bead of blood welled. She was doing more damage than good. “I’m so sorry.” Tears sprang to her eyes. “I can’t do this. I’m gonna hurt you.”
With his un-cuffed hand, he reached up and wiped her tears. “Worse if you don’t.”
Prudence sniffed and wiped the backs of her hands over her eyes. She could do this. If she wanted to be a pioneer on Asteria, she’d have to treat injuries from time to time. What were a few nicks in the face of split skin every time he tried to talk?
She moved to the next wire, but he caught her shaky hand in his. “Breathe.”
She took a deep breath and nodded. Huddling over her task, she was all too aware of her breast snuggled against his face as she maneuvered the cutters around the next wire. Her lips thinned as her nipples tightened and something deep in her stomach sprang to life. Her body was ridiculous. Here she was, a mouse with a wounded lion sprawled in her lap, waiting for her to make one wrong move so he could gobble her up.
This was not the time to be aroused.
She never got aroused.
*****
She sounded like she was in the throes of passion.
Griffin bent his knees, planting his feet flat on the ground to hide his budding erection. With each snip of the cutters, she moaned in sympathy. He could imagine a hundred different ways he wanted to make this gorgeous woman moan and not a damned one of them involved sympathy.
Christ, he must be in a bad way if his errant body responded to dental work.
“The front ones are loose. I need you to turn to the side.”
He held her gaze for a moment, willing her to understand how much he was trusting her. And how much she’d regret betraying him. Turning, he placed his cheek to the soft pad of her thigh. He could smell her, eucalyptus and musk. His cock jumped in anticipation.
She pulled his cheek back and the cutters, warmed by her hand, slipped toward his back teeth. Concentrate on that. The pain. The thought of freedom. Wanting this woman goes against everything you believe. She’s a Parnell, for Christ’s sake.
But there wasn’t much pain. She executed each cut with care, removed each wire gingerly to prevent further harm.
What is her name? He had researched the Parnells. He remembered her name had a double P-P. Parnell. And it sounded old fashion. Petunia? Paris? Portia?
“This one’s going to hurt. The wire is too tight; I’ll have to snip it up by the gum.”
He slipped his arm under her leg and flexed around her to keep himself from jerking away at a critical moment. Smooth metal scrapped his gums. The woman tensed. Snip. He relaxed with a sigh as she pulled out another piece of barbed wire and bent back to her work.
How long had it been since he’d been between a woman’s thighs? Since before his last tour, at least. He’d buried his parents on his last leave and that was what, two years ago, plus the six months travel time to Asteria? So, too long. That’s how long it’d been.
She stroked her hand down his face. “Other side.”
Griffin rolled over and wrapped his arms around her other leg the best he could while cuffed to her ankle. This was going to be a bitch. Once she made the last cut, she’d have to pull the big one out.
Jesus, the Parnells were sadistic bastards. He hated the lot of them. All of them? Yes, damn it. This one may be convenient and beautiful, but she was still a Parnell. He wouldn’t hurt her if she behaved, but he damn sure didn’t have to like her.
“You can make noise, you know.” She cut another wire and moaned. “I won’t tell anyone.”
He almost laughed. She’d hear him make some noise all right. Right after she finished with these external wires. When that last one came through his tongue, he had no doubt the pain would unman him. Parnell and his buddy Bronsen had taken great pleasure in reminding him he’d passed out when they pulled the damn thing through. Those barbs hurt like hell.
“Almost done.”
If only.
“There.” She started to tug on that
With his un-cuffed hand, he reached up and wiped her tears. “Worse if you don’t.”
Prudence sniffed and wiped the backs of her hands over her eyes. She could do this. If she wanted to be a pioneer on Asteria, she’d have to treat injuries from time to time. What were a few nicks in the face of split skin every time he tried to talk?
She moved to the next wire, but he caught her shaky hand in his. “Breathe.”
She took a deep breath and nodded. Huddling over her task, she was all too aware of her breast snuggled against his face as she maneuvered the cutters around the next wire. Her lips thinned as her nipples tightened and something deep in her stomach sprang to life. Her body was ridiculous. Here she was, a mouse with a wounded lion sprawled in her lap, waiting for her to make one wrong move so he could gobble her up.
This was not the time to be aroused.
She never got aroused.
*****
She sounded like she was in the throes of passion.
Griffin bent his knees, planting his feet flat on the ground to hide his budding erection. With each snip of the cutters, she moaned in sympathy. He could imagine a hundred different ways he wanted to make this gorgeous woman moan and not a damned one of them involved sympathy.
Christ, he must be in a bad way if his errant body responded to dental work.
“The front ones are loose. I need you to turn to the side.”
He held her gaze for a moment, willing her to understand how much he was trusting her. And how much she’d regret betraying him. Turning, he placed his cheek to the soft pad of her thigh. He could smell her, eucalyptus and musk. His cock jumped in anticipation.
She pulled his cheek back and the cutters, warmed by her hand, slipped toward his back teeth. Concentrate on that. The pain. The thought of freedom. Wanting this woman goes against everything you believe. She’s a Parnell, for Christ’s sake.
But there wasn’t much pain. She executed each cut with care, removed each wire gingerly to prevent further harm.
What is her name? He had researched the Parnells. He remembered her name had a double P-P. Parnell. And it sounded old fashion. Petunia? Paris? Portia?
“This one’s going to hurt. The wire is too tight; I’ll have to snip it up by the gum.”
He slipped his arm under her leg and flexed around her to keep himself from jerking away at a critical moment. Smooth metal scrapped his gums. The woman tensed. Snip. He relaxed with a sigh as she pulled out another piece of barbed wire and bent back to her work.
How long had it been since he’d been between a woman’s thighs? Since before his last tour, at least. He’d buried his parents on his last leave and that was what, two years ago, plus the six months travel time to Asteria? So, too long. That’s how long it’d been.
She stroked her hand down his face. “Other side.”
Griffin rolled over and wrapped his arms around her other leg the best he could while cuffed to her ankle. This was going to be a bitch. Once she made the last cut, she’d have to pull the big one out.
Jesus, the Parnells were sadistic bastards. He hated the lot of them. All of them? Yes, damn it. This one may be convenient and beautiful, but she was still a Parnell. He wouldn’t hurt her if she behaved, but he damn sure didn’t have to like her.
“You can make noise, you know.” She cut another wire and moaned. “I won’t tell anyone.”
He almost laughed. She’d hear him make some noise all right. Right after she finished with these external wires. When that last one came through his tongue, he had no doubt the pain would unman him. Parnell and his buddy Bronsen had taken great pleasure in reminding him he’d passed out when they pulled the damn thing through. Those barbs hurt like hell.
“Almost done.”
If only.
“There.” She started to tug on that
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