Then Verin was back and my heart stuttered. He met my stare as soon as he came through the doorway and held it as he strode up to me. Grabbing the edges of the blanket, he pulled them apart and stepped into my embrace, his warm body fitting perfectly against mine. I sighed at the feeling of his skin against mine, and he rumbled in relief.
“This is... troubling,” Zhavage murmured.
No shit,RS grumbled.
Verin growled over his shoulder at the other king.
“I know!” Zhavage held up a hand. “And I will do my best to keep her men at bay but, Verin, you must realize that you can't keep Queen Elaria here forever. Something must—”
Verin roared at Zhavage.
“Hey.” I put my hands around Verin's face and turned him to look at me. “I've got you and I'm not letting go. We'll ride this out together, okay?”
Verin grunted softly in satisfaction.
“Zhavage, could you deliver my message, please?” I asked, angling my head to peer around Verin's bicep.
Zhavage sighed and nodded. “They will not be happy, Elaria.”
“I know. Tell them I'm sorry.”
“I am a king, not a messenger.”
“I know that too. I offer you my apologies and gratitude.”
Zhavage grimaced but seemed mollified. “I'll leave you to it then. Although, I'm not sure that I should.”
“Get out,” Verin snarled.
“All right, all right, I'm going!” Zhavage left, muttering to himself, “You'd think he'd at least offer me a robe.”
As soon as the Red Dragon was gone, Verin tore away the blanket and tossed me onto the bed.
Chapter Four
“Verin, wait!” I put a hand on his chest and tried to push him away from me.
He growled. This wasn't his usual, man-of-few-words routine, he was losing his ability to reason, just as I had been before Zhavage had shown up. Verin trapped my hand between our bodies and covered my mouth with his. I started to forget again. There was only this man—only the feel of his hard body covering mine and the smell of him filling my head. His hair swept down and brushed my cheek as his growls rumbled through our kiss. A thumb flicked my nipple and then his large hand massaged my breast. Heaven. I wanted more. And Verin was there, more than willing to give it to me. His hips wedged my thighs wider apart and his cock pressed against my sex, demanding entrance. His back tensed beneath my clutching hands and he started to move into me.
I jerked back, out of our kiss. “No, wait!”
“Elaria,” Verin snarled, “I can't wait any longer.”
“Is this really how you want our first time to be?” I held his face in my hands. “A brutal fuck? Our minds consumed by lust?”
His expression shifted into pain.
“I know.” I kissed him gently. “I'm here with you; I feel it too. But I want more from you than this and if we start this way, I'm afraid it will consume us. We have to prove that we're stronger than our desire.”
“It's been three months,” he whispered brokenly. “Three months of needing you every minute of every day, even in my damn sleep. I need some release.” He nuzzled my cheek. “Please.”
“I need you too,” I admitted. “But I don't want you like this. Not our first time.”
Verin groaned and laid his forehead against mine. “You're right. I don't want this either. I...” He lifted his head and his gaze roved over my face. “I'm just going to say it. Ihaveto say it.”
“I love you,” I said it for him.
Verin's breath left him in a rush and he sort of crumpled over me. With his face buried in my hair, he whispered, “I love you too.” Then he rose onto his forearms to look at me. “Sweet seawater, it feels good to get that out. Even better to hear it from you. Say it again.”
