I stand on the bed. “There’s no need for that.” With a final tug, the dress slides to my ankles, and Isiah pounces. Our mouths meet and limbs entwine, but when my hand strokes tunic instead of skin, I push against him. He only moves back an inch, enough to glance at me with a raised brow.
“I am going to need you with fewer clothes,” I say. The strings of his tunic twist between my fingers and I tug. “it’s only fair.”
He kisses me and sits up, pulling off his tunic, exposing the hardened muscles beneath. But instead of standing to remove his pants as I expected, he straddles me. I slip a finger beneath his waistline, meaning to unbutton them, but he bats my hands away and begins unbuttoning them himself.
When I wiggle, attempting to get free, he squeezes his thighs tighter. “Trying to go somewhere, love?”
I squirm again and huff. “Let me do that.”
He eyes me thoughtfully before standing up.
Kneeling before him on the bed, I undo the buttons and tug, letting them drop to the floor, and he kicks them aside. His cock stands erect and eager for my touch, but I wait. Instead, I brush a finger down his thighs, appreciating the toned muscles and how they tense under my touch.
I drift back up and finally curl my palm around his cock. His hips rock as I slide my hand up and down, soaking up the feel of him. He stills as I lean forward and exhale, letting the warmth of my breath caress him.
“Grace.” His voice is thick with need, and I finally oblige.
I take him in my mouth, and he sways in rhythm with my movements, weaving his fingers through my hair, guiding me gently up and down. The head of his cock slides into the back of my throat, and I suck hard, wringing a moan from him. Every sound he makes only intensifies the pulsing between my thighs. I move my hand to put pressure and friction where I desperately need it, but before my fingers can graze the ache, he growls, pulls out of my mouth, and pushes me back onto the bed. Grabbing my ankles, he drags me to the edge until my ass is nearly hanging off.
The warmth of his breath fans my core as he kneels between my thighs. “The pleasure you seek is mine to give.” He gazes at me through heavy-lidded eyes and smiles. “I’ve wanted to taste you like this since we first kissed.” His lips brush my inner thigh and send shivers up my spine.
He continues teasing, light caresses high and low, but the throbbing ache is the one place he doesn’t kiss. He’s taking his time, savoring the moment, but it is torture. My hips lift in desperate search of his mouth, and he chuckles roughly. “Insatiable as ever.”
I still when he presses a kiss on my clit. Taking his time, he sucks and licks the spot before trailing along my slit, and a moan escapes me when his tongue pushes inside. His hands grip my thighs, spreading them farther before sliding in a finger. I can’t stop the subtle rocking of my hips.But it’s not enough.
“I need you inside me.”
His mouth parts from my skin, shining with my wetness, and he grins. “I will never deny you anything.” He climbs around me onto the bed and lies back, propped up by pillows. A crease forms between my brows when I turn to face him. “I did say I wanted to see those breasts bounce up close. Come here.”
Apparently, he isn’t the only one who can’t deny wants tonight. I climb up and straddle him, hovering above his cock.
“Grace.” His voice trembles, and I still above him. His eyes roam my face, lingering on my parted lips before his hands wrap around my thighs, holding on as if I might slip away. “I won’t let anyone take you from me. If they do, I will tear this world apart to get you back.”
My heart beats faster at his words because they are also my own. What wouldn’t I do to keep him safe? The bond is an open channel between us, and I push across reassuring warmth that I have no plans to leave him, ever.
Eyes still locked, I slide the tip of his cock into me, savoring the slight burn as I stretch to accommodate him. But slow isn’t what either of us wants now. His fingers dig into my hips as he pulls me down, seating himself fully inside me, and I gasp at the sudden fullness. My head falls back as a breathy moan crosses my lips.
“That’s it, Grace. Ride me until you come.”
So I do. I ride him, grinding my hips, and it hits the right spot. Following the sensation, I move faster, and he pumps beneath me, meeting my rise and fall with his own. And when he rubs my clit, I come riding him, just as he asked. He grabs my breast with his free hand and squeezes, and I arch into it. He thrusts three more times before taking his own pleasure, and I collapse on his chest and close my eyes, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart.
Minutes of restful quiet pass, and I cherish the peace. No guards, no court, just him and I holding one another.
“Can we stay like this forever? Let’s forget the world and pretend we’re free to do whatever we want.”
He wraps a strand of my hair around his finger and pulls slightly when he responds, “For tonight, we can pretend whatever you’d like. We can lie like this, holding each other.” He rolls us and pins me beneath him. “Or I can take you all over this room as I promised.”
The hard length of him pressed between my thighs sets my pulse racing, adding a roughness to my voice. “Can we do both? Starting with all over this room and ending with the holding.”
Nudging my entrance, he gives a wicked smile. “I’ll never deny you anything.”
A stray ray of sunlight shines through the window directly into my face, and I squeeze my eyes shut against the brightness. I’ve barely had an hour of sleep, but I’ve never been happier. Isiah snores lightly next to me, and I wiggle closer, molding my back to his chest. He tugs me in, arm draped over my middle, and I let out a soft sigh.
But then the weight of my worries returns with a vengeance. Not even in this peaceful moment can I escape our current reality. Isiah will do everything he can to keep me safe, but if I can perform the ritual without killing myself, that’s what I’ll do. There must be a way to destroy the relics or put them somewhere Niethal can never reach.
Isiah stirs behind me. “Can’t sleep, love?” His voice is raspy from sleep and hearing the roughness of it makes me oddly happy.
I shift on the pillow to gaze at him, and he smiles. His ruffled hair and tired eyes pull at my heart. “I’m just dreading the idea of leaving this bed. Ofyouleaving this bed.”