“Reyla,” I rasped as she trembled in my arms. The columnof her throat begged for my kisses. But it was her lips that I had to claim.
I could not go one instant more without tasting her.
When I caught the heat rising in her eyes, I gently held her face and staked my claim on her mouth.
27
REYLA
Iwas caught in a storm that threatened to burn through every bit of my reason. Merrick's lips slanted across mine with an urgency that left me breathless, his tongue invading my mouth, making heat pool between my legs. He gripped my arms, holding me in place, as if he feared I’d slip away if he didn't keep me close.
I gasped for air, which he took as an invitation, dipping his tongue in to stroke mine with a rhythm that set my pulse surging.
When I whimpered, his touch gentled, his fingers trailing down my spine, coaxing a shiver from me that had nothing to do with the cool mountain air. His hands roved over my sides, inching ever closer to the aching peaks of my breasts.
In a bold move that surprised even me, I climbed onto his lap, straddling him, my body aligning with his in a way that felt deliciously right. My skirt rode up to my knees, but I couldn'tbring myself to care about the impropriety of it all. All I could think about was the way his breath hitched when I ground against him, the way his eyes darkened with need.
“Merrick,” I breathed, my voice a bare whisper. His name was both a plea and a cry of surrender, a recognition of the power he held over me.
His hand cupped my breast, his thumb brushing over the sensitive nub through the fabric of my gown. A moan ripped from my mouth, and I arched my back, begging for more. I was wanton, shameless in my desire for this man—my king, my husband.
With the deft fingers of his other hand, Merrick bunched up the fabric of my skirt, fisting it, his hand skimming across my thigh, moving higher and higher until the cool air kissed my most intimate parts. I should’ve felt exposed and vulnerable, but I was consumed by a desperate need for him to touch me, to fill the aching void inside me.
I was lost to him, a willing captive to the fire he'd ignited in my soul. And as his fingers finally found their way to the slick heat of my core, I knew that there would be no turning back, no stopping this now. I could think about what it might mean later.
The world around us blurred into nothingness as Merrick's mouth continued to move on mine with a ruthlessness that left me clinging to him, helpless against the tide of desire rising within me. The sensation of his fingers playing over the taut peak of my breast drew a needy moan from my throat. I bowed my spine, pleading for more of the exquisite sensations he stirred deep inside.
His lips left mine, and he trailed open-mouthed kissesdown the column of my throat. I tipped my head back, granting him full access, my fingers tangling in his hair as he worshiped my body with expertise.
Cool air teased over my exposed thighs as Merrick stroked through my wetness. A jolt of electricity shot through me, and I bucked my hips, seeking the friction only he could provide.
“So responsive,” Merrick said with a lift of his mouth that smoothed to thin satisfaction. “You're everything I dreamed you would be, Wildfire.”
His fingers delved deeper between my thighs, parting me with a gentleness that countered the fierceness of his kisses.
“Wet,” he growled, the sound causing a fresh gush of moisture to coat his fingers. “Wet for me, are you, my pretty little bride? I love it.”
His words sent a shiver through me, and I nodded, though I wasn’t sure if I did in response to his question or the way his fingers glided across my clit.
“You're going to come for me, aren't you, my good girl?” he asked, his voice thick with desire. He slid his other hand underneath my gown, past my belly, and when he rolled my nipple, he drove me closer to the brink.
Before I could form a coherent response, his fingers began to move between my legs, stroking and circling the bundle of nerves at my center with a skill that left me panting and writhing in his lap. Each touch fanned my flames higher, the pressure building within me until I swore I’d shatter into a thousand pieces.
He drove his fingers deep, leaving his thumb to move across my clit. I shamelessly rode him, humping against him whilethe carriage climbed higher and higher, approaching the castle.
I was too far gone to stop, but I wanted—needed—more. I scrambled my fingers at the fastening to his pants, eager to release him so I could impale myself on his shaft.
He grinned and shook his head. “Not yet. This is for you. Take what I offer. Come for me.”
My body trembled on the edge of release, my every muscle drawn tight as I teetered. I jolted up and down, driving his fingers deeper while he rolled my nipple and flicked his thumb across my clit.
“Let go, Wildfire,” he said, his voice hissing through me like a live wire. “I've got you.”
With those words, the dam inside me broke. Wave after wave of pleasure crashed over me, obliterating all thought, all awareness of anything beyond the mind-numbing bliss consuming me. I cried out, my fingers clutching his shoulders as I rode out the storm he'd unleashed within me.
He nipped my neck. “Yes, like that. I can’t wait to feel you explode around my cock. Like this, Wildfire. It’s going to be like this only better.”
I continued to move against him, but my pace had turned languid, slowing until I came to a stop, my head drooping and my body near collapse. I fell against his chest, limp and sated.
