“More what?” His dick twitched beneath her, his restraint visibly fracturing.
“Do you need me to spell it out for you, oaf?” Emmaline lifted herself slightly, attempting to sit upright, but before she could fully rise, his hands snapped to her waist and slammed her back down, forcing a choked exhale from her lips.
She didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate. She wriggled, pulling herself up just enough to hover her open mouth over the thick ridge hiding in his pants.
“I want... this, you insufferable asshole.” And then she bit him, her teeth clamping around the unmistakable outline of his cock, her breath hot and humid over the stiff fabric.
Deyric roared, his entire body jerking beneath her, and in an instant, he was on his feet, a sudden explosion of motion that sent her flying off his lap.
She hit the storeroom floor, flailing, her skirts tangled awkwardly over her head, completely disheveled and dazed as hell. For a moment, all she could do was blink up at the ceiling, breathless.
Then—
“GODS DAMN IT, EMMALINE!”
She peeked up to find Deyric standing over her, furious yet still visibly hard, his hands braced on his hips as he glared down at her. And despite everything, despite the absurdity of what she’d just done, the corner of her lips lifted. If he wanted her undivided attention, he was going to get it.
Deyric ran a hand through his hair, and a strained breath hissed through his teeth as he stared down at her. “You really are insane, aren’t you?”
Emmaline yanked her dress back down over her head, finally untangling herself from the mess of fabric. When she looked up again, she found him still watching her, his chest rising and falling a little too fast.
“Sweet titties of the Goddess, what the shite am I supposed to do with you, Emmaline?”
She should have laughed, should have thrown something back at him, but instead—
She looked at him and really saw him, perhaps for the first time. Not just the sharp smirks and easy arrogance, not just the way he never let anything seem to touch him, but the depth beneath it—the weight of someone who had always belonged to others and never to himself.
He’s mine.The thought crashed into her, unbidden, unwelcome, but it settled in her bones as if it had always been there, and she moved before she could think. On her knees, she crawled toward him, the hem of her dress dragging across the floor, her hands landing softly against the edges of his boots as she lifted her gaze to meet his.
“You’re not going to try and bite it off again, are you?” Deyric stiffened, looking down at her as if she had wholly derailed his understanding of reality.
Her hands slid up, fingers teasing the edges of his belt, grazing along the waistband of his pants.
“I feel like I should be terrified, little killer.” He chuckled, but the sound was uneven, a little nervous. “What is happening here?”
Her grip tightened, and she pulled him down, yanking him to his knees with a controlled, steady force. “You asked me what I wanted.”
Deyric’s throat bobbed, his hands hovering just above her as if unsure whether to grab her or push her away. “And you closed your jaws on my cock, like a godsdamned praying mantis.”
She leaned in, resting her cheek on his chest, listening to his heart.
“Shite.” He sighed, and his hand lifted, fingers brushing lightly along her cheek as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Then, instead of retreating, his thumb lingered, tracing a path alongthe curve of her face, warm and unhurried, as if committing the feel of her to memory. His pupils were blown wide, the dark ring around his emerald eyes nearly swallowing the color whole.
Mine, her mind whispered again. And this time, she didn’t fight it.
“I may have been a little overenthusiastic.” She pulled her head back, already missing the feel of him. “Besides.” Her fingers slid lower, loosening the ties at his waist, the laces coming apart quickly beneath her touch. “You had just spanked me. It seemed fair.”
His hand closed around her chin, and before she could blink, he pulled her so close his lips brushed against hers as he whispered, “You liked it.”
The words were dark smoke seeping into her veins, and before she could even think of a response, he tilted her head back, mouth tracing down the sensitive line of her throat, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses against her skin.
A shudder ran through her, her lashes fluttering as her fingers slipped lower still, pushing past the loosened leather, finally finding him—thick, burning hot, and solid beneath her palm.
She dragged in a breath before forcing it out as she wrapped her fingers around his manhood.
“Fuck, Emmaline.” His entire body jerked at the first deliberate flex of her hand.
Her smile deepened, and she pulled him in, pressing herself flush against his chest. “Make me admit it.” She flicked her tongue out, tracing the delicate edge of his pointed ear, delighting in the way his entire body went tense. “Make me admit that I liked it.”
