling. “Ask me again,” he said as he rubbed her faster. Harder.
She hadn’t the breath.
So close!
“Please!”
Yes!
It was as if her body vibrated itself apart with bigger and bigger waves until she was soaring into pleasure. Such bliss! She felt suffused by it.
She heard him grunt behind her, felt the wetness of his release against her back, and she knew that men did indeed enjoy a woman’s pleasure.
Or at least he had. And she was well pleased. Indeed, she didn’t think she had ever been so pleased in her entire life.
She floated, alight and alive in his arms. She listened to his ragged breath as she drifted in sweetness.
“I want to do that every day and night,” she murmured. “If I were allowed, I would never stop.”
He didn’t answer. Indeed, she began to wonder at his silence. Had she done something wrong?
She twisted her head to look at him. His face was in shadow, but she saw his expression. It was not quite angry. Not quite joyous. Rueful?
“Why do you frown?” she asked.
“Your body is beautiful,” he finally rasped. “Your skin glows in moonlight and when you are flushed with passion, you seem to shimmer.”
“It is the silk. There are gold threads in the design.”
He shook his head. “It was you. Open. Glorious. How could I stop myself?”
“What?” she straightened, suddenly afraid. “What have you done?’
“Nothing to harm your virginity, Ling Xin. I did not mean to give you my chi this night.” He gestured down at himself where his pants were wet with his release.
“But that is good, yes? That is what I want. To excite the emperor enough that—”
“Yes,” he interrupted a bit harshly. “Yes, that is what you want. Heavenly nectar for China’s great emperor.” His tone was bitter, and she suddenly understood that he was jealous. Of course, he was. All men wanted to be the emperor.
“If I could choose,” she said softly. “I would watch you from behind the women’s screen when you spoke with my father. I would burn incense and pray that he chose you.”