I hummed under my breath. “That leaves plenty of ways for us to have fun.”
In a frustrated voice, Araceli said, “These clothes don’t make me look like a woman.” She looked down and waved at the trousers.
“Then take them off.” I tugged at the top of her shirt, feeling the threads stretch. The Blood Duchess probably tore off her lovers’ clothing. I yanked harder, channeling my villainess persona.
The trousers followed, sliding to the floor with a soft clang from the belt buckle. Oh, what a sight. That alabaster skin looked frail, but an assassin’s muscles were anything but. Wild red hair puffed out like a tree in the heart of autumn. The desire in those dilated pupils warmed me. “I love your tattoos,” I murmured, tracing the number five formed from a thorny vine.
“All of the Twelve Avengers have a tattoo in the order that we joined. It’s a symbol of our resolve.”
“Oh.” I withdrew my hand, afraid I’d poked a delicate subject. Better for neither of us to think about how Araceli had once wanted to stab the heart I was currently borrowing.
“Here are my fun tattoos.” Araceli lifted up her hair to show a beautiful butterfly with one monarch wing and one wing made of marigolds. “This one represents my promise to be true to myself.” She twisted to show the crown on her other shoulder. “I got this one the day I decided to protect Antonia with my life.”
“They’re lovely. I’m not the kind of person who gets tattoos, but I do like yours.” I swallowed. “Did the needles hurt? I’m not braveenough.” My villainess confidence was slipping away. Suddenly I felt nervous about someone so attractive getting a look at me. Except it wasn’t me; did that make it okay? Iwantedthat to make it okay. I did not want to wonder if Araceli would still want me in my own body. I feared to ask. At moments like this, it was better not to let my brain get in the way.
Araceli took my hand and kissed each knuckle. “You are brave and beautiful. You defeated Falael, the Guild of Slavers, the dwarves, and your own nobility. A mere needle would never scare you.”
Taking a deep breath, I summoned up the manic energy I’d felt in the throne room that day I’d tossed Ava’s sacred treasure. I took Araceli’s hand and kissed it in return. “I’ll fear nothing with you at my side.”
Araceli waggled her eyebrows at me. “I showed you mine. It’s only fair if you show me yours.”
I ripped off my dress so fast the fabric tore. It was the most expensive clothing I’d ever destroyed, and I didn’t care.
Araceli pushed me back onto the bed and straddled me. She buried her face into my breasts. “I love these,” she moaned. “Damn. Holy damn. I could happily die smothered to death like this.”
I giggled. “Don’t die—ah …” A lick made my neck arch, then I couldn’t speak except in gasps. For a brief moment, I flashed back to Falael telling me that my breasts sagged. Usually here was where I started to feel gross and hate to have that part of my body touched, but this time I told myself they weren’t my breasts. This wasn’t my body. I could just lie back and enjoy this and not think. (The lovely compliments weren’t being paid to my own breasts, but I wouldn’t let that bother me. For once I wouldn’t be a screwup. If I could only get this intoxicating desire by being the duchess, then I’d still take it.)
Araceli glanced up at me, gaze coquettish and amused. I whimpered, knowing I was being teased. Then coherent thought was gone again as she kissed downward and licked my navel. I moaned, and my thighs involuntarily squeezed together. “You’re so damn sexy.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.” Araceli tugged down my underwear to kiss the place where hair met flesh. “Mmm, these are getting in the way.”
“Take them off,” I said, striving to sound less desperate as I lifted up my hips.
Araceli yanked them off and tossed them over her shoulder. Hazel eyes drank in my exposed skin.
I shivered under her heated gaze. “Sorry, I didn’t groom myself, I didn’t know that—”
“Absolutely do not apologize. You look delicious.” She bit her bottom lip. “I want to taste you.”
I’d be burned at the stake before I’d turn that down. “Oh, yes.”
Her fingers explored with agonizing gentleness. I moaned at the first lick, my hips moving in time with her tongue.
“I could happily die crushed between these, too.” Araceli kissed the inside of my thigh.
“Don’t joke,you’rethe one killing me. You’re going to drive me insane if you don’t get inside me.”
“As you wish,” Araceli murmured, then slid in a finger. She kept licking me as she pushed in and out. The maddening pressure and wetness formed a pool of heat in my belly that exploded. I collapsed backward with a piercing scream.
Araceli licked her fingers, her confident grin returning. “That good?”
“Yes, it was that good.” I pecked her lips. I could taste myself, but it didn’t bother me, an odd feeling.
She tugged me down into the bed next to her. Then she buried her face into my breasts and fell asleep there, like a cat who’d found the perfect ray of sun.
I smiled and looked at the red locks spread across my shoulder. I wanted to do this again. And again. And again. I wanted soft moments and exciting ones both inside and outside the bedroom. I wanted to have many more meals together. I wanted to introduce Araceli to the rest of my family. I wanted to shop for clothes together and find matching outfits. I wanted to go back to my childhood home and show her the spot where Ysabel had buried my doll. I wanted so many things that my heart ached with it. What would happen in the future when I stopped being the duchess? Would Araceli no longer have areason to stay? Would I become a peasant again while Ari took back the duchy? Would she be attracted to my real body? I didn’t know if we could have a future together. But I wanted it so badly.
Like that, I nearly fell asleep. But that would have been unforgivably selfish, and I strived to be a better quality lover. Nudging Araceli, I whispered, “Your turn.” I lifted her up in the air and placed her on the side of the bed.
