The Stained Omega by Elle T Jefferson

Chapter 0298

That night, I sneaked out of my room when everyone else was asleep. The guards pretended they didn't notice. Then I quietly walked down the hallway, keeping my steps light as I wound my way through the palace until I stood before Nicholas's door.

I gently knocked, and it opened right away.

Nicholas stood behind in. He wasn't wearing a shirt. His muscles were on full display. He did wear a pair of thin lounge pants that hung low on his hips. His feet were bare.

"Piper," he said, voice low. A shiver ran down my spine.

"Were you expecting me?" I asked.

He smiled a little, sheepish. It was boyish on his face, making him appear much as he did back when we had dated three years ago. My heartbeat went into overdrive.

"I was hoping..." He stepped back from the door. "Come inside. Please."

I entered the room and he closed the door behind me.

Despite my trust and comfort around Nicholas, I was nervous in what I was doing here, in what was about to happen. So I continued to face the rest of the room, my back to Nicholas. If I looked at him, I might lose myself.

Maybe I came here for that. But I was afraid of it too.

Nicholas moved into the space behind me. He placed his hands on my shoulders.

"You're tense," he said. "Nervous?"

"I don't know..."

"You don't have to be with me. I know your boundaries and will never press you. You can trust me."

"I do trust you."

He began to give me a massage, pressing his thumbs deep into the strained muscles of my upper back. "Then trust me to take care of you..."

I relaxed at once, turning to putty in his hands.

"I'll take care of you, Piper."

"I know..." I sighed, happiness spreading through me.

He stepped closer to me, pressing his chest against the length of my back. His hands trailed rom my shoulders, down the length of my arms. My nerves prickled pleasantly where his

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+15 BONUS

I wanted to be intimate with Nicholas, but I couldn't cross that line. Last night I had been willing. This morning, I wasn't so sure.

I was glad I didn't have to find out if I would have regretted giving my virginity to Nicholas. Nicholas ieaned in closer. I leaned in too.

I wasn't ready to surrender my virginity, but everything else...?

"Piper," he whispered. "Why did you come to my room last night?"

"You know why," I said. I licked my lips. He watched and licked his own. "I'm not ready for everything."

"We'll do as little or as much as you want," he said. "I'd never press you..."

"But...?"

"No, but's," he said, and seemed earnest. His voice lowered. "I want you however you are willing..."

I swallowed hard. My nerves itched to be closer to him, to touch him, to wrap myself around him and never let him go.

Charlotte returned with Nicholas's cup of coffee, and he and I jumped apart.

"Sorry," Charlotte mouthed to me, when Nicholas wasn't looking.

I shook my head lightly. It was fine. It was good, actually. Every time I was near Nicholas, I was ready to throw almost everything away to be with him.

I needed to remember myself and my temporary place in his life.

I needed to protect my heart, that wanted so badly to reach out to his and make him my special person.

As Charlotte walked away, Nicholas smiled at me. A fire burned in his eyes.

"You should come back tonight," he said, and I knew I would before he'd even finished speaking.

2/2

+15 BONUS

Chapter 0298

That night, I sneaked out of my room when everyone else was asleep. The guards pretended they didn't notice. Then I quietly walked down the hallway, keeping my steps light as I wound my way through the palace until I stood before Nicholas's door.

I gently knocked, and it opened right away.

Nicholas stood behind in. He wasn't

wear a pair of thin lounge pants that bring a shirt. His muscles were on full display. He did

low on his hips. His feet were bare.

"Piper," he said, voice low. A shiver ran down

"Were you expecting me?" I asked.

my spine.

He smiled a little, sheepish. It was boyish on his face, making him appear much as he did back when we had dated three years ago. My heartbeat went into overdrive.

"I was hoping..." He stepped back from the door. "Come inside. Please.'

I entered the room and he closed the door behind me.

Despite my trust and comfort around Nicholas, I was nervous in what I was doing here, in what was about to happen. So I continued to face the rest of the room, my back to Nicholas. If I looked at him, I might lose myself.

Maybe I came here for that. But I was afraid of it too.

Nicholas moved into the space behind me. He placed his hands on my shoulders.

"You're tense," he said. "Nervous?"

"I don't know..."

"You don't have to be with me. I know your boundaries and will never press you. You can trust me.'

"I do trust you."

He began to give me a massage, pressing his thumbs deep into the strained muscles of my upper back. "Then trust me to take care of you..."

I relaxed at once, turning to putty in his hands.

"I'll take care of you, Piper."

"I know..." I sighed, happiness spreading through me.

He stepped closer to me, pressing his chest against the length of my back. His hands trailed from my shoulders, down the length of my arms. My nerves prickled pleasantly where his

1/2

+15 BONUS

He lowered his mouth to my ear. "Tell me what you want tonight, Piper."

Deep within me, a fire sparked and burned. It spread out up into my heart and down, down into my core.

"You know what I want," I said.

He hummed. "I want to hear you say it."

My heart soared. He had such a way to make me feel safe and special. Even this, right here his obvious consideration for me made me feel properly cared for.

"I want you..." I swallowed down my embarrassment. This was Nicholas, the man I trusted. The man I loved once. Maybe loved still, somewhere inside of me. I was afraid to think about that now. "How do you want me?" he asked, voice so low, it was practically a growl.

"Touch me..." My cheeks burned. "Taste me..."

Slowly, he slid the sleeves of my dress off my shoulders and down the length of my arms. The top half of my dress fell down, catching on my hips and pooling at my waist.

Nicholas traced his knuckles down the length of my spine. He stopped when all he felt was bare skin.

"Piper..." He didn't sound disapproving. More, surprised. "You are not wearing a bra." "I'm not," I confirmed.

He slipped his fingers around my waist and teased my stomach.

"Such a bad girl," he whispered into my ear. His breath was so hot on my skin. Slowly, he lifted his hands upward and cupped my bare breasts. His fingers were cold and I gasped. At the same time, my nipples hardened, peaking into his palms, searching for friction.

I moaned at the sensation.

For a time, he simply massaged me with his hands. I dropped my head back against his shoulder, enjoying his ministrations. Then, blessedly, like he could read my mind, he pulled his thumbs inward and brushed against my nipples.

"Nick," I gasped.

"I've got you. Let yourself go, Piper. I swear I won't let you fall."

My mouth fell open. I could barely catch my breath as he teased, flicking and then rolling the

hubs with his thumbs.