The hot water never ran out while we were in there. I took my time exploring every inch of Hades—and I meanteveryinch. Then, he took his time doing the same. The sounds I made when he brought me pleasure filled the room. Wrung out and smiling dazedly, I clung to him while he held me close and kissed me ravenously until he shook in my arms, his length twitching against my wet skin.
My fingers were pruned by the time he finished washing me and turned off the water. His still-hungry gaze missed nothing as he dried me. He lifted my fingers to his lips and kissed the tips. The pruning disappeared in a soft glow of light.
“We should remain in this room forever,” he said softly. “We could shower, lie in bed, and play games of chance. Or perhaps play with each other. The choice is yours.”
A laugh escaped me.
“Your children would miss you, and Zotera would miss me.”
“All our children would miss you,” he said.
I shrugged lightly and turned so he could dry my back. It turned into a pat-pat-kiss pattern that distracted me from rational thought. He finished my back and turned me. By the time he reached my face, I was the one pulling him down for a kiss.
A shiver ran through me at the hunger in his lips again. I loved that he couldn’t get enough of me like I couldn’t get enough of him. Yet, I knew it was also dangerous. How far could we push this until he forgot his promise and accepted what we both knew I would willingly surrender?
I didn’t fully notice that he was steering me toward the bed until the backs of my legs hit it.
“What are we doing?” I panted when I broke away from the kiss.
“I need to taste you. Let me taste you.”
He eased me back, and I didn’t fight it.
With the mattress under me, I let him have what he wanted. What we both wanted. The sound of my ragged breaths filled the room, broken only by the soft murmur of Hades’ name as he worshiped me as he’d once promised.
I couldn’t be sure how long it took me to stop twitching after his parting kiss, but I lay in his arms until my stomach growled and brought me out of my stupor.
“Forgive me my hunger,” Hades said, kissing my brow lightly. “Allow me to provide for yours.”
“Wait,” I said when he started to sit up.
I knew if he magicked a table in here, we’d never leave, and I’d keep falling into his arms indefinitely.
“Can we eat with Zotera? She seems so lonely all the time.”
“As you desire. Will you allow me to dress you?”
“Please,” I said, sitting up.
A very short wrap appeared low on my waist, barely covering the hip where it was slitted. My chest was completely bare. But I wore the gold necklace that ended just before the swell of my breasts. I looked up from the display and gave him a dry look.
“The usual dress, please.”
“No. I prefer this.”
“Hmm. Then maybe I prefer showering alone and not sleeping on you like a second mattress.”
He pouted at me for a moment then changed the wrap into the dress I preferred.
“A shameless waste of hidden beauty,” he grumbled.
“But won’t it be that much more enjoyable when you remove the dress again tonight once we’re alone?”
His eyes flickered red.
“I do like that idea.”
“Thought you might.” I gestured to his bare lower half. “And perhaps I’d like the same opportunity?”
