25

He kissed my skin again, then rolled to the side, but only so he could shimmy down my body again.

“Wait.” I petted over his sweaty hair and he looked up at me, warm brown eyes curious. He was so handsome it nearly took my breath away. Well—if I had any breath left after all that exertion. “I—I’m sensitive right now.”

He grinned that familiar wolfish grin at me again. “Not going there again,” he said.

Then, to my shock, he dragged his tongue over my belly and the white stripes of his release staining my skin.

I gasped, stunned to stillness as he licked my skin. He was cleaning me up—cleaning me up and claiming me at the same time. It was so nasty it made me flush, now that my head was cleared by my post-orgasmic state. It was nasty, but it was also sexy. The force of my own desire shocked me, and my pussy throbbed at the sight of it, even though I was far too exhausted to go another round.

Elias finished cleaning me up, and punctuated it with a kiss under my navel. I hummed with pleasure, wiggling a little under his ministrations, then tugged at his shoulder to encourage him to rest next to me. He grinned and did so, plopping down next to me, and tugged me close. I kissed him again, licking the taste of my sweat and his release from his mouth—it should’ve been gross, but in my sex-stupid, post-orgasm state, it was an intoxicating combination. He growled low and pleased as he returned the kiss. Then he rolled onto his side, propped up on one elbow, and brushed my sweaty hair off my forehead.

“How was that?” he asked.

I giggled. “You couldn’t tell?”

“It was amazing for me,” he said. “You’re amazing. More than I ever dreamed.”

“You dreamed about this?” I’d had my fair share of fantasies about him, but something about knowing he’d thought about me sent a swoop of warm, affectionate desire through me.

“Of course,” he said. “Every night.” He traced his fingertips over the bruise forming on my shoulder in the shape of his mouth. “Was I too rough? I know I…struggle with controlling myself, sometimes.”

“I like it when you get like that,” I admitted in a whisper. “I like knowing that I do that to you.”

He grinned and kissed the bruise on my shoulder. “You’re the only one who does. You’re sure you’re okay?”

I hummed as he ran his hand tenderly over the curve of my shoulder, then the dip of my waist. I was a little sore, sweaty, and exhausted—but good. Really good.

“Will you draw me a bath before bed?” I asked.

“Of course,” he said. “Wait here.”

He stepped into a pair of soft cotton slacks, then padded into the ensuite to start the bath. I sighed and sat up in bed, but only so I wouldn’t pass out before I cleaned up. I pushed the hair off of my forehead and stretched my arms.

When I’d imagined my first time before, I’d always imagined it with Griffin—nice and romantic, but maybe a little perfunctory. With Elias, it’d been different. Intense, but somehow right. It felt like part of a connection, like an extension of what we already had. Like it was what we were meant to be doing. It felt safe.

I stood up and walked a little clumsily to the ensuite. My legs felt like I’d been walking for miles, quivering from the exertion.

“I was about to come get you,” Elias said, half-teasing. “Thought you might need to be carried.”

“I’m a little shaky,” I admitted as I climbed into the immense copper tub. The water was deliciously warm on my skin and fragrant with lavender essential oils. My tiredness increased as soon as I stepped in. I reached for a washcloth, but Elias snatched it from my hand.

“Relax,” he murmured. “Let me take care of you.”

I sank deeper into the bath and leaned my neck over the edge. Elias took care of me as he promised, gently washing my body and working his fingers through my hair. I melted into his touch, my attention drifting somewhere between waking and sleeping.

I’d never felt such tenderness from him. Or—never felt such tenderness when he hadn’t already shifted. I felt like we were wolves again, curled up against each other in the safety of the woods, away from all the complications of Nightfall life. I never thought I’d feel this way with him in our human forms.

And yet here I was, pliant under his touch.

I didn’t want it to end.

8

T

he next morning, Elias rose at dawn. “Send word to Draunar that you will attend lunch,” he murmured, as I was still half-asleep. “If you still want to. I’ll go with you.”

“Oh, I will. He’ll love that.” I hummed a laugh into the kiss. Elias’ lips curved into a smile against mine, and then he hurried out of our quarters to start his morning meetings.

I didn’t see him again until just before the scheduled lunch. I was in the bedroom changing into a finer gown, after spending the morning with Fina and Adora exploring the main grounds. I couldn’t bring myself to tell them what happened between Elias and me the night before. It still felt sweet and private, something I wanted to hold close to my heart. They’d known something had happened between us, though—Adora had made a comment about how I seemed like I was walking through a dream.

In a way, it did feel like last night was a dream, but it was the best kind. I felt connected to Elias in a way I hadn’t before now. Not just from the sex, but from the way he’d taken care of me, both during and afterward. I wasn’t sure what it would mean for our relationship, yet, but it had settled something in my wolf. And maybe something in my heart, too.