She hadn’t realized it would come with the cost of her sanity, though. She allowed herself to soak until all the bubbles had long gone and resigned herself to go to bed.
She laid her head back and looked up at the night sky twinkling across her enchanted canopy bed, rattling off the names of constellations in her head. Her mind was too busy to fall asleep.
A loud crackling sound filled the room, and her sapphire room flashed bright green. She sat up to see Mal stepping out of the fireplace.
Chapter 49
Mal moved across the room swiftly. Before Maeve could speak, he was at her side, pushing her back onto the bed with a firm kiss. His hand slid around her back and pressed their bodies together. He sat up and pulled Maeve with him, so that she sat straddling his lap on the edge of the bed.
Her cheeks flushed and her body shook with adrenaline at his sudden appearance. She pressed her forehead against his and tried to calm her breathing as his hands glided across her satin nightgown. She placed her trembling hands on shoulders.
She pulled away and looked at him as his eyes traveled down her chest.
“He has some nerve,” whispered Mal, as his finger trailed along her collarbones.
She felt him growing hard between her legs. Maeve tilted her head back and tried not to become overwhelmed.
“Why did you wait so long?” She whispered.
Mal was silent. She opened her eyes and looked down at him. “Why now?”
His eyes darkened. “You know why now.”
She pushed away from him. His hands held her in place. “Because you are jealous?”
Mal’s head cocked to one side as he let out a controlled breath. Maeve pressed on.
“Then why the first time? You’ve had me convinced it was all for that spell, nothing more. That my virginity was a tool you kept in your back pocket until you needed it.” The honest words poured from her before she could stop them. “And now, seeing her on your arm-”
Mal’s hands moved to her cheeks and pulled her lips to his. His kiss was softer this time. Supple and gentle. Maeve kissed him back tenderly, moving her hands to his hair.
He kissed her until her breaths were long and even, and once they were, their lips parted. He held her face between his hands.
“Your purity was important to me because I knew once I had you, that a line would be crossed we could never take back. I knew I would see you as mine and mine alone. That it might inhibit your future. I dreamt about corrupting your sweet body long before I did. But I waited for you to come to me. To decide to be mine.”
She gasped as he flipped her onto her back on the bed, his chest pressing against hers.
“I have taken many. That night in Albania you gave yourself to me,” he whispered. “That is what I was waiting for.”
He slid off her and whisked the limp bowtie off his neck, swiftly unbuttoning his shirt and discarding them both. Maeve pushed herself up as he crawled back on top of her. His slender chest was perfectly sculpted, smooth as stone.
Their lips were inches apart and Maeve desperately wanted to kiss him.
“Tell me what I want to hear, Little Viper,” said Mal as their noses brushed.
Maeve swallowed hard and tried to keep her composure. She couldn’t bring herself to speak. He sighed, but a wicked glimmer shot across his eyes.
His hands gripped her throat tightly and pinned her to the bed. Maeve’s hands instinctively shot to his, tugging on them.
“I want to hear you say it.”
Maeve looked up at him with wide eyes. His expression was fierce and feline. His grip tightened until Maeve relented. Her words were shattered and hoarse.
“I have no desire to marry him,” said Maeve hastily.
Mal released her throat as Maeve coughed and breathed deeply. He brushed her hair out of her face.
“And why is that?” Asked Mal slowly and meticulously.
