His hand slipped from between them to curve around her ribs, her breast, her back; palms and lips attentive on her as if monitoring her reactions as much as wanting to create some. Any signal of pain or protest and he would stop what he was doing at once. And on the other side: anything she seemed to particularly like, he would expand upon.

He was too focused on her to even notice: that for once, he didn't have to imagine himself away.