My hand slid up and around his neck and I could feel thetension thrumming there, right before my hands sank into all that silky black hair. For a moment, all I could do was stroke the skin at Lorien’s nape.
That male wants to mate with you very badly.Auren’s comment came as a surprise. When I left her, she seemed utterly engrossed by Drathnor’s nest.And I think you should let him.
With a gasp, I came back to the room and found I was tugging Lorien’s head down. His mouth hovered over mine as his arms wrapped around me, holding me tight.
“Whatever it takes, Fern. I’ll do it. Whatever you need.”
His voice was a hoarse whisper now, but I was about to silence it.
“Right now, I think it’s this.”
In my books, the heroines swooned when they kissed the hero but that wasn’t what happened to me. If anything, my senses became painfully acute. Lorien’s lips and how soft they were beneath my own, only to grow harder and more demanding. The sharp intake of breath that whistled through his nose, replaced swiftly by a little moan. That sound, that expression of vulnerability, unlocked something in me. My mouth moved of its own accord, matching him kiss for kiss. Hands slid down his chest, his skin feeling so hot. I couldn’t seem to keep still, my nails raking across his skin.
“I need…” Gods, I was burning up. Clammy as if I was running a fever, I pulled back and put the back of my hand to my forehead. “I need…”
“All you have to do is say the word and we’ll give you whatever you want,” Kael growled. “I was prepared to go to war with the general for having the temerity of plotting against you and Auren. Would’ve handed you his head on a platter, right after we tore the keep down, stone by stone.”
“Not that…” I hissed, frowning because right now I didn’t want to remember anything that happened before this moment.
“I think I know what you need.” Had Lance’s voice ever been that deep? His hands went to my shoulders, then he turnedme around to face the other three. “Gods, how I’ve waited to do this.”
Pins were pulled free, and when my hair tumbled down, a groan went through the lot of them. How could these men respond so to such a simple thing?
“Running my fingers through your hair,” Lance said, doing just that, but right as my eyes fell half closed, he twisted it up into a loose bun. “And doing this.”
Lips pressed to the back of my neck did have my eyes closing, if only to luxuriate in the sensation. His fingers digging into my shoulders as another kiss, then another followed it. A swirl of pleasure had the flames flickering inside me flaring to life, burning through me and forcing me to gasp when Lance pulled away. Hands went to the clasp of my tunic, but they paused there.
“Nothing will happen here other than what you want.” There was a desperate tension in Lance’s voice. “We’ll sit down and have a very nice bowl of porridge if you want to stop now.”
“Porridge…?” Lorien snorted, then shook his head. “But he’s right. Perhaps we should just eat. It’s been a horribly long day and?—”
“Is that what you want?” Kael seemed to see everything far too clearly, making me aware of my flushed cheeks, my heaving chest. “I might be a pushy bastard?—”
“Gods, what an understatement,” Dain said, rolling his eyes.
“But I’d never push you about this.”
We were all tired, overwrought by the events of the day, so having something to eat, then sleeping for hours would’ve been the best plan.
Just not what I wanted.
I started by shaking my head, slowly, then getting faster.
“Not this. Got it.”
The muscle in Kael’s jaw jumped, right as he went to pull away. Reaching out to grab his hand? Part of me was aghast I’d dare, and the other was wondering what the hell I was thinking. He was the most insufferable, annoying…
Brave, wonderful man.
They all were. Finding Drathnor’s nest, getting free of the keep, I suddenly felt so much lighter.
“I left my father’s house with Auren to be free, but it’s only now I actually feel that way,” I told them. “I want…” Gods, to have one man hang on my every word would’ve intoxicated the woman I was before I tried on the damn dress of Mother’s, but four? “You brought down the general.” Lorien’s chest puffed up most distractingly at my words, right before I turned to Lance. “You became a lieutenant to keep me safe.”
He flushed with pride.
“Of course.”
“You.” I shifted my focus to Kael. “Have been the most irritating, frustrating man.” Nothing seemed to faze him. That impudent grin was back and twice as bright. “Every time I think you can’t annoy me more, you do something else to top it.”
