My head jerked his way. I licked my lips. “Raven.”
The Dragon King lifted our joined hands and kissed mine. “Come, my foundling. You need your rest.” He led me back to our tents.
I hesitated before mine.
“What is it?” He let go of my hand to cup my cheek.
“I can't sleep. It's too confining for my wings.”
The King looked at my tent and then at his. “Would you . . . I would . . .” He cleared his throat. “I can combine our tents. It may give us more room. But you would have to sleep in my arms.”
A shiver of excitement ran through me. Encouraged by it, I nodded.
The King pulled up the stakes from the sides of our tents that faced each other and tossed them aside. Pulling up those same sides, he tied them together with their stake ropes, changing two A-frames into a single tent with a flat roof. Adjusting the central poles to lean outward, he pulled the roof taut. Finally, he pushed our two pallets together and drew back the blankets. Without looking at me, he lay down on his back.
Only then did Raven meet my gaze. “Settle yourself into whatever position is most comfortable. I will lie still until you are arranged.”
“You offer me your body as a cushion again?”
“I will support you in any way you need, Eliel. Now, come here.”
Raven's words shivered through me. After all his patience and gentleness, there was a touch of command in his tone. Instead of scaring me, it excited me, and my gaze flowed over his bare chest in anticipation. I wanted to remove my tunic and press my skin to his, but I knew it was too much. It would scare me out of this bravery.
“One touch at a time,” I whispered and bent to crawl into the tent.
Chapter Twelve
Breath ragged, I slid onto my stomach beside the King. That was awkward, so I slowly slid my left arm over his waist. Raven kept very still, but I could hear his breath coming as rapidly and roughly as mine. Easing down, forcing my muscles to relax, I leaned onto his chest, moving my chest partially onto him. At last, I lay down my head, and it naturally settled over his heart. The sound of his heartbeat filled my ears and calmed me enough to lower my wings over us.
Throughout my movements, Raven kept his arms out to the sides. But after I went still, he brought in his arms. I sucked in a breath when I felt his warm hands slide under my wings and over my waist. The King deftly slipped his fingers beneath the hem of my tunic so that his palms lay on my bare back.
“Is this all right?” Raven whispered.
“Yes,” I whispered back, though I flushed with excitement. My shaft was responding to him again, but thankfully, my hips were pressed into the pallet.
“I smell your arousal, Eliel.” He nuzzled the top of my head. “Relax. It's all right. We don't have to do anything about our desires yet. Just enjoy it.”
I sighed and closed my eyes. Enjoy it? How could I enjoy the ache between my legs that I knew I couldn't relieve? If I tried, I would ruin all we'd gained. But I couldn't stop my hips from canting into the pallet, seeking to relieve myself. Dear Gods, how had he dealt with this so calmly?
King Raventar chuckled.
Caught acting like an adolescent male without control, I flinched, flushed, and pushed away from him.
“Eliel, look at me.”
Sitting up, I hid behind my wings.
“Look at me!”
It was such a shock coming from him that my whole body jerked to obey him, twisting as my gaze sought his.
The King's eyes were aglow again, but it wasn't his gaze that he wanted my attention on. He lowered a hand to his waist. Just below the blunt tips of his fingers, his erection pressed against his pants. The button on his waistband popped free.
I gasped.
His hand hovered over the next button.
I nodded.
