There’s a needy edge to both of us tonight, perhaps precisely because we cut things short yesterday. He tangles his fingers in my hair, urging my mouth open with firm, insistent lips, and I respond hungrily, teasing his lower lip between my teeth, drawing a low, rough sound from his throat that nearly makes my knees give out.
Eventually, we have to break for air, but we stay close to each other, foreheads touching, and a thrill goes through me as I notice the way his eyes are glued to my lips.
“What is this thing between us?” I ask, panting. “Sometimes when you’re close, I feel like I can’t breathe without being aware of you. Withoutwantingyou.”
“The binding spell—” he starts to say.
“No,” I give the front of his shirt an annoyed tug. “Don’t pretend that’s all it is. Maybe that’s what lit the match, but it’s more than that now.”
“I know it’s more than that for me,” he says, his eyes burning with an intensity that makes me lightheaded. “I just wasn’t sure?—”
“Shut up,” I say, but it’s soft—chiding. “Shut up before I get mad at you for suggesting I don’t know myself. That I’d let some stupid piece of magic tell me what I want. Don’t make me hear you say that. Because I need to kiss you again too badly to be angry with you right now.”
It’s the truth. I don’t want to list all the ways he’s disarmed me in these last three months. How I’ve been touched by the tenderness and loyalty he has for his people, despite everything they’ve cost him. How, even though I once thought he was costingmeeverything, I’ve started feeling freer in Malice than I have for the last six years in Strata. And still, while giving me things that make my soul sing, he’s pushed and challenged me, taught me to be smarter and stronger.
Plus, none of that eventoucheson what he does to me when he fixes me with those dark, red eyes and takes me in his arms.
His lips meet mine again, his hands dropping to my waist, tugging me closer. I slide my own hands across his bare chest, fingers lingering on each spot where a rune has been carved into his skin. I want him to know I love this about him, that these scars are beautiful to me. And when I’m donewith his chest, I slide my hand over his shoulders, standing on tiptoes to stroke across the marks there too.
He takes hold of my left hand, holding my gaze as he slides the wedding ring off my finger, tossing it aside.
“I think it’s best youdon’twear that, considering what I’m about to do to you,” he says.
I laugh, giddy with anticipation as he dips his head to mine again.
“You don’t know how hard it was yesterday, walking away from you,” he murmurs against my lips.
“It didn’t seem that way,” I push back, because he deserves to have to work for it a little, after abandoning me like that.
“Then I’ll just have to show you,” he says, dropping his lips to my neck, sucking lightly on the skin there, making me gasp. I lean into him, trying to press as much of my body up against his as possible. In response, he slides his hands beneath my ass and lifts me. I am suddenly very grateful neither of us is wearing much as I shuck off my shoes and wrap my legs around him, aligning my body to feel the erection growing in his pants.
He spins me around, bringing me against the wall, and I revel in being pressed between it and his taut, muscled body. It surprises me, how much I like it. Rather than feeling trapped or claustrophobic, being pinned against him makes me feelsafe,protected. It also just feels…reallygood. I let out a soft moan as I grind against him, offering some relief to the heat coiling between my legs.
I’ve watched him drag his fingers through his hair enough that I have a lot of fun doing it myself now, twisting my fingers into it to demand more of the kisses he hasn’t stopped giving me since our lips first touched minutes ago.
He holds me up with one arm, using the other to slide a hand across my shoulder, tugging down the strap of my nightgown and exposing my breast. A thrill runs through me at the noise he makes as he cups it in his hand, his palm massaging the sensitive flesh. It’s a groan like a man taking the first bite of something delicious, something he’s promised himself to savor.
That groan courses through me, building on the exquisite tension inside me. My movements become more desperate, my hips bucking against him as I huff in frustration. As good as this is, it’s not enough. I want more of him. All of him.
He laughs against my lips. “Something wrong?” he asks, still managing to sound smug even though I can hear his own voice is strained with desire.
“There will be if we don’t get to that bed soon,” I say. “I mean, I’m not totally against the idea of getting fucked against this wall, but I think I’d prefer both your hands free for now.”
I don’t think it’s possible for his eyes to darken further, but they do. “Such a mouth on you,” he says, leaning in to kiss me again. “I like it. But also, you make an excellent point.”
He lifts me off the wall and backs us toward the bed, sitting down so my knees settle on either side of his hips. I inhale, very conscious of the full, hard length of his cock nestled between my thighs.
“You’re also far too coherent,” he says, dipping his mouth to my ear. “You shouldn’t have breath to do anything but moan and beg for more. I’ll have to do something about that.”
He takes my chin in his fingers, tilting it down and brushing his thumb against my mouth. I get the hint, parting my lips and wrapping them around his thumb, sucking on it. His own mouth goes a little slack, his eyes glazing for a moment.
I make a mental note of how much he enjoys the sight of my mouth wrapped around part of him. That’s an idea worth exploring later. Then he draws up my nightgown and slips his hand beneath the fabric of my underwear, sliding his thumb against my clit, and thoughts of later drift off into the aether. All that matters is now.Right now.
My hands tighten around his shoulders, trying to ride the wave of blissful sensation as he teases that sensitive spot in light, skillful circles. My head falls to rest against his chest so I can center myself. I take the opportunity to kiss him there, then drag my tongue across his nipple, enjoying the way his hand breaks its rhythm a little when I do.
Pleasure licks its way across my core, and I know I’ll shatter apart soon like this. But he’s still lying hard and untouched beneath me, and that won’t do.We’ve spent too long bound to each other, blurring the lines between our bodies and minds, for us not to come together fully. I want him inside me in every way.
“Syrus,” I murmur, sliding my hand beneath me to stroke along his length. I inhale sharply as his fingers spasm, sending a particularly intense bolt of pleasure through me and stealing my words. I fight to regain them again. “I want…you,” is all I manage, but with my hand massaging his cock, he gets the message.
