Page 59 of Legacy Ascended

"I will."

Then he uncovers the dessert, and we argue about whether it counts as a pudding or a sauce until there's none of it left.

When the dessert is gone, I stand and hold out my hand.

Ander looks at it, then at me.

“Come here.”

He takes my hand and stands. I catch a handful of his shirt before I lose the ability to make complete sentences.

"I want you. Not the mark. Not Prince Ardent. You.”

I tighten my hand in his shirt.

"I know this will seal the bond. I'm choosing it."

"So am I." His hand comes up and his thumb moves along my jaw. "I'm not doing it because it's expected or because the mark exists. I want you, Jessica."

"Good," I say, and pull him toward the bed.

Ander undresses me slowly, pausing when he reaches my injured shoulder. He eases the sleeve down my left arm without pulling it.

"You're unbearable."

"So you keep saying." He drops the shirt on the chair. "And yet."

Then he looks at me and forgets whatever he was about to say.

"Say something."

"I'm having trouble," he says, "with the fact that this is allowed."

Then his mouth twitches. "I believe mental rehearsal improves performance. I've practiced this often enough that I expect exceptional results."

I stare at him. "You mentally rehearsed having sex with me?"

"Extensively."

"I love that," I laugh. "Show me what you practiced."

He kisses me before I can say anything else, one hand at my waist and the other careful of my injured shoulder.

We get onto the bed and he props a pillow under my left shoulder without being asked, and then puts his mouth on me and stops talking for a long time.

He takes his time, his hands braced beneath my thighs, holding me open while his mouth works between my legs, taking so long that I start swearing at him.

When I'm close, he pulls back and looks up at me, his mouth wet.

"Ask me properly."

"You cannot be serious—"

"Complete sentence, please."

"I am going to murder you—"

"Afterwards," he agrees, and waits.