Page 148 of Blood Curse

“For at least four hours.”

“Dangerous.”

“You said that yesterday.”

“It remains accurate.”

“Elias said nothing strenuous.”

“Elias left four hours ago.”

“His opinion survives distance.”

“So does mine.” She caught the front of my shirt and pulled me down. “I’m warm, fed and conscious. All three were on my list.”

I kissed her.

She opened for me. Her tongue met mine, and her hands moved under my shirt. I held her face, keeping my fingers far from the Crown, and felt the beat in her throat strengthen.

The curse remained silent.

Bryony slid my shirt down my arms. Her palms travelled over my chest, down my stomach and stopped at the fastening of my trousers.

“You’re still listening,” she murmured against my mouth.

“I can hear it.”

“Then listen to what I do with it.”

She kissed me again and answered with her body. She pressed close, hips moving against mine, and my cock hardened fully under the pressure.

I caught her waist and lifted her.

Bryony wrapped her legs around me. I carried her to the bed while she kissed my neck and opened my trousers with impatient fingers.

“Careful,” I said when a point of the Crown grazed my hair.

“That sounded dangerously like concern.”

“It was terror.”

Her mouth softened against mine. “Thank you for admitting it.”

I laid her on the mattress. She kept hold of my shirt and pulled me down with her.

I opened her shirt and covered one breast with my mouth. Bryony arched towards me, fingers in my hair while her thighs parted around my hips.

“Fuck,” she breathed.

The word held desire, not magic.

My hand moved under her trousers. I stroked her wet clit once, slowly, and her hips lifted.

“You were planning this,” I said.

“Since Elias left.”

Bryony used the distraction to roll us.