"You've gotten better," she said, setting aside her paperwork and leaning back in her chair as Cassian worked on her arms, which he hadn't focused on before. The tension eased from her muscles, making her not want to move at all.
Once he was done with her arms, Cassian shifted to her neck, kneading from just below her ears to her shoulders with his knuckles. He gradually transitioned to gentle, smooth strokes with his fingers, making her close her eyes in quiet relief. She didn't want to move a single muscle—not in her arms, shoulders, or even her face—as his fingers worked their way to her temples, across her scalp, and down to her cheeks.
"You've really gotten better..." she said again, this time sounding genuinely relaxed, her voice softer as if she truly meant it. Cassian only smirked, his face close to hers as his fingers moved with practiced gentleness.
Her facial muscles loosened involuntarily, not that she minded. As a high-circle warrior, she had complete control over her body—it was a requirement at her level. She could take control back any time she wanted.
Unfortunately for her, Cassian wasn't about to let that happen so easily. The latest massage techniques he'd learned included methods to release tension and override the body's natural resistance—even in the face.
Even her lips, which she had stubbornly kept from him before, were starting to soften. At first, Cassian had been tempted to make her entire body lose its composure just to prove a point—but now, he was more focused on the one thing she was still holding back: her lips.
He noticed the slight tremble as he gently worked over her cheeks, his fingers brushing across the bridge of her nose with a smooth, practiced rhythm. Her skin was growing warm under his touch, feeling softer, almost as if she'd turned back time.
"I've been working on some new techniques," Cassian said casually, his hands still moving with practiced ease. "They can even tighten the skin and bring back a more youthful feel. Is the Commander noticing the difference?"
Sher gave a small nod, her voice quiet. "Yeah… I can feel it."
But she was noticing more than just that—there was a faint tremble on her lips she couldn't quite control, and a tingling sensation as his fingers gently worked beneath her chin, making her instinctively lift her head slightly. One of his hands shifted lower, and though she was aware of it, she didn't stop him. Her heart picked up its pace as the touch lingered, steady and intentional.
"Stop..." she whispered, her voice unsteady as her lips trembled. Her head remained tilted back, even though Cassian's fingers had left her neck and now hovered near her face, tracing gently across her lips. His other hand moved lower, brushing against the fabric of her shirt.
Yet she didn't lift her arms, as if something was holding her in place—like her own body had stopped responding to her commands.
Even speaking took effort—her words came slowly, her voice unsteady. "What... are you... doing? I said... this was only supposed to be a massage..." She felt his fingers slip beneath the straps of her bra, brushing against the bare skin underneath.
"It still is," Cassian replied evenly, his fingers gliding along the curve of her lips with practiced control. "If you want me to stop... just move my hands."
He watched her closely as her lips trembled under his touch—soft, responsive, and far more delicate than her rank or age might suggest.
Her breath caught as she tried to speak. "I… can't," she whispered, her voice tight. "You did something. A spell or…" She tried to lift her hands, but they didn't respond. His hand, already beneath her bra, moved lower. The skin there was different—more sensitive, with a firmer texture than the softness of her chest. It reacted quickly, sharper to touch, much like her lips had become.
Cassian gave a quiet laugh. His fingers continued their slow path, brushing along her curves with deliberate pressure.
"I didn't cast anything," he said calmly. "And even if I had, you're an Eighth Circle warrior, Commandant Sher. A breath from you could break through most spells."
He leaned closer, lips hovering near hers as his fingers pressed just above the line of restraint.
His thumb pressed just under her bottom lip again, drawing it down slightly. "So if you're not moving… that's on you."
He caught her lips between his, sucking hungrily at the lower and then the upper one, her breath quickening with a soft moan. His hand beneath her shirt squeezed the firmer skin, causing her chest to arch upward in response.
As his lips captured hers, she resisted, trying to pull away, unwilling to let his tongue invade. But his own tongue pressed forward, pushing against hers, forcing its way into her mouth. At the same time, his free hand slid inside her shirt, joining the other already there.
He grabbed each of her breasts, squeezing gently, feeling the soft, warm texture slip through his fingers with each movement. The sensation was almost addictive, his grip firm yet teasing, as if savoring every moment.
She, on the other hand, was torn. Her lips and tongue fought back in a desperate attempt to regain control, but it only seemed to frustrate her further. Each time she tried to push him away, he moved closer, his touch relentless, making her feel more trapped in the moment. The more she resisted, the more her body seemed to betray her, leaving her unsure of what to do next. She was caught in the tension, her mind racing while her body seemed to respond against her will, making it harder to pull away from him.
'Why is he so good at this?' she wondered, noticing how effortlessly Cassian took control of her lips and tongue. Despite the way her body responded, she really didn't want to be kissed. She had stopped him last time, even though she had been ready to take his penis that time, but now, she wasn't even ready to let him see her chest, let alone kiss. Yet, here she was, his lips claiming her lips and his hands groping her chest as if they belonged to him. His fingers teased and rubbed her sensitive buds, sending waves of heightened sensation through her, making them more sensitive and harder. Her hands—almost not her own—moved from the armrest to between her own body, with a little help from his, making her body react more than she had intended.
And as her body slowly took the lead, she let her hands drift down along her thighs, a quiet moan escaping within. 'I'll allow it this time,' she told herself, giving in. Her lips stopped resisting, now moving in sync with his—matching his rhythm, even deepening the kiss on her own.