“I know.”
I bit my lip, wondering how to put it in a way that Xae would understand. “But you are my alpha lover. What you say and think matters most.” I laid my hand over his heart. “You are my first love, and that love runs through my veins like fire. Nothing can douse those flames. I want you to know that no matter how many men I love, no one will ever come close to what we have.”
Xaedren pulled in a shaky breath. His hand lifted to my cheek, and a sheen coasted over his eyes. “Ember.” He bent his forehead to mine. “You don't know how happy you've made me. How much pleasure you've just given my wolf. Thank you for saying that, my love.”
“Just don't tell the others,” I teased.
Xaedren chuckled and there was a smug edge to it. “I won't.”
I angled my head to kiss him, and he pulled me in close, then rolled me onto my back. With his hair falling around us, I felt far away. I could pretend it was only him and me. In love. A normal couple.
And then Xae settled between my legs, and my shaft was ground between us. When it began to stir, he lifted his head and grinned. “Not satisfied yet, love?”
“Never.”
With a wicked grin, he pushed himself up. “Get on your hands and knees. I'll cover your back next.”
Chapter Five
“Are you done marking your mate, Ladrin?” Rath's voice came through the closed bedroom door.
Xae, who was half sprawled across me, tightened his grip on my waist and swung his head toward the door, brushing my forehead with his chin. “Did you see the way that man was looking at him?”
Rolling his eyes, Rath came into the room. “That doesn't mean our Ember would have taken him up on his silent offer.”
“Thank you!” I lifted my arm to wave it at Rath.
“I'm sensitive,” Xae said, his tone pouty, then curled around me. “Are you coming to bed or not?”
“Not. It's barely seven in the evening.”
“I didn't mean for sleep.”
“No.” I slipped away from Xae and got out of bed. “My asshole needs some time to recuperate after that brutal fucking.” I went to gather my clothes. “Both of them.”
“Both assholes?” Rath asked, baffled.
“Both brutal fuckings,” I explained. “We had sex twice.”
Xaedren instantly sat up, his expression gone horrified. “Did I hurt you?”
My heart turned into a puddle. Clothes falling to the floor, I launched myself back at him. Xae caught me with a grunt, but his expression didn't change. I cupped his face in my hands and rubbed our foreheads together.
“I love you so fucking much,” I whispered.
“I love you too.” Xae pulled back. “But did I hurt you, Ember? Tell me!”
I chuckled.
“Ember!”
“I believe that was his way of assuring you that even had you hurt him, he enjoyed it,” Rath drawled.
“Fuck!” Xae cursed. “Ididhurt you. Damn it, Ember. I'm so sorry. You must tell me if anything starts to hurt.”
“Xae, you didn't hurt me,” I said firmly. “And don't ever hold back because you think you might. I love it when you get wild.”
Finally, Xae's expression shifted, becoming wicked. “Do you now?”
