I sighed, burrowing deeper into the cloudlike sheets that smelled faintly of tobacco and smoke.
This . . . this must be the ether.
As a general rule, I hated cuddling. I overheated, and my skin would stick with sweat before the day even started.
But this?
I could do this every day for the rest of my life.
The arms around me tightened, pulling me closer into Rohak’s hard body until we were pressed flush against one another. I wiggled, trying to find a comfortable way to use Rohak’s arm as a pillow, and barely contained a small gasp when I felt his sizable erection pressed firmly against my ass.
His hips rutted lazily against me in an off-cadence rhythm as if he were performing the action subconsciously.
I bit my lip and pressed my ass back with each of his thrusts, relishing in the friction. My skin heated, and arousal made my core throb at the thought of him inching my leg up just enough to slide inside . . .
Rohak’s hips punched forward hard, and I gasped, loud enough that he stilled completely, his arms loosening as he realized our compromising position.
“Sorry,” he grumbled, voice thick and raspy from sleep, sending shivers down my skin. Rohak, ever the gentleman, mistook my response as a reaction to the sudden cold air that surrounded me once he removed himself completely.
“You can come back,” I said meekly, refusing to look behind me in fear of rejection. My fingers twined with a loose strand in the blanket as I felt him pause in silence.
Ever so slowly, Rohak eased his weight back onto the bed and turned so his front faced my back once more. Instead of pulling me into his body, however, he only reached out one large, calloused hand and set it lightly on my exposed arm, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb.
The touch was delicate and hesitant, as if he were exploring my skin for the first time. I pushed backward incrementally, seeking his heat.
“Faylinn,” Rohak growled in warning as my ass made contact with his hard cock once more.
“Just hold me, Rohak,” I whispered. “It’s good for the Bond.”
Rohak’s palm stilled on my shoulder with those last words, and I internally winced as I felt his relaxed shields hardening once more. It was like a knife to the heart, but necessary if I had any hope of rejecting him until the time was right.
I tried relaxing into my Bonded once more, but the previous cocoon of safety and happiness we created while asleep was gone, replaced by cautious indifference.
Burrowing into the pillow, I tried to find sleep again, but I knew it would never come. Not with Rohak’s motions stilted instead of smooth, his body as tense and rigid as an oak tree.
With a sigh, I pulled the covers back, exposing my near-naked body to the cold air of Rohak’s bedroom. My nipples hardened to painful peaks, not just from the sudden temperature change.
A low, almost concealed groan sounded from behind me as I moved to the armoire, making sure to sway my hips just a little extra. It was unfair of me and I knew that—especially since I continually shut down any possibility of physical intimacy—but it was almost as if I couldn’t help myself.
Ineededto hear if he was as affected as me.
With slow movements, I raised my arms above my head to grasp my unruly curls and pull them into a bun. My sleep shirt stretched tight across my breasts with the movement, raising enough to show a swath of creamy skin beneath the hem.
“Fuck,” Rohak said quietly, and I smiled softly in satisfaction as I selected a random tunic and pair of pants for the day.
“You’re going to want a dress if you have one,” Rohak commented, voice hoarse but not from sleep. I turned slowly, arousal flaring once more at thevision of him propped against the headboard, one leg bent so the sheet pooled just enough to cover his cock. Even with his hands strategically placed to conceal his erection, I could see it tenting the fabric.
“My eyes are up here, Rune Master,” Rohak teased with heat in his voice. Instantly, my gaze shot to his, and I was pulled deep into his emerald orbs, the color more vibrant. There was a magnetism to him, and not one just manufactured by our Bond.
No, that is pure attraction.
“Why do I need a dress today?”
Rohak’s smile lit his whole face.
“You have a visitor.”
Instantly, I frowned. Any type of visitor who required me to wear a dress was not one I usually wanted to see.
