Ruler (Wolves of Royal Paynes #2) - Kiki Burrelli Page 0,39

continued brushing, I continued stroking myself.

I should've felt shame. Faust had respected every boundary I'd set and also some boundaries I hadn't known to set. And I repaid that respect and kindness by jacking off while spying in on his personal—

The door opened, and I yelped, jumping away from where I'd stood and closer to the bed. Faust stood in the doorway, his eyes open wide while he held the ends of a towel together around his waist. His gaze dropped from my loose white t-shirt down to my sweats. I bent over while standing upright, likely looking like I had to pee.

"Is everything all right?" Faust asked with a grin.

My cheeks burned hot. "Yes. Nothing! I wasn't doing anything." I wished I could fling myself on the bed, but I was still several feet too far away, and walking hunched over my erection meant I'd have to waddle to get there.

I kept my eyes on the carpet, mortified at having been caught, but maybe if I played this off, he wouldn't have to know exactly what I'd been doing.

"I wasn't trying to accuse you of anything, kitten. Did you sleep well? Have a bad dream?" His upper lip curled knowingly.

"Nothing!" I cried out because I apparently had zero stealth. It wasn't until witnessing his nostrils flare that I remembered he could smell my lies. I'd learned since that he could smell my arousal too, and now both scents had to be colliding through the room like bumper cars.

Faust stopped directly in front of me. His bare toes brushed mine, and his warm whisper tickled my face. "I believe you, kitten. If you say you were doing nothing, you were doing nothing." He toyed with a chunk of hair, rolling the strands between his fingers.

He might have made my body feel like a volcano seconds from erupting, but he really was the sweetest, kindest, nicest—

"But you might also want to tuck your dick back in your pants." He winked while I waited for the floor to swallow me whole.

It didn't, and my penis was still hard and waving around like a white flag.

"I—um—" My throat closed with embarrassment, making my breaths sound like wheezes.

Faust's grin disappeared, replaced with a concerned look. He cupped my upper arms, leading me back to sit on the edge of the bed. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Storri. Everything you're feeling is completely natural."

His perfect words only made me feel more horrible. "It isn't," I whined, knowing my tone only made this all that much worse. I sounded like a child when I wanted to sound like a man. One who was desired and desired in return. "Watching you without your knowledge was despicable. Depraved!" I tried throwing my weight onto the mattress to hide my face, but Faust caught me by the shoulders, guiding me toward his chest instead. At least I could still smash my face against his pectorals and pretend none of that had just happened.

"You're healing, becoming comfortable with yourself and your surroundings. But you don't have to explore in secret, Storri. You don't need to wait until I'm in the shower. I'm here for you, always. In any form."

My lips were dry, but my sandpaper tongue would do nothing to soothe that. My eyes dropped to the towel still circled around his waist. The paranoia that had already ruined so many moments like this had yet to rear its ugly head. "I…" Though it wouldn't help much, I licked my lips. Faust watched my tongue move as an idea formed that made my breath catch. I moved my tongue slowly, less worried about the outcome of the action and instead concentrating on watching Faust's face as he watched me.

My lungs constricted. Had he always looked at me with a gaze that burned so brightly? I felt his heat on my lips. My bones were like kindling, easily lit and quick to spread. Faust let go of the grip he had on his towel. It didn't fall immediately open, but knowing that it could, that nothing held the covering around his waist, I was suddenly worried that I wouldn't need his touch to climax.

That would be just great. First, I'd peeped in on him without his knowledge, and now, I would jizz inside my pants from just sitting beside him.

"You smell so sweet." He inhaled deeply. "Like a homemade cherry pie sitting to cool on a windowsill."

My eyebrows furrowed. He made me sound like food. Was he hungry or