Another step closer. “I am your husband. It will always be an honor to carry you should you stumble.”
She tangled her fingers in the tie of her robe. “Why do you say such things when you did not want a wife?”
One final stride closed the space between us. I dragged my knuckles across her cheek. “I petitioned your grandfather for vows in a political alliance, true. But you must stop pretending nothing has changed.”
“Has it changed? Are we not still pieces in an alliance?”
“A great deal has changed. My loyalty is not to an alliance.” I brought my hands to her face. “It is to you. Iwantyou.”
I kissed her. My tongue slid across the seam of her lips until she parted them and let me taste her. One hand went to her waist, drawing her against my chest, the other held the back of her head.
Skadi arched her hips into mine, moaning and rubbing over my swollen length. Gods, I would not last long if she kept doing that. She stumbled backward, striking the edge of the washbasin, and sat on the wide ledge.
“Jonas,” Skadi breathed against my lips. “I am still filthy.”
“Sorry.” Our brows touched. “I lost my head. I’ll leave you to it.”
Before I could leave, Skadi grabbed my arm. Her eyes were dark with a new sort of desire. Her breaths heavy. “I . . . might need . . . help getting in. I’d hate to slip, after all.”
“Wouldn’t want that.” My voice was stupidly rough, as though I swallowed sand.
Skadi stood, her breasts pressed to my chest.
With painfully slow fingers she unlaced the tie of her robe. I let out a strangled gasp, holding her waist when she deftly shrugged her shoulders free.
Gods, bared to me, I could hardly form a thought.
Ink coiled in beautiful vines and pale blossoms wrapped around her ribs, beneath her breasts, ending in the center of her chest. I pressed a soft kiss to the petals over her heart. There was roughened skin there, but her scars would be explained when she wanted.
If she wanted.
She shifted her hips side to side until the robe pooled around her feet.
I drank her in, all soft curves and edges. I kissed her sweetly, dragging my teeth along her bottom lip when I pulled back. “You rob me of breath, Fire.”
She smiled, holding out a hand.
Body ablaze, I helped her step over the ledge, watched her sink beneath the petals, then knelt beside the edge.
Skadi looked at me through heavy lashes. “Husband?”
“Wife?”
“I very much want you to kiss me again.”
My mouth twisted into a half grin. “With pleasure.”
Then I crushed her mouth with mine.
Chapter 26
The Mist Thief
The clackof teeth and frenzy of lips caused a moan to break from my throat. Jonas speared his fingers through my hair and tilted my head. My lips parted, and his tongue slid against mine in slow, masterful strokes. He tasted like cool spice, mint, and fire.
This was never meant to draw out heat in the blood, aches in the belly, a need in my heart I’d buried so long ago. Jonas was a fiend, and I did not stand a chance against him. Those eyes, bright and playful, but under all that was something like pain. As though my husband had his own secrets.
His hands were kind, gentle, demanding. His words were brazen and sweet.
