Page 31 of Blood Curse

I ran my hands over her thighs, her hips and the curve of her waist. She leaned into each touch. When the angle stopped satisfying her, she changed it herself and shuddered at the deeper stroke.

“You’re beautiful,” I said.

“I’m naked, sweaty and wearing a Crown I can’t remove.”

“I’m aware.”

“Your standards have changed.”

“They’ve improved.”

“There,” she breathed.

I lifted my hips to meet her next movement. Her eyes closed. I repeated it, matching her pace without taking it away from her.

Pleasure gathered at the base of my spine. Bryony’s hand slid down her body and found her clit.

I covered her fingers with mine, sharing the movement rather than replacing it.

Her gaze locked on mine.

“Us,” she said.

“Only us.”

I stroked with her while she moved over me. Her rhythm broke first. I felt her tighten, then clench hard around my cock as another orgasm rolled through her.

She folded over me, mouth against mine. I wrapped my arms around her back and drove up into her, deeper now, following the pace her body had already set.

Bryony kissed me through every rough breath. Her hips met mine until restraint gave way and pleasure pulled me under.

I came inside her with her name against her mouth.

For a while, she stayed stretched over me. Our breathing filled the room. Beyond the locked door, Harrowmere remained quiet.

The Crown hadn’t warmed once.

Bryony lifted her head. “You’re checking it.”

“I noticed it stayed out of this.”

“So did I. Then you made me forget it was there.”

“That matters more.”

“It does.”

She shifted off me and settled carefully against my uninjured side. I pulled the blanket over us.

“This still feels like us.”

“It is us.”

Three hard knocks struck the wood.

Bryony stared at me. “You had to say it.”

“That isn’t Mara’s knock.”