"Don't stop," I said, my throat tight with tears, the words choking on the past.
He sat up as I started to ride him, a rickety, weak rhythm, but still, he felt so lovely inside of me, and I could see the way his breath hitched. In another moment, he'd forget my wavering and give in to the?—
Torion's hands cupped my face, and my mouth wobbled, my eyes squeezing shut.
"Be here, withme," he pleaded, feathering his mouth back and forth over my cheeks, the bridge of my nose, down to sip at my flattened lips.
I took a deep breath, and together we rocked, just once. His hands petted over my back, up and down my shoulders where he'd worked his hands the night before. It wasn't his fault. He didn't know yet, didn't believe it of himself that his eyes would stray and then his heart and body too.
He's here now, I reminded myself.Just now. Not forever. You don't have to give him forever. Just now.
I breathed slowly, loosened my mouth, and kissed him softly. His thumbs stroked my jaw, then my temples. I opened my eyesand smiled when we both went cross-eyed, too close to look at one another properly. He dropped another kiss on my forehead, and together we moved, no thrusts, no surging, a soft back-and-forth, keeping close and quiet, right to the finish. Torion's knot throbbed between us, but he held my gaze, waiting and watching, until I pressed down, taking him in to the hilt. His eyes fell shut on a groan, and with gentle tugs I pulled him on top of me.
"I'm here with you," I promised, stroking his hair back from his face, wrapping my legs around his hips. "I'm here now."
Chapter Nineteen
BRIGID
Stab. Stab. Stab.
I dropped the trowel at my hip and grabbed up handfuls of compacted dirt, breaking it up between my fingers. The breeze was still cool, but the sun had risen to glow over my back, keeping me warm with my efforts. It'd been too long since I'd been elbows deep in dirt, and the keep had neglected its herb gardens in favor of the produce. I had work to do—work to keep my hands and mind busy. I'd started plants from seed before the selection ceremony, and they were ready to go into the ground now. Busy little sprouts that Maggie had tended for me while...
Glorious kisses that stole and gave breath. A body so thoroughly possessing my own, I became only an answering movement and echoing need. Husky groans and broken whimpers.
I shook myself and took a deep breath. I'd escaped the nest before Torion woke, before he might kiss me or soothe my tired body or circle me in his strong arms and say something so gently sweet, it brought tears to my eyes. I needed fresh air. I needed to keep my thighs together so I'd quit feeling so damned bowlegged, like I'd ridden a horse for days.
The comparison was a little too apt.
"Head's gone to rot," I snarled, forgoing planting a little seedling in favor of digging another hole. I needed to work until I was too tired to remember anything.
Dark green flashed out of the corner of my eye on my left and I stiffened, bracing myself, trying to stifle my temper.
"There you are!"
I supposed it made sense why Torion was so cheerful. He'd just experienced his first rut, and to my shock, it'd taken over two weeks to settle. Hewouldbe feeling quite pleased with himself.
Don't lie. You were more than pleased with him too, a warm and heavy voice hissed in my thoughts.
"The servants said you hadn't eaten, so I brought you a basket," Torion said, grinning widely as he raised the wicker in his hand. He set it on the ground to my right, bowing to kiss the crown of my head before throwing himself down to my left. "You've been busy."
"It's easier in the morning," I said, biting my lips to keep from scowling at the large man now helping himself to making a pillow of my lap. "You'll get dirt on your face."
Torion shrugged, and one of his wing hooks nudged my hip. "I don't mind dirt. Take a moment to eat. It's nearly luncheon, you know."
I gave my frown to the sky and winced as the sun blinded me in answer. I hadn't realized. I looked down at the bed I'd been working on and discovered I'd dug my way right to the end. And I was hungry.
"Did you just wake?" I asked.
"I woke as you snuck out," Torion said. The rotten man had the nerve to smile at me, to not be irritated with me for waking him. He probably even had the gall to understand why I might want to escape.
I huffed and bent over him, slanting my mouth over his at an awkward angle but relishing the kiss all the same. Torion purred, reaching up to push the loose hair back from my face. I twisted above him slightly to ease the kiss, making it languid and thorough.
He was still smiling as I sat up once more, reaching for the basket.
"Have you eaten?"
"Earlier. I packed enough for both of us."
