72

“Don’t hide,” he growled. “Look at me.”

I bit my lower lip, then turned back to meet his gaze.

“Good,” he said. He slid his hand over my belly, delicious pressure that made me squirm, and then gripped my thigh and tugged my legs apart. I gasped, gripping his upper arm hard. He exhaled hard, eyes landing between my legs, where I was already wet and ready for him.

“Gorgeous.” He traced his fingertips gently up my inner thigh, then slid two fingers against my pussy, not pressing inside but just sliding over my wet folds. I gasped, moving my hips down toward his hand as pleasure licked up my spine. It was overwhelming, but still not enough, just slow steady pressure that had me rocking my hips to match it.

“Please,” I begged. “I need you.”

Elias swallowed my repeated pleas in another kiss, wet and messy, tongue and teeth clashing. He shoved his pants down just enough to free his length, and as much as I wanted to get my hands on him, my mouth on him, I didn’t want to stop kissing him. I hooked one leg around his waist and sighed more needy pleas into his mouth. He slid the wet head of his cock over my folds, teasing me until I was dizzy with pleasure and anticipation.

Then, after what felt like an eternity but was in reality only the space of a few breaths, he pressed inside me. The slow push of his hardness into my body had me breaking the kiss to throw my head back, moaning around an exhale. He dragged his lips over my neck, licking and biting as he slowly slid inside until his hips were pressed flushed against me. The sweet pressure of being filled was so good—I hadn’t realized how much I missed it. How much I needed it.

“Please,” I said. “Please, move.”

Elias hummed. He gripped my hips as he withdrew his length slowly, then moved back inside. The slide was so good. So slow. So not enough.

“More,” I said as I clung to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, keeping him pinned close to me. His breath washed over my neck as he began to move—really move. He pulled out and thrust back in deep and steady, building a fast, animal rhythm that made the bedframe shake with the force of the moment. Each deep thrust pulled a small sound from inside me, rhythmic ah ah ahs I couldn’t seem to stifle even with my face pressed into the crook of his neck. He held tight to my hips, keeping them tilted up so his pelvis pressed right against my sensitive clit with each deep thrust. I lost myself in the sensation, caught on the wave of pleasure.

“Elias,” I gasped against his neck. “Yes—like that—”

He growled, only holding me tighter and fucking me faster. Pleasure built and built inside me, molten-hot, and my whole body tensed and pulled, as taut as a bowstring. Elias rolled his hips just right, and I cried out as my orgasm rolled over me like a wave. The feeling ran from the cradle of my hips all the way to the crown of my head and my toes, wiping out all other thoughts as I clung to him.

As the intensity subsided, I slumped against the mattress, held up only by Elias’ strong hands on my hips. He thrust into me a few more desperate times, faster and shallower as he chased his own pleasure. He stifled his groan into my skin as he thrust deep inside me, then pulled out and came, spilling hot stripes of his seed across my hip.

Then he slumped down on top of me, his body warm and heavy. It felt good to be covered by him. Safe. I scratched my nails through his hair gently as we caught our breaths. I tipped my head against his, my eyes fluttering closed as we held each other quietly. We stayed like that for a few long moments, then to my dismay Elias exhaled hard and sat up.

“No,” I whined. “Don’t go.”

He smiled, then swept the sweaty hair off my forehead and kissed me again. Soft and sweet this time. “We’ll get stuck together.”

“That wouldn’t be so bad,” I teased.

He stood and walked to the basin in the corner of the room, then returned with a dampened washcloth. He cleaned me up, his touch gentle and tender—so tender it made me want to burst into tears. I just wanted everything between us to be fixed.

If only it were so easy.

He put the washcloth away, and then sat at the edge of the bed, feet flat on the floor. Some of the tension had returned to his shoulders. I petted at his lower back. “What is it?” I asked quietly.

“Draunar took you to his hoard,” Elias said.

“Yes,” I said. “It was only me and the Fae queen.”

“Tell me.” He looked over his shoulder at me, his deep brown eyes concerned, with a furrow in his brown. “Did he force himself on you? Ravish you? Or…” His nostrils flared. “Did you sleep with him willingly?”

“No!” I said. I sat up, staring at him wide-eyed. “Of course not. He made it clear that’s what he wanted, but I refused him. I would never. Never.”

Except for the kiss.

I could keep it a secret. I could take it with me to my grave. There was no way Elias would ever find out, with Draunar locked up in the dungeon under Corinne’s hold and likely not long for this world.

But I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to build our relationships on secrets. I’d already hurt Elias so badly. I had to prove I still trusted him. I had to be honest, even when it terrified me.

“What?” Elias asked. “What are you thinking about?”

“When Corinne was preparing the spell to escape the cave,” I said, “I had to sneak into Draunar’s room while he was asleep, to get two of his scales.”

I scooted back on the mattress, my back against the headboard, knees pulled to my chest. Elias still sat on the edge with his gazed fixed on me as I spoke, those great hands gripping his legs.