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Without much warning, she gripped my rear and squeezed me before tickling her fingers against my folds from behind. A shiver raced up my spine and she smiled against my lips.

"Snowman," I croaked and Samirah's actions halted in a heartbeat. Her brow furrowed and she let out a few quick breaths.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No." I rubbed her arms from wrist to elbow. "I want to talk to you, Sam. You're hurting."

"Take back your safe word, please, and let me." When she said it, her whole face contorted as if she fought a wave of emotion.

"Not yet, okay?" A tear slid down my cheek, and she drew in a slow breath. "Be with me. Together."

That was all it took to break her stance. She shook her head and hugged me to her again, her teeth raking over my shoulder. My back arched and I couldn't fight the arousal that the gesture brought. I squeezed her tight, and nipped at her neck while she scratched gentle lashes up and down my back. Goosebumps rushed my whole body in an erotic wave of excitement and I leaned back to meet her gaze again. She watched me for a moment, then pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her in only a bra. I kissed her cheeks and forehead while she reached behind herself to release it.

When it fell away, her heat cooled and she held my waist again. I smiled when I saw her nipples pierced with circular barbells, then pressed my finger to her lips.

"I found two of the three hidden piercings," I whispered and she laughed softly.

I brushed my thumbs over them and she nuzzled my face with her nose. Her belly fluttered against mine and instead of letting me continue, she pulled my hands to her lips to kiss each of my fingers.

"What's your safe word?" I asked, lacing my fingers with hers.

"Snowman, too," she said, her gaze meeting mine.

"How about we cuddle together in bed for a little bit?" I suggested, and her gaze darted back and forth between mine.

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes. Is that what you want?"

"I want to make you come," she said, though it wasn't in the sultry tones of our earlier endeavors. "I want to taste you."

"Is that what you do when you're upset? Make women come?" I urged her with me, dismounting her lap and tugging her toward the pillows. She followed without skipping a beat as we slid under the covers. She let her boots fall to the floor first.

"Usually," she said, and we turned to face each other as I pulled the blankets to our shoulders. She nudged her knee between mine and I draped my leg over her hip.

"Not today." I placed my palm against her cheek. "Talk to me first, then you can do whatever you want to me."

"Only if you lift the safe word after we talk."

"I promise." I placed my hand over my heart and it made her smile. "What happened?"

"Sometimes visiting my mother makes me upset. Today it made me upset," she said, though now she never stopped touching me.

"What made today different?"

"Will you come to Ainsley's?"

I nodded, holding her hand to my chest. "I said I would. I noticed that you avoid my questions when you don't want to answer them. Stop that."

She chuckled softly. "You sound like Stella."

"With good reason, probably. What made today different?"

"Have you ever had the experience of a smell just setting you off?"

"Oh yeah. Often. Is that what happened?"

"It was so innocuous. I visited my mom and when I was leaving, the way the air smelled, like when the sun hits the rain on the mucky pavement. Damp but dirty, it just slammed me in the face." She took a deep breath. "And I just remembered that smell. Maybe living here was a bad idea. Maybe I should've just stayed less tethered."