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“I understood every single of word of that,” he told her, chuckling under his breath. “Come on, little owl. Give me thirty seconds.”

Her eyes opened again, this time more aware. Slowly, they focused on him, and her smile was stronger. Her voice was little more than a husky whisper when she said, “Merk.”

God, that mispronunciation of his name did weird things to his gut. He’d always beenMaster Merrick, Merrick,or just plainSir. The honorifics helped him maintain distance from his subs, kept them from cultivating an intimacy he didn’t want or need.

Merklashed chains around his heart, anchoring him firmly in theintimatecategory.

“Back with me, huh? Gonna run a bath, little owl, and get you all cleaned up. Open your mouth for me,” he added, tapping a finger on her bottom lip. Pleasure hummed through him when she obeyed immediately, her eyes trusting even as he slipped the pills on her tongue. “These are just pain meds, darlin’. They’ll help with the discomfort.”

Tamsyn sipped from the glass when he held it to her mouth, swallowing the meds without complaint, then cradled his hand in both of hers while she drained the rest of the water. “Thank you.”

“Anytime. Want some more?” When she hesitated as though reluctant to ask, he ran his thumb over her mouth. “Don’t be afraid to ask for anything, little owl. Especially the essentials. You found your voice; it’s time to use it.”

Unease flickered in her eyes, and he wondered how many times she’d asked for something before the community spirit beat the impulse out of her. Not many, he imagined. It was likely a trait the elders discouraged from an early age to prevent rebellion later on.

“Yes… please.”

“Your wish, darlin’.” Merrick paused. “You okay here for a few minutes?”

Tamsyn nodded, but he wasn’t convinced.

Subdrop was a very real possibility. She’d come several times and flown high; that, combined with the accompanying endorphins and adrenaline—not to mention the joint pain of losing her virginity and taking a man of his size—provided the right criteria for a drop.

Add in the general emotion that came with exposing herself sexually for the first time, Tamsyn was primed for a fall.

“On second thought,” he murmured, brushing his knuckle over her cheek, “why don’t you come keep me company? You can decide whether you want lavender bubbles or raspberry ones while the bath fills up.”

This time, her nod was much more enthusiastic.

“All right, then.” He rose and held his hand out, drawing her gently to her feet.

She swayed slightly, then her legs buckled as she took a step forward. Her lowhooooof pain told him everything he needed to know as he caught her, swinging her into a bridal carry. “Ow.”

“Yeah, you’re gonna be sore for a while, darlin’.”

Tawny eyes weighed him warily. “Every time?”

He headed for the bathroom, trying not to let his amusement show. “Not every time, no. Just the first few, until you adjust to my size.”

“Oh.”

Merrick thought it best not to mention how sore she was going to be when he persuaded her to complete the virginity trifecta and fucked her ass. That conversation could wait awhile.

She seemed to mull that over, only jolting out of her reverie when he set her bare ass on the cold countertop. Her squeal was high, breaking into giggles once the chill abated. “That was mean!”

It was, he admitted, but the counter put her at the perfect height to kiss her. He was absurdly fond of her mouth, maybe moreso now that pretty voice was in play. Particularly when it was plump and swollen from previous kisses. “But you squeal so nicely, little owl. In fact…” His fingers found her tickle spots with ease. “Let me hear it again.”

“No, no.” More giggles burst from her as she squirmed. “Don’t make me pee!”

“Hmmm, watersports. Not really my kink, but I think it’s on your soft limits list.” He nibbled on her shoulder, laughing as her hand flapped against his chest. “Okay, okay. We’ll save tickling for another day.”

Her squeak of alarm appeased his craving.

Giving her one last fleeting kiss, Merrick left her on the counter so he could set the water running. Glancing at her over his shoulder, he asked, “Lavender or raspberry, Tamsyn?”

She lifted a shoulder. “What’s the difference?”

“What’s the—” Stunned, he stared at her. Turning slowly, he pinned her with disbelieving eyes. “You don’t know what either of them smells like?”