He chuckles, shaking his head as he takes another scoop of the butter pecan.
“What about you, Len?”
Lenny bites his cheek as he contemplates. “For us to stay together, forever.”
My chest grows tight as I pray to not only Sirius but every star above that his wish comes true.
The third cycle creeps up without warning. One afternoon, Leo lets himself into my apartment to find me staring out the window, lost in thought. “Where have you been hiding?”
“Self-reflecting. Or trying to,” I grumble.
Leo pulls me against him, laughing into my hair. “He has you doing that, too, huh?”
“Why is it so difficult?” I lean my head to the side, giving Leo access to my neck as he runs his nose up its length, pressing kisses underneath my ear.
“Because it’s hard to admit the not-so-good parts of who we are. I, for one, have plenty of good things to say about you.”
“Hmm, do share.” His hands rub down my arm with featherlight touches, making me shiver with anticipation.
“You are brave,” he says, kissing the back of my neck. “Fearsome.” A kiss to the center of my back. “Compassionate.” Leo pushes me forward, and I brace myself against the window. He toys with the waistband of my loungewear, tugging my shorts down slightly as he grips each cheek forcefully. “Cunning.”He slowly slides the shorts down to my ankles and uses his hands to knock my feet wider apart. “Kind.” I sharply inhale as his tongue finds my center, closing my eyes and losing myself to the feel of him. “So fucking sweet.”
“Mmm, more Leo.” The need for him pulses through my veins.
He grips my waist and spins me to face him as he moves from a kneeling position to lying flat on the floor. “Now sit on my face so I can tell you what a good fucking girl you are when you listen to me.” His eyes are dark and heady. My clit throbs as excitement zings through me. Sweet Leo is incredible, but dirty Leo? I’m instantly wet when he talks to me this way.
I move towards his body, but he stops me. “Shirt off, now.”
I bite my lip, rubbing my thighs together to stop the ache as I swiftly remove my top. “Now fucking crawl to me and put that sweet pussy on my face.”
I do as he says, crawling up his body and positioning myself to hover above his face. Leo grips my hips and tugs me down before devouring me. He pinches my clit as his tongue spears me, both of us moaning in unison.
“Leo,” I rock against his tongue, craving more friction. “I need more, please.”
He responds instantly, taking my clit into his mouth and flicking the nub with his tongue repeatedly. He thrusts two fingers into me, curling them as he moves them in and out in a quick rhythm. I feel the telltale signs of my orgasm beginning to build. “Yes,” I hiss, “don’t stop.” He maintains the pumping and flicking motions as my orgasm rises, cresting over me until I’m falling, crying out Leo’s name.
Leo unbuttons his pants and shoves them down his legs, pumping himself furiously. I back up, kneeling between his legs before taking him into my mouth. He thrusts deeply, hitting the back of my throat. “Relax your throat, baby. I need to fuck this pretty mouth.” I’m at his disposal, taking every command and working to please him. I lick up the length of him before swirling my tongue around the tip. “Fuck,” Leo snarls, grabbing the back of my hair and fisting it before pushing my head down as he thrusts upwards. I gag and breathe through my nose, trying to take all of him. My fingers find my clit, the need to be touched rising within me once more. He stops, chuckling to himself more than to me. “It’s too good; I need tocome in you.”
Instantly, I position myself, gripping him and sliding down until he bottoms out in me. I circle my hips and moan as one hand finds my nipples, squeezing my breasts, and the other slowly rubs my clit. I grind and bounce, using him to find my release. “That’s it, baby, I can feel you squeezing me.” My cheeks flushed, and I looked down at Leo through the loose strands of hair that had fallen into my eyes. He leans up and kisses me passionately, our bodies slick as we rise and fall. “You look like a queen, taking my dick so well.” I bask in his praise as Leo finds his release, the City of Wonder lit up outside my window.
In this moment, I am a fucking queen.
Fifty-four
Imeet with Brinn a few days later. She fills me in on how word has been spreading through Astralis about the rebellion on the rise. More Astrals and Celestials have come forward or spoken to the group regarding their thoughts and concerns about the Kosmos and their reign. “There’s not a ton of us, but there is strength in unity. We’re calling ourselves the Children of the Constellation.” Brinn smiled shyly at me. “I hope you don’t mind. My friend Cassia and I came up with it. It’s a pleasant reminder that we are all made up of the same thing—of stars and dust. We are all the same.”
“It’s beautiful; I love it. Just be careful.”
“Subtlety is my specialty.” I chuckle, toying with the straw of the juice Brinn made me.
“Is the bakery yours?”
She sighs dreamily, and I’m happy for a lighthearted change in our conversation. “It is. My mother taught me to bake when I was small. She loved to bake for people, loved seeing how a sweet treat could brighten someone’s day. Watching and appreciating that morphed into baking for others becoming my love language.”
“She must be very proud of you.”
“She is. She doesn’t bake as much now—she's too busy spending her time with my niece and nephew. I’m sure you’ll see them pop in at some point. They’re like two tiny tornadoes,” she adds, laughing. She shrugs. “I’m sorry; I feel rude for going on about my family. It’s insensitive of me.”
“No, please tell me more. I’ve never had a family, not until now. I don’t know what I’ve missed out on, so there’s nothing to feel sad about.”
