“That feelssomuch better,” Lori groaned and stretched her arms out in front of her with a yawn.
“Are they hurting you?”
Oriel kept his wings folded back constantly, but rarely complained. Lephas wondered if the prince had just gotten used to holding them that way or if they hurt as badly as Lori's did. He had a sneaking suspicion that Oriel probably put up with the pain so he could hide the wings he was so ashamed of.
“They ache,” the princess whined, taking a long healthy sip from the bottle. “It's okay keeping themfolded for short periods, but I'm not used to having them back for so long.”
“I could always try to cut those holes I told you about? I'm no seamstress, but it might make the rest of the journey more pleasant for you?” Lephas said.
“That's sweet of you to offer, but I think my wings would freeze out there anyway. It's probably better that I keep them out of harm’s way.” Lori laughed softly and rolled her shoulders backwards and forwards.
Lephas watched her for a few moments longer before he placed the bottle carefully down by his side.
“Come here, let me see.” He gestured for Lori to turn her back to him. She obediently complied, her wings still fluttering softly.
The commander gently pressed his thumbs into the soft flesh around the faerie's shoulder blade and rubbed a small circle.
Lori groaned with a mixture of pain and pleasure. Her wings softened and relaxed under his thumbs' pressure.
“Is that where it's hurting? I don't know an awful lot about wing anatomy,” he asked, continuing to massage the muscles.
“Yeah, that feels good.” Lori sighed and allowed her head to flop forward. She leant back into his toucheagerly.
Lephas's eyes locked onto the soft, pale skin at the nape of her neck. In a rare moment of inebriated confidence, he leant forward and placed a soft kiss against her.
With her reactions dulled from the alcohol, Lori didn't startle. She sighed happily and there was an unusual gentle billowing of the air around them as her wings flickered in response.
Suitably distracted, his thumbs halted and he continued to press soft kisses against her neck. Lori turned her head slightly and cast a glance over her shoulder as she squirmed her body backwards.
Lephas untucked his legs and allowed her to shuffle herself right back against him. The faerie's wings folded in on themselves once more with little complaint. He removed his thumbs and flattened his palms against her, smoothing them down either side of her ribcage to rest at her waist.
As heady arousal began to take hold, Lephas's kisses turned to gentle sucking and he confidently tucked his hands underneath the front of Lori's tunic. He cupped her bare breasts, delighting in the small gasp it earned him.
He felt his body hardening in response to her already. They hadn't slept togetheryet -that was how she had put it. Lephas wondered if he was about to prove the faerie right after all.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Lori's heart raced as Lephas's big palms cupped her chest. She felt her nipples pucker and harden, sending shivers down her spine. Arousal bloomed between her legs.
With a soft, staggered sigh she allowed him free rein to touch her as he pleased.The demon squeezed and kneaded her gently and she pressed her bottom backwards firmly into his groin.
Curiosity ate at her. Other than his glorious physique, she hadn't seen much of Lephas's body and the thick leathers left everything to the imagination. She had very little idea of what to expect beneath. It wasgreatly frustrating.
She realised, even with the alcohol relaxing her considerably, that she was nervous. Her heart still pounded against her ribcage. Surely with his hands pressed against her, the commander could feel it?
Her mind raced. Earlier that afternoon she had been so bold and confident in her intentions. Yet now, in the midst of making them reality, her bravado was failing her.
Lephas could make her feel good, she knew that already from experience, and she trusted him completely but some inexplicable fear gripped her at the thought of baring his flesh and taking him inside her...
Lori turned abruptly and startled the demon who had been deeply absorbed in groping her. She shuffled around to face him and pressed a hand firmly against his chest. She tried to ignore how it shook.
Lephas looked at her quizzically for a moment, but allowed her to push him down so he lay on his back.
Lori hurriedly climbed on top of him, straddling his body with her legs and flopped forward to place a firm kiss against his mouth.
“The rib…” he grunted.
Lori pulled away. “Oh, no! I've done it again, haven't I? Are you alright?”
