“Yup,” she agreed cheerfully.Rare for her to win an argument with Cillian and this felt like a win.
“You understand why I’m asking this of you?”he persisted.“I’m not being a martyr.This is sincere concern for your wellbeing and for you to be able to do what you need to do.”
“Cillian.”Now she framed his gorgeous face in her hands, kissed him.“I know.It’s all right.I love you.”It was getting easier to say every time.Less fraught.Happy-making, even.“You love me.Let’s just agree that we want to help and protect each other and we’ll do our sincere best to agree on what that will require.”
He smiled, crookedly.“We’ll see if you live up to your end of that.”
She beamed angelically, batting her eyes.“Who me?Charming, sweet, agreeable moi?”
Laughing, he tugged her close and she squealed, giggling and splashing.“If only that were true.But I just had to fall for delightfully proud and prickly you.”
“I’m so glad you did,” she told him, sobering.“You were and are the saving of me.”
“You saved me,” he countered.“I’d have lived all my life buried in the archives, if not for you.”
“I’m sure another Szarina would have found you and dug you out,” she teased.
He made a horrified face.“Don’t say it.I learned my lesson there.”
She wound her arms around his neck, kissed him, kissed him again, deeper, lavishly, savoring the taste of him, the feel of her taut nipples against his lightly furred, lean chest.“And what lesson have you learned from me?”
He kissed her back, hands sliding over her back and bottom under the water, as if he couldn’t get enough of touching her.“Mmm.I think those are my secrets to keep.”
“Do you?”She purred the question, then slid a hand down to grasp his erect cock, making him catch his breath, and black eyes widen.He tipped his head back, groaning as she stroked him.She’d had no sexual experience to speak of before Cillian seduced her with cinnamon rolls and his quiet compassion, but she’d learned along the way.She particularly loved knowing what made him go incoherent, how he thrummed with sexual heat under her caresses.“I bet I could get you to tell me.”
He tipped his head back and took her mouth in a swift, almost bruising kiss, intense and leaving her melting and a little shaken.“Do you?”he echoed.“Two can play that game.”
Lifting her easily, more because she was so slight than because he possessed any great strength, he set her to straddle his lap.“Hands on my shoulders,” he instructed, a wicked glint in his eyes.
She complied, but pouted.“I like touching you.”
“You’ve had your chance and you’ll get more.For now this is the game, since you’re in a playful mood.You’re not allowed to let go of my shoulders.Unless you don’t think you have the self-discipline.”
“I can do it,” she replied, a little stung by the implication.
“Then show me.”
“Fine.I… mmm.”She wriggled as he stroked her inner thighs, dark gaze intent on her face.He teased her with slow caresses, lightly grazing the sensitive skin closer to her sex, but not quite touching.After several close brushes and yet another near miss, she began wriggling.“Cillian…”
“Stay still.Hands on my shoulders.”
She realized she’d begun to slip one hand down and firmly stopped herself.She’d executed far more exacting tasks than this.Exercises in keeping a clear head and perfect concentration, both at Convocation Academy and under her father’s impatient tutelage.She’d endured worse than this extended… teasing.
Or maybe she hadn’t.
Cillian brushed barely there touches against the lips of her spread sex, pulling away when she tried pressing down into his fingers.She needed… more.Much more.He shook his head,tsking at her, waiting for her to be still again before resuming his patient attack, starting again with light brushes along her inner thighs, the fur of her mons, then again skimming the slick lips of her sex.She firmed her mouth against the driving need, holding herself still, hoping, but he still didn’t give her enough.
“Cillian…” She panted his name, ragged, desperate.
“Yes, Alise?”he asked, dragging a light finger along her seam, not quite touching her clit.
“Please,” she begged.
He pursed his lips, seeming to think.“Not yet,” he decided.
Groaning, she tried to close her thighs on his hand but he kept them wedged apart with his knees and a chiding grin.“You’re not behaving well at all,” he crooned.“I thought you’d last longer than this.”
“I can last,” she gritted out, clenching her jaw, then nearly sobbing when he lightly touched her clit.Too lightly to do more than ratchet her arousal even higher.He waited while she fought not to move, then repeated the caress.Losing her mind, she reached down and grabbed him by the wrist, trying to wrestle him closer.
