”You’re here,” Bo said in a hushed tone and Lauren warmed to the caress of her former lover’s voice. ”Please look at me, Lauren.”

”Don’t move.” Lauren pressed her temple close to Bo’s and increased the pressure from her hips. Lauren bent down and teased her nipples and felt them rise and harden within her lips, inviting her mouth to linger. Lauren took a moment to catch her breath before guiding Bo’s hand between her legs. Then she adjusted the position of her thigh and moved to let her ex-lover fill her completely. A small moan escaped from Lauren’s throat and it took an Herculean feat of concentration to just stay with her there, treating a body without feeling its soul, nothing more, fighting the roar growing in her heart. However, this was no stranger or one of the many coquettes she had seduced in her travels and bade goodbye to by morning. As dispassionate as she wanted to be with Bo, her heart simply wouldn’t allow it. Slowly, Lauren rocked steadily against her hand, burying her forehead in the crook of Bo’s neck.

”Lauren, please kiss me.”

”Shhh,” she soothed.

”I need you.”

Without warning Lauren slid into her. Bo arched and gasped like a fish yearning for water. Lauren pressed harder against her to pin her in place. ”Don’t move,” she said again, plunging deeper and holding herself there, feeling their hearts riot against flesh, wanting to feel the warmth of her sun to rise, rise, rise again. She felt herself tensing under Bo’s touch. Lauren at last lifted her head and saw pain reflected in her ex-lover’s eyes. It was nearly unbearable.

”Heal yourself.” Lauren kept her voice matter of fact.

Bo shook her head.

”You can feel me. You know I won’t last much longer.” It came out breathy, heavy, urgent. She accelerated the movement in her hips, pressing harder, pushing herself to the limits of Bo’s need. She sensed Bo’s hesitation and knew what to do. ”Do you trust me?”

Bo nodded, her face wrapped in pleasure and pink with ache.

”Now, Bo.” She stilled her body once more. ”I trust you.”

Three small words that brought them both back to their first time—when she allowed herself to love, but not now, Lauren focused on the carnal, forcing herself not to focus intently on the breathtaking beauty beneath her, lest she get lost in oblivion. Pure adrenalin ripped through her as she rocked hard against Bo, pushing her to heal, stirring the heat of the succubus and trusting that Bo would stop in time and let her go. Let her go. There, loud and clear, the thread she’d been seeking.