His hand settled at her head with practiced ease, fingers spreading through her hair until his palm fit there, familiar. The motion was slow, sinuous, satisfying. It calmed him. Each pass smoothed the tension from his shoulders and steadied his breath. She felt it immediately, awareness undeniable, comfort impossible. He brushed the roots of her hair with his fingertips, then let his hand slide to the base of her ear. Her mi’qote ears were exquisitely finer, more exposed than humans’. Each touch sent a soft current through her despite her will. She stayed still, though the urge to lean into his palm rose sharp and aching. Her sensitive ears twitched once. She drew a shallow breath and, without meaning to, her tongue passed over her lower lip. It was an instinctive motion, quick and quiet, as though her body were responding to the shape of need before she could stop it. His fingers paused for a fraction. His thumb adjusted, tracing the curve of her ear with deliberate care. He watched t...