“You are right, though. I shouldn’t take advantage.” He peppered kisses over her neck, then delved deeper when it arched. He found her lips and brushed his against them, not quite giving in when her head craned up. “I shouldn’t do this.”
“Edmund…”
“Or this.” He bit back a chuckle when his mouth closed over her nipple, finding it puckering under her thin shirt. Then laughter was forgotten when he yanked the shirt up and sucked her bare, so ripe and delicious that it ignited his hunger. A moan curled in her throat as her hands wrapped around his hair, torn between pushing him away and pulling him closer. “Or this.”
He inserted a finger inside her core, already wet and pulsing for him. Then he removed it and earned her hands snapping from his hair to his shirt, holding on for dear life as she glowered at him.
“If you don’t continue, I am going to be so sick, and it’s going to take me a long time to recover.”
“Now, who is being dramatic?”
The teasing faded as he heeded her order, working her up until she was writhing in his arms. She returned the favor and worked him up, too, until he was so hard and hurting for her. They brought each other to the edge, then flew together in a climax that had them swallowing each other’s cries of glory. Post orgasm, they collapsed beside each other, boneless and catching their breaths.
“Are we about to mate now?” he asked, just for the hell of it.
“In a minute,” she said. “Or an hour. Or tomorrow.”
“Nah. No timeline. We have all the time in the world.”
Gray orbs twinkled and stayed on his until someone knocked on the door before Charlie peeked a head in, his eyes closed.
“Is everyone appropriately dressed?” the younger man asked.
“Define appropriate.”
“Edmund!” Alexa scolded. “Yes, we are dressed fine. What’s up?”
“Come see what Archie’s up to.”
Just like that, they were all racing their way out of the room to where Charlie led them, slowing down when he did. He pointed, but there was no need as they sighted what was up: furniture floating in the air and Archie standing in front of them and watching with rapt attention. Alexa opened her mouth to reprimand it, but no words came out when Archie giggled and pointed.
“You are great, House! My turn!”
He swept a hand up until pillows flew in the hall and landed on the couch, arranged by color. The rest followed: a cloth for the lampshade, more throw pillows for the smaller couch, quilts, and knickknacks for the tables. When they were all neatly placed, the furniture lowered themselves and the boy squealed in glee.
“They like each other,” Alexa concluded in disbelief.
“They adore each other,” Edmund corrected, grinning as more items were floated up while Archie decorated them with some hand waving. They watched on, enraptured, and he hugged Alexa tighter as she leaned against him and sighed in contentment.
Here they were in a magical house, with a strange set of creatures, no wealth to speak of except his savings outside the family funds, a few coming art deals, and a child who was growing in power by the day…and the one woman he would love for the rest of his life.
And Edmund wouldn’t have it any other way.
THE END