Page 108 of Valour

He pressed her into the cliffside, claiming her mouth, his tongue brushing against hers over and over, her fingers tangled in his hair.

He was perfect. He was here.

“I need you, Orn. Right now,” he rasped.

Hell, yes. Hester’s knees, weak anyway, almost gave way entirely when she unwrapped her legs from him and set her feet on the stones. “Then have me. I’m all yours.”

He swayed, and she shucked off her coat, sitting him down on it, his back against the cliff.

“You wouldn’t rather have some food and water first?” she asked.

“You’re the only sustenance I need.”

Hester chuckled. It was as corny as any line she’d read in a novel. “You needn’t lift a finger, my lord. Let me do the work,” she said, a coy smile lighting her face as she sat astride his lap, stroking a hand over his straining breeches. She leant to whisper in his ear, “I really ought to punish you for keeping me waiting.”

Septimus huffed and grasped her chin, drawing her close, fixing her with his sapphire eyes. “Do your worst.”

“Challenge accepted.” She unfastened his breeches, stroking him up and down. He closed his eyes, leant his head back against the cliff.

“Perhaps I should make you wait, too.” Hester lowered her mouth to his length, teasing him with light licks of her tongue, then grimacing at the salt.

He speared his fingers into her hair, drawing her mouth onto him, groaning as she laughed, mouth full of him. “I don’t want to wait for you again. I don’t want to be parted from you again.”

Hester’s stomach dropped. She had a plan. A plan that he would not like. She crossed her fingers behind her back and sat up. “Me neither.”

Despite the cold, she stripped off her breeches, laying them out on a rock to dry, and sat astride his thighs once more.

“I can wait no longer. Sit on me.” Septimus tugged her forwards, kissing her swollen mouth. She slid onto his length, fractured groans coming from both of them. She rocked against him, gripping the bulk of his shoulders to find more purchase, grinding into him. He felt perfect, so perfect inside her.

He reached a hand down, stroking her most sensitive spot, and she bucked her hips into him. She’d taught him exactly what she liked, the pressure, the place, the oh⁠—

White-hot pleasure crept its way along her thighs.

“Don’t stop,” she begged.

“How do you ask nicely?”

“Don’t fucking stop.”

Septimus huffed a laugh, the sound rumbling through her. He grasped her ass, rocking her harder into him. She could lose herself to him so easily. But now she was full of magic. Couldn’t totally let go. The tether between them brightened, flaring, just as her climax built.

“Let go, little witch. You’re safe.”

She sank into him, crying out as she found her release, giving her body over to the waves of pleasure. Her magic spilled out, calming the winds that howled between gaps in the cliff. She gasped, her body going rigid as she slammed her power back inside. She stilled on him, her eyes wide.

Shit.

She had not meant for that to happen.

“What is it? Hester?”

“He’ll find us. If he senses my magic. He’ll come for us.”

She scrambled off him, her legs shaking, and pulled on her breeches, dragged her coat back on. Septimus rose slowly to his feet, fastening himself up. He grasped her shoulders. “You can’t shy away from your magic, Hester. You can’t fear it, or him.”

She closed her eyes, sucking in the frigid air, squashing the flickering flame of power deep down inside. Embrace your fears, her mother had said. But she couldn’t, she wouldn’t risk him, risk her crew. Not when they had overcome so many obstacles. Not ever.

Septimus tried to lock eyes with her. “If he comes, we’ll face him together.”