“How close are you?” he panted.
“Just come, baby. I'll be all right.”
“Not happening,” Cyn said through clenched teeth. “You first, Mate.”
I reached a hand between us and stroked myself. Cyn looked down, his gaze growing even hotter as he watched me. And I watched him. That gorgeous face, all sharp angles and regal lines, was even more beautiful now. Because he was more than his body, though that body delighted me. He was my mate, the only man I'd ever love, and that was what brought me over at last. Our spiritual bond, not our physical one. Keeping my eyes open, I came, and his stare shot to mine, making the climax even better.
As I shuddered in his arms, Cyn sped up, still holding my stare. He pumped harder and harder, shaking the tree. And I held onto his body and his gaze, as I knew he needed me to.
“Ru,” Cyn said roughly. He locked up against me, pulsing to completion inside me, and gave a ragged cry. And he never looked away.
After Cyn's trembling stopped, he slid out of me and helped me down to lie in the cool grass. We curled up together, absolutely sated, bodies limp and warm. Then something fell, thumping onto my mate's chest. He grunted and grabbed the orange before it rolled away. Laughing, I took it from him and peeled it. Then I fed my mate, licking up any juice that “accidentally” fell on his chest.
Cyn grabbed my hand, holding me still as he sucked an orange segment into his mouth, then licked my fingers. “We could stay here.”
“What?” I sat up.
He sat up too. “We could stay here, Ru. We'd be happy here.”
“What about the kingdom?”
“I'll send a letter. Resign. Another Dragon will take the throne. Let him deal with this shit. I just want to be with you.”
“That's not true,” I said gently. “You love being King. I know you do. And you're a good king. Darimar needs you. Besides, after a few months, or maybe a few years, you would grow tired of this. Bored. And I can't have an unhappy mate.”
“I love you,” Cyn whispered as he bent his head to mine. After a quick kiss, he said, “You are all I need, Ru.”
“I wish that were true.” Then I frowned and sat back. “Actually, I don't. I like that you have other passions. And we both have people back in Dralbara. I have my clan. I can't just disappear.” I softened my tone to add, “No matter how much I want to.”
“But we haven't come up with a plan. I won't risk you, Mate. If I have to hide forever to keep you safe, I will.”
“You are not a man who hides,” I reminded him.
“I am anything you need me to be.”
“I need you to end this with me,” I said firmly. “I need to go home and find this motherfucker. I need to kill them.”
“No.” Cyn gripped my shoulder. “I will kill them. You are a thief, not a murderer.”
“You're a king.”
“And that means I will do anything to protect what's mine. I do the killing.”
“All right. You make the kill, but I get to watch.”
“As you wish.”
“So, we're decided. We're going back to Dralbara.”
Cyn grimaced and looked away. “We'll go back as soon as we have a plan.”
“That sounds like an evasion.”
“It's not.” He looked back at me. “I will return with you, but I need to be prepared. So, my cunning thief, what's the plan?”
I looked down at the half-eaten orange in my hands, then up at my mate. “It's time for drastic measures.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
