A cheery campfire burned with a pot bubbling above it, two cute camp chairs and our bed rolls from our travels set off to the side. A few cushions before a fallen log appeared more comfortable than when we were on the road. I didn’t realize it was exactly what I wanted after all the hustle and bustle of the keep until I got there and smelled the stew in the pot. When I peeked inside, I found the same rishi mushrooms, deep-purple berries and beggar’s button root we’d had for our first meal on the quest together. My mouth watered for the food, but also for all the emotions this crowded into the back of my throat. We came so far. Together.
“You’ve been looking a little stressed with the flock of harpies surrounding you day and night.” Ward held up his hands and amended, “Lovely harpies, of course.”
I smiled. They had been a lot lately, and I missed the simplicity of us being on the road, aiming for a tangible goal. Figuring out the rest of our lives proved much harder than a quest.
“This is amazing, Ward. Thank you.” As I said it, I knew it was true. Ward hadn’t brought me out here to trick me or let me down easy. I wasn’t about to confess my love and have him throw it in my face. He noticed my stress and did something nice for me.
“Come. Let me feed you, mate.” The amber in his eyes didn’t scare me, it just made me hungry for something other than food.
Ward didn’t disappoint as he cooked us a big bowl of stew. The other camp chair stood empty when he pulled me onto his lap and slipped tender meat between my lips. The added luxury only made the curl of my tongue around his fingers that much more enjoyable. Ward thought so, too, because the evidence of his growing excitement pressed into my ass. His scent of mead and honey woke my dragon, urging me to get on with the good part of this meal. This was so perfect, I couldn’t remember any of the fears I had around him biting me.
When Ward brought out the cake, I knew I had to put on the brakes before I lost all sense.
“Is that…”
“Yes.” His voice sounded a smoother chocolate than anything in his hands.
Okay, I really had to get off his lap. I took myself to the opposite camp chair and faced him.
I grabbed his hand. I dropped it. What was I doing? I wasn’t telling him his mom had died. I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants. That should have killed the mood, but Ward still looked at me like I hung the moon. I really didn’t want to see it replaced by disappointment. “I got offered a Goddess position. At the shrine, that is. Not today.”
His face grew more serious, pulling down the scar across his eyebrow. “And you didn’t take it?”
I jiggled my foot in the dirt. “I was afraid it would take me away from you and from myself. As it turns out, I didn’t want to leave us after all.”
“Thank you for telling me.” He pushed his hair out of his eyes, and I wanted to run my hands through it. “Well, if a Goddess can’t entice you from my side, I’m satisfied with that. Mark or no mark.”
That was it? No recrimination? No questions about how I could have bettered myself and missed an opportunity?
I cleared my throat. “Thanks for trusting me while I worked out how to tell you.” Why was I still keeping this man at arm’s length?
“Now, do we get to dig into the cake?” He held up a glistening plateful and drool filled my mouth.
Begging for his mark crowded my mouth. I opened and closed it, willing the words to come out. Frustration had me tackling him for the cake and he held it above his head. I didn’t know why he thought that would deter me from climbing him like a tree, but once I was there, pressed against him, there were better things to do than cake—like kissing.
I would never tire of Ward’s luscious mouth dancing with mine. It also lowered his arm so I could snatch a piece of cake and bring it to his mouth. I confirmed his tongue felt amazing against my fingers as his big hand squeezed my ass closer. I fed him another bit of cake as he walked us over to the bed of cushions by the fire, rubbing my whole body delightfully against him. A sinister plan started forming. I was determined it wouldn’t be just him giving me a thousand orgasms this time. I wanted to taste him, too—starting with his thick neck.
Ward rumbled his approval as I kissed and licked up his neck, testing my teeth against his skin. He froze every time I almost bit him. His roaming exploration of my body gave me every kind of confidence I wouldn’t freak out and make this terrible. I could let go with him and he was solid enough to handle even my dragon. I kissed his ear, his scar, down the bump of his nose, getting lost in the texture of him and his enormous body. Every one of his amazing muscles was at my service and I touched each one, velvet under my fingers as he pulled my clothes off. I dipped into my magic to tear his away too, and surprisingly it worked. His hard, naked body spread out before me like a feast.
“Godds, you’re so good at that already,” he said.
My lower half clenched. Only because he taught me. His praise was such a visceral reaction every time.
“I… I don’t know what to say, Ward.”
“You don’t have to say anything, viper. I just like telling you how amazing you are. Come here and let me show you, too.”
He lifted me higher effortlessly, and I forgot I was supposed to be focusing on him as his kiss rattled my brain. I tore away to regain some balance, and he cupped my breasts. Leaning back, I grabbed hold of his cock, finding it slick enough to run my hand down.
“Just like that, viper.”
His moans boosted my confidence and made me want to unravel him further. His fingers pulled my nipples, and it slung my head back. I push my breasts further into those giant mitts, begging with my chest. I worked my hand until he pried it off with a huff of laughter.
“You're a bit too good at that.”
I smiled. That was definitely something I had never heard before.
He shifted his hips to line us up. But instead of the rough thrust I thought I was going to get, he slid me down slowly, letting me experience every ridge and edge. I lifted up again to start that unstoppable motion, loving how he filled me to the brim.
