Page 85 of The Stolen Crown

No doubt, Tait had lived most of his young life without a strand of power over anything that happened to him. It was not so surprising that as a man, he would keep his world laced in neat stitches, not a thread out of place. Duty. Loyalty. Nothing else to reveal what he kept inside his heart.

“What if you show me what you like?” I dragged my nose along his cheek and kissed him there. “I won’t even touch you.”

Tait’s brow furrowed when I slipped off his lap. “What are you doing?”

“You say you don’t want to lose control, then keep it.”

“You want me to show you?”

“Yes. In fact, I’ll show you what makes me scream as well. We’ll be masters of each other’s bodies before we even touch.”

Tait’s eyes went black. “Vicious.”

“Hearttalker.” I did not tear my gaze away. “Again, one of my ideas has merit. Be honest.” I bent my knees and reclined onto my palms, keeping my thighs spread, only concealing my core with the hem of my chemise. “The thought of being together unsettles you. The best way I’ve learned to overcome the discomfort of the unknown is to learn more about something until it becomes…comfortable.”

A muscle pulsed in Tait’s neck. He knew. He understood.

I let my head fall back and bared my throat. “Hmm, but remember to show me what you like. If ever I get to touch you, feel you, then I’ll know just what to do.” I teased the hem of my chemise up my lower legs. “You said you were skilled at pleasuring yourself.”

His jaw worked, but his hands did not move. “You aren’t serious.”

My fingertips trailed down the insides of my legs toward my core. Tait released a long hiss, watching my fingers tease my own throbbing center for a heartbeat.

“Quite serious.” I pulled my hand away. “Show me.”

I kept my legs parted, the cool air of the stormy night brushed over my skin. For a long moment, Tait simply stared at my slickened center. Then one hand went to the laces of his trousers.

His eyes lifted, black with need. He slid his palm down the front of his waistline.

“I want to see you, Hearttalker.”

“Think you make the rules, Vicious?”

“Maybe just this once.” I grinned a little wickedly. “Please show me. I want to know every touch that draws a gasp from your mouth. I want you to imagine what it would be like if”—I returned my fingers to my entrance again, swirling them around in my own wetness—“if you were here, inside me.”

“Woman.” Tait bared his teeth as though in pain. “That tongue of yours will have me spilling in moments.”

I smirked and allowed my knees to fall to the sides. He would see all of me, open, swollen, needy for him. “If you do, I suppose I’ll just have to watch you all over again.”

He muttered another curse, then slowly raised his hips and nudged his trousers down.

His cock was long and heavy. Tait might think this was nothing but a pleasurable game to me, but gods, it was wretchedly painful to still my hands from reaching out and stroking him to completion.

I had bedded men before, more for fun and because the alver princes, Tobias, and Aleksi had all made such things seem like grand liaisons one could not live without.

In truth, the first time hurt so fiercely I cried, and the boy thought I’d tell my father to take his head. Stupid sod. What girl would whimper to her daj about such things?

The rest were enjoyable, but oftentimes, I never finished lest I used my own hand or guided him on how it was done. But looking at Tait, the burn for all of him, I had few doubts the moment the tip of his cock entered me, I would be writhing in pleasure.

Tait looked nowhere but at me. He ran his thumb over the head of his length, back and forth.

His breath deepened.

“You are annoyingly perfect,” I whispered.

Tait’s jaw tightened and he lengthened his strokes. “You’d start here.”

All hells, his voice was rough, almost greedy with need.