Page 78 of Dark Elf Makes Five

She comes again in a shuddering wave that tightens around me, pulling another climax from my own control. The release rolls through me in waves so violent my vision whites at the edges. I fill her with every drop I possess, claiming her in the most primitive way I know—marking her as mine, branding her with the proof of my desire.

We collapse together on the moss, my weight pressing her into the soft ground. My forehead rests against hers, our breaths mingling in the quiet orchard air. For several heartbeats, there’s only the sound of our breathing and the distant call of birds returning to their branches.

Kessara’s fingers trace slow patterns along my spine, tracing the sweat-dampened fabric of my shirt. Her voice, when it comes, is softened into a lazy murmur.

"Stealing from you was the best choice I ever made."

The chuckle that rumbles through my chest feels foreign and familiar all at once—a sound that has become more common since she walked into my life. "You stole my fruit, my patience, and my peace of mind."

"And your heart." Her lips curve against my collarbone.

"That most of all." I shift enough to pull her against my side, her head finding its place on my chest. "And here I thought I was just apprehending a thief."

She laughs, shaking her head.

"Come." I take her hand, lacing our fingers together. "Halvren will have dinner ready soon, and if we're late, Tobin will eat everything before we arrive."

"Some things never change."

"Thank the gods for that."