Page 23
“Say it again,” he demands, his voice rough.
“I choose you. I want you. I want to be yours.”
His hands curl into fists at his sides. “You can have more time,” he says, even though every inch of him is straining toward me. “The heat is strong right now. You can wait until tomorrow. Next week. Next year. I’ll wait.”
I shake my head. “I don’t need more time.”
“Elsie.”
“I’m sure.”
His eyes search mine. “You want the bond? The mark? Me?”
“All of it.”
His control snaps. I watch it happen, watch his eyes darken as he reaches for me.
Pyrce cups my face and kisses me. I’ve never been kissed before. I should probably tell him that, but the thought vanishes the instant his mouth touches mine. His kiss is careful for half a second. Then I grab his shirt and pull him closer.
He groans against my lips.
The heat inside me surges. I kiss him back clumsily, learning the shape of his mouth and the feel of his hands as they slide down to my waist.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard.
“What happens now?” I whisper.
His eyes burn into mine. “Now I take you to bed and claim you.”
A thrill runs through me. “You have to mark me?”
“I have to bite you.” His thumb strokes the side of my neck. “It will hurt for a second, then you’ll just feel pleasure. I’ll stop if you ask me to. I’ll stop at any point, for any reason. Do you understand?”
I nod.
“Say it.”
“I understand.”
“And you're sure?”
I lean into his touch. “I’m sure, Pyrce.”
He lifts me into his arms. I wrap my legs around his waist and laugh as he carries me down the hallway. His mouth finds mine again, and he nearly walks into the bedroom door.
“Careful,” I murmur against his lips.
“Distracted.”
“By what?” I tease.
He lowers me onto the bed and looks at me like there is nothing else in the world.
“Everything I’ve ever wanted.”
His answer steals my breath.
Pyrce kneels in front of me. He removes my shoes, then presses a kiss to each ankle. There is nothing hurried in the way he touches me. Even with the moonlight spreading across the floor and the growl vibrating in his chest, he treats me like a rare treasure.
