balance on a very slippery slope.”
She sighed. “That’s poetic, but what does it mean? Should I let them off the hook? Did Josiah agree to end the competition?”
“He seemed as if he’d agree, but then he…reconsidered.”
Again, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with the information. “What made him change his mind?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Weren’t you reading his mind? And if not, why not?”
Her impatience set Loki in motion. He stood and began pac ing beside the bed. “I only sense what’s there. Josiah isn’t sure why he wants to continue, so all I could feel were conflicting emotions.”
Josiah had certainly left her feeling jumbled and conflicted. It was only fair that he be just as confused. “I promised to have lunch with him tomorrow. Should I cancel?”
“That’s up to you.”
“Well, how did they leave it? Is the bet still on?”
“It is, but I think you need to change tactics.” He paused beside her, his gaze shimmering. “You’re too attracted t o Josiah to pretend indifference. You want him and he knows it, so we need to use that intensity.”
“ If I sleep with him, I’ll be just like all the others.”
Loki grinned, his even white teeth visible despite the lack of light. “I’m not saying you should give in completely. I think you should ask for a whole lot more of what they gave you tonight.”
“I really do love oral sex, but it always leaves me ready for the real thing.”
“You’re being too literal. You need to encourage other sensual encounters. Touch him, even go down on him, but always pull back when he’s ready for the ‘real thing’.”
“The re’s a phrase for people like that. They’re called a cock tease.” She shook her head. “I’m not comfortable with that strategy.”
“All right, how about if you ask him to tutor you. Tell him you’ve always been curious about less mainstream forms of pleasure, but your lovers have always been too straight-laced to let you play. Trust me, Josiah will eat it up, figuratively and literally. Didn’t he say as much on your doorstep? He knows you’re ready to play with the fire and he wants to make sure you don’t get burned.”
The now familiar ache erupted between her thighs. Just thinking about all the things Josiah could teach her made her edgy. “And how will any of that teach him not to screw with people’s emotions?”
“Because as soon as it becomes obvious that he’s really into you, you’ll thank him for the lessons and go off to find someone worthy of your affection.”
She scrubbed her face with both hands, not at all sure she could be that cruel. “But I really like him, Loki. How do I just turn that off?”
“He’s charming and he’s intense, but he’s a heartless bastard.” He sat back down and reached for her hand. “I think this will help you decide.”
Her s kull caught fire and images exploded within her mind. She saw Josiah and his lovers, men, women, and every conceivable combination of the two. He gave and received physical pleasure, but only with Chase did Josiah offer any portion of his soul. And even with Chase, Josiah was guarded, emotionally distant. The parade of naked flesh went on and on. Katie felt cold, hollow. What had happened that left him so…broken?
“Enough,” she hissed. “I’ve seen more than enough.” She shuddered, feeling dirty and sad. “ You weren’t exaggerating. None of them meant anything to him.”
“H e seems to have feelings for you, which makes you uniquely qualified to teach him this lesson. He deserves this, Katie. No, he needs it.”
There was a significance in his words that she didn’t understand. She sighed. Loki was right. This lesson was long overdue.
B ut what about her? How could she break Josiah’s heart without risking her own?
“I’ll help you.” Loki reached for her hand again, only this time he sent warmth and encouragement flowing through her. “Each time pleasure blinds you, I’ll help you see
She sighed. “That’s poetic, but what does it mean? Should I let them off the hook? Did Josiah agree to end the competition?”
“He seemed as if he’d agree, but then he…reconsidered.”
Again, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with the information. “What made him change his mind?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Weren’t you reading his mind? And if not, why not?”
Her impatience set Loki in motion. He stood and began pac ing beside the bed. “I only sense what’s there. Josiah isn’t sure why he wants to continue, so all I could feel were conflicting emotions.”
Josiah had certainly left her feeling jumbled and conflicted. It was only fair that he be just as confused. “I promised to have lunch with him tomorrow. Should I cancel?”
“That’s up to you.”
“Well, how did they leave it? Is the bet still on?”
“It is, but I think you need to change tactics.” He paused beside her, his gaze shimmering. “You’re too attracted t o Josiah to pretend indifference. You want him and he knows it, so we need to use that intensity.”
“ If I sleep with him, I’ll be just like all the others.”
Loki grinned, his even white teeth visible despite the lack of light. “I’m not saying you should give in completely. I think you should ask for a whole lot more of what they gave you tonight.”
“I really do love oral sex, but it always leaves me ready for the real thing.”
“You’re being too literal. You need to encourage other sensual encounters. Touch him, even go down on him, but always pull back when he’s ready for the ‘real thing’.”
“The re’s a phrase for people like that. They’re called a cock tease.” She shook her head. “I’m not comfortable with that strategy.”
“All right, how about if you ask him to tutor you. Tell him you’ve always been curious about less mainstream forms of pleasure, but your lovers have always been too straight-laced to let you play. Trust me, Josiah will eat it up, figuratively and literally. Didn’t he say as much on your doorstep? He knows you’re ready to play with the fire and he wants to make sure you don’t get burned.”
The now familiar ache erupted between her thighs. Just thinking about all the things Josiah could teach her made her edgy. “And how will any of that teach him not to screw with people’s emotions?”
“Because as soon as it becomes obvious that he’s really into you, you’ll thank him for the lessons and go off to find someone worthy of your affection.”
She scrubbed her face with both hands, not at all sure she could be that cruel. “But I really like him, Loki. How do I just turn that off?”
“He’s charming and he’s intense, but he’s a heartless bastard.” He sat back down and reached for her hand. “I think this will help you decide.”
Her s kull caught fire and images exploded within her mind. She saw Josiah and his lovers, men, women, and every conceivable combination of the two. He gave and received physical pleasure, but only with Chase did Josiah offer any portion of his soul. And even with Chase, Josiah was guarded, emotionally distant. The parade of naked flesh went on and on. Katie felt cold, hollow. What had happened that left him so…broken?
“Enough,” she hissed. “I’ve seen more than enough.” She shuddered, feeling dirty and sad. “ You weren’t exaggerating. None of them meant anything to him.”
“H e seems to have feelings for you, which makes you uniquely qualified to teach him this lesson. He deserves this, Katie. No, he needs it.”
There was a significance in his words that she didn’t understand. She sighed. Loki was right. This lesson was long overdue.
B ut what about her? How could she break Josiah’s heart without risking her own?
“I’ll help you.” Loki reached for her hand again, only this time he sent warmth and encouragement flowing through her. “Each time pleasure blinds you, I’ll help you see
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