[ Gladly, desperately, he follows her hands with his own. His fingertips trace a path along her spine, his light touch all but skating along the contours of her muscles. God. She is strong, isn't she? Is it the blackwater doing it? Some combination of magic and hard work, he's sure. It's nothing but alluring for him; all his girlfriends have been entirely capable of snapping Miles in half. Lakshmi would be no different.

And to have her deflect his nervousness so easily, to shut own his concerns with a kiss makes him flush all the way to tips of his ears with quiet pleasure. He's given her every chance to back out. And she's still here, beautiful and powerful on top of him, the curve of her body above him - more important, her trust of him overwhelming. He'd sworn himself to her in one way already; with that response he's ready to swear to her in an entirely new way.

He massages circles into her back, lightly. Leans up to return the kiss, to scrape ever so slightly with his teeth. ]

You have options, surely. Not being betrayed - that should be such a simple thing. Women could want far better than I. [ Even though he knows damn well it's not. But it should be. He'll take that as more of a compliment. Being chosen rather than being the only option available. His tone is not truly argumentative, anyway, and the light in his eyes betrays his feelings entirely.

But the comment about having no future ... That does make him hesitate visibly. It's true he desperately wants a future. Children by the dozen, a legacy for his family name and for others with physical deformities ... Byerly had given Miles a preview of his future that seemed to promise those things. Lakshmi wouldn't fit into any of that. But ...

He reaches out to take her hand, kissing the back of it lightly. His gaze flickers back own before going vague, thoughtful. ]

I've none either. If I've done this right.