His hands found her belt again. He pulled back a little, catching her eye in a silent request for permission.
Anticipation tingled in her blood. Too breathless to speak, Cathy nodded.
Slowly, carefully, Aodhan untied the strip of linen. Cool air whispered over her breasts and belly as the dressing gown slipped open.
All the breath rushed out of Aodhan’s chest. Still with that tender, infinite care, he guided the fabric from her shoulders, fingertips barely brushing her skin. He stepped back, drinking in the sight of her, taking in every inch.
“Beautiful,” he said hoarsely. “Goddess. Cathy.”
And she felt beautiful, in that glimmering light. Any last, lingering traces of self-consciousness burned to ash in the heat of his dark, worshipful eyes.
His gaze swept over her like a caress. She could see how urgently he wanted her—there was no mistaking that—yet he didn’t move. It was like the sight of her had turned him to stone.
“You can…” She had to stop, swallowing. “You can touch me. If you like.”
His own throat worked. “I have a confession to make. I’ve never done this before.”
“With a human?”
“With anyone.”
“Oh.” And then, because she was down to about her last two brain cells by now, she blurted out, “But you’ve read books, right?”
His mouth twitched. “I have. But none of them were The Complete Guide to Cathy: A Handy Reference for the Fortunate Lover.” His smile faded, leaving him utterly serious once more. “Show me how to please you. What you like.”
“I…” Cathy bit her lip. “I don’t know if I can. I’m not sure myself.”
“Well.” He reached for her, fingertips running up her arms. “We will have to learn together, then.”
She’d seen Aodhan reading, as intent as a tiger stalking its prey. She’d seen him work magic, bending the universe to his will.
Now, she learned what it was to have his entire attention focused only on her.
He read her body like a book, uncovering things she’d never known. How a breath on the back of her neck could make her toes curl, electricity shooting down her spine. His mouth found the place on her inner thigh that had secretly longed for a kiss; his fingers, the perfect slow, circling rhythm to have her arching up, crying his name.
She explored him in return, marveling at every perfect inch. God, he was beautiful. He was taut under her touch, his whole body drawn rigid with need, but he let her linger. She took her time, savoring every twitch and bitten-off curse.
“Goddess.” His hands fisted in the furs when she finally took him into her mouth. “Goddess. Cathy, please. I can’t—I need you. I need you now.”
She could taste how close he was. Her own need pounded between her legs, desperate to be filled. With a last teasing swirl of her tongue, she slid up to straddle him. As her thighs closed around his hips, he tensed—and this time, it wasn’t with desire.
She backed off immediately. Before she could apologize, he sat up, stopping her half-formed words with a hard, fierce kiss.
“You’ve done nothing wrong,” he murmured against her mouth. “It’s just… I’d rather not be in that position. Sorry.”
“Whatever you want.” She didn’t care if he took her upside-down, as long as he did. She lay back on the bed, opening her legs. “Like this?”
He answered her with a low growl. Kneeling between her legs, he hooked her ankles over his shoulders, hands sliding under her hips.
With one hard thrust, he filled her, fierce and hard. Stars burst through her. She was swept away, lost entirely, aware of nothing but his body driving into hers.
“My Cathy,” he gasped. His fingers closed over hers, gripping tight. “My goddess, my all, mine.”
Emerald light flared up his arm. Gold twined around her own, pure power flooding through her veins. She was drunk on magic, on sensation, on him.
Aodhan surged deep into her, burying himself one final time with a wordless growl. She went over the edge with him, crying out his name. And for a long, perfect moment, there was nothing but endless light.