“Maybe,” I said.
He nodded and glanced over at me with a little smile, squeezing my hand before releasing it to push open the front doors. He’d told all the staff to go and enjoy the banquet, so the palace’s front hall was echoing and empty as we made our way through it.
“I do want to see my wolf and cat again,” he teased as he threaded his fingers back through mine. “But only when you’re comfortable.”
I looked over at him as we walked up the staircase. “They miss you too.”
He grinned at me, but I saw his throat bob before he said, “Do you… do you want to try tonight?”
I shook my head straight away, fear making my skin prickle. If I couldn’t do it at all, or if my branch leg vanished when I did and the wound reopened… I didn’t want to think about that tonight.
“Not tonight.” I forced myself to smile at him. “We have better things to do.”
Ash’s answering chuckle was husky as he practically dragged me into our bedroom. “Yes, we do.”
He backed me up against the door, closing it behind us, and kissed me. A deep, wet kiss, our lips opening instantly and our tongues meeting in a soft glide. I moaned low into his mouth, wrapping my arms around his neck and threading my fingers through his hair. They bumped his crown, which just made me moan again.
Ash’s hands dropped to palm my backside, pulling me closer to him as his tongue duelled with mine. I could feel both our cocks coming to life, pressed tightly together through our leathers, and I couldn’t help but arch my hips to rub against him harder.
He groaned into my mouth and pulled back, breaths unsteady against my lips.
“Bath first,” he rasped. “I’ve been sweating with nerves all day.”
I chuckled and let him pull me away from the door and into the bathroom. After he turned on the tap and hot water starting pouring out, we stripped down hurriedly. I couldn’t help but give my cock a stroke when I looked over at Ash and saw him leaning over the bath to pour in some oil wearing nothing but his crown. As he straightened up and grinned at me, eyes flashing gold with lust, he reached up to take it off.
“Don’t you dare,” I barked, striding towards him and kissing him hard. “Leave the crown on, Oak King.”
He laughed and nodded, then twisted round as he peered over his shoulder.
“The oath is there, right? I felt it at my coronation.”
I nodded, lifting my hand to trace the X between his shoulder blades.
“Does that happen for all Folk?” he asked, turning back to face me. “Their vows appear on their skin? You don’t have any.”
I shook my head, leaning in to kiss the one on his right shoulder. “No. Maybe it’s to do with your heritage. The Brid was the Wielder of Words.” I paused. “Perhaps Nua can tell you more. Does he have them as well?”
Ash grimaced at the mention of the Brid. “I don’t know if Nua does. But yeah, I’ll ask him.”
I could sense he didn’t want to discuss his mother. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me into the bath even though it was barely a quarter full. As he lounged back against the wall of the tub, I straddled his hips and clasped his face in my hands, kissing him again.
Ash’s breath hitched, his hands sliding up my thighs to grip my backside tight and pull me closer. I moaned when our cocks slid together, slippery from the oil in the water. I couldn’t help but grind my hips just a little as we kissed, sliding my cock against his until we were both panting and struggling to keep the kiss going.
I finally broke it to lean over and grab the soap, lathering up my hands to slide them up Ash’s stomach and chest.
“What do you want tonight, king?” I murmured as I cleaned his golden skin.
He let out a shuddering breath, hips arching up into mine beneath the water. He grabbed the soap and did the same, running his wet, soapy hands over me and making my cock leap against his.
“Just you.” He grinned up at me, then urged my hips up above the water level so he could grab my cock in his soapy fist.
I jerked with a moan, biting down hard on my bottom lip as he stroked my cock slowly.
“That night when the Brid invited the Carlin here for dinner…” His voice was hoarse as he watched his hand slide down to cup my balls, soaping them and the stretch of skin behind, making me grit my teeth from the pleasure. “When you followed me out into the garden. I wanted you so badly, even though I couldn’t remember you.”
I shuddered out a breath, trying not to get distracted as his hand continued to tease me. “Me too. It was painful to stop you.”
He huffed out a laugh and palmed my sides, letting my hips sink back into the water. My cock strained as it brushed over his, bucking as fluid spilled.