Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Thane watches every action, eyes blazing, hardly moving.
When I settle in, I flip onto my right side. At first, the room is quiet and still. Thane hardly moves, and I’m practically holding my breath. My pulse quickens as I wait to see if he’ll take the invitation.
Then I hear rustling.
Clothes dropping to the floor in gentle wooshes.
The bed dips behind me, and a gust of air flies beneath the quilt as Thane slides into the bed. He doesn’t touch me, but I notice the magic-infused bulbs in the room slowly dimming. When I glance over my shoulder, one of his hands is in the air to control them. He only leaves one light on across the room so we’re now bathed in darkness.
“You’re a bold one, Quinlocke.” His voice seems louder in the dark.
“Am I?”
“I took you as a coy woman. I mean, other than when you constantly talk and ask the most annoying questions.”
I fight a smile.
I feel him shift closer. His skin is warm, radiating on mine. He smells like smoke and pine, shadows and salt.
“Why do you really want me in this bed?”
I gasp when I feel his mouth on the shell of my ear. His warm breath spills down the curve of my neck.
“Unlike you, I’m considerate. You’re way too big for that sofa.”
He unleashes a throaty laugh. “Lies.”
He shifts closer, and I feel his stiff erection press into my backside. I curl my fingers into the pillow beneath my head, trying to bottle my excitement.
“You asked me why I didn’t put up more of a fight for my own room, but I noticed you didn’t, either. And you know what that tells me?”
I don’t answer—can’t answer. His mouth is now skimming over the slope of my shoulder and causing a delicious stir between my thighs. I hold back a moan and close my eyes, falling victim to that simple act.
“Shall I explain?” he asks, sliding a hand over my hip to find the hem of my nightgown and ease it up.
“Explain,” I breathe as he cups my sex.
“It tells me that you want more.”
“You don’t know that for sure.”
The hand that was cupping me slides into my underwear, and I hitch a breath. He skims a finger between my delicate lips. “I do now.” His laugh is dark and delicious. “You may think you can resist me, but your body will betray you every time.”
Oh, gods.
“And what about you?” I ask, breathless. “What do you want?”
“To be the only man who can do this to you for the rest of our time together. Will you give me that?”
He sucks on the bend of my neck while creating small loops around my slick bundle of nerves with his finger. I nod in pleasure, answering his question.
“What else do you want?” I ask.
“To watch you come again. Only this time, I want to witness it while I’m buried deep inside you.”
“Is it wise to go that deep?” I ask through a breathy moan. It’s now I realize I’m rolling my hips and grinding against his hand, desperate for more.
“I didn’t mean that in the physical sense.”
“Emotionally, then?”
“Precisely.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about that,” I assure him. “It’s impossible for me to fall for an assassin.” I can’t help but smile.
He pulls his hand out of my underwear and flips me onto my back in a blink. “I’m going to trust your word on that,” he murmurs, searching my face. “Shall I?” He tugs my nightgown over my head and then gently starts to remove my underwear.
“Polite of you to ask.” I tilt my hips, and he slips them off. When his mouth claims mine, I force him out of his undergarments, then slip from under him so I can be on top. I wrap my arms around the back of his neck, mounting him and catching him by total surprise.
He stares up at me, eyes glazed. One of his hands slides up to my breast, and he squeezes, playing with my nipple, while the other curls around my waist. I rock on top of him, and he expels a ragged breath, eyes roaming my body. For once, he looks powerless, desperate, like he would rather die than be anywhere else but here.
I lean down to clasp his face in my hands and kiss him again, swallowing his groan as I grind my hips. He’s unbelievably hard right now.
When I feel like I’ve worked him up enough, I lower between his legs and settle on my knees. He watches as I lick my palm and then wrap it around his shaft.
“Zaira.” Though his voice has a warning tone, his face is soft and vulnerable, as if he wants nothing more in this world.
“Shh.”
I pump his length, and he releases a heavy sigh, tipping his head backward. He grows even harder in my palm as a carnal groan unfurls from his chest.