I froze for an instant as he gasped, thinking I'd hurt him, but then relaxed as he did, relieved and glad to see it was helping. I admit I found myself enjoying this, both for the pleasure of touching him and knowing it eased his pain, and for the sweet torment of restraint I must needs exercise.

"What did I do," I murmured, "to so quickly earn your trust? It seems quite an elite circle, those people who can claim they have it. You don't have to say, if you don't want," I added quickly after, flushing a little, embarrassed. How was it he had so quickly become able to fluster me? I had only found myself thus with Allison and Rabastan, and that was a dangerous count of people to number him among...