“Are you referring to Jari’s antlers or my cock between your ass?” Savine growled. At that, Savine nudged his feet into Jari’s side and began a fast-paced canter on the elk. Avery scooted her body deeper into Savine. The fast pace of Jari’s strides made her body slide across the saddle rhythmically against Savine’s growing length. He didn't want to be turned on, but damn it all. With her sliding against him like this, how could he not get hard?
“Not a lot of personal space here, huh?” she joked. Her backside continued to slide forward and back, nudging Savine’s crotch. Jari seemed agitated by the motion and shook his powerful head as if to knock Avery off with his antlers.
He shifted the reins to one hand and pulled Avery in deeper between his legs. He held her body tight against his own. Jari immediately responded by lifting his head high and picking up his pace.
Savine smelled the earthy scent of Avery’s own arousal. She fought this just as much as he was. She squirmed a bit more, and her ass pressed against him, sending a jolt of pleasure to his cock.
Abyss damn him. He wanted more of her. Damn his own broken soul. He wanted to fill her with his cock and ride her until the only sound she made was his name in that shrill little voice of hers.
“You can let go of me. I think we need a little space.”
“With all that thrashing you are doing? Jari will appreciate the journey better this way,” Savine said. “Just sit back and enjoy the ride, Avery.”
“You know, old man, where I’m from, friends don’t stab friends in the back with their raging boners.” Avery’s words sounded all bluster as her body leaned deeper into Savine’s.
“If you don’t want to get stabbed with my, ahem, raging boner, then I suggest you stop sliding your ass against it,” Savine hissed.
It had been far too long since his body reacted this way to a woman. Sex had completely lost its appeal after he spent those two years being tortured in the Tower of Teeth. Even though he tried, he never was the same again. Not after Lilith, and not after the torture he’d suffered for loving her. He’d tried. Goddess damn him, he tried. But then, after he began the rebellion, he gave up any sort of attempt at finding pleasure in sex. There was no point. He was stuck with the same people year after year and didn’t want to cross any boundaries with his followers. The teasing about his celibacy had been tedious, but he had stopped caring.
To Savine’s chagrin, Avery didn’t stop wiggling. “I can’t help it,” she said. “It’s just so hard to keep still while bouncing on a fast-moving animal. It’s not like I want your dick poking me in the back. Maybe you should try to control yourself.”
Savine let out a growl. He pulled her closer, squeezing his thighs harder against Jari. “Squeeze your thighs together and move your body with Jari’s rhythm.”
“The words squeeze your thighs and rhythm aren’t really helping this situation. I should get back on Dandelion.”
Savine leaned forward. The heat of her face against his lips sent another wave of pleasure through him as he whispered into her delicately curved ear. “And break your delicate little human neck in a fall? I don’t think so.”
Avery’s breath was shallow, her desire unmistakable. And yet, this was against everything he’d been working toward all these years. She was a distraction that he didn’t need. Not in this way. Friends. They needed to be friends—he’d rather there be nothing between them, but that was out of the question. Not after he started fuckingcaring for her.
Avery shivered against him. She was drenched and seemed to get colder now that neither of them were as turned on. Or maybe those shivers were part of her desire for him? He still faintly smelled it in the air, just below that sweet honeysuckle and mint scent.
Just as they were getting into a rhythm that didn’t include Avery rubbing her ass on his dick, Jay rode up.
“Avery! Savine! Aren’t you two looking close atop Jari!” Jay teased. “I was wondering when you would get her off poor Dandelion. Clearly, humans are not as graceful on elk back as we fae are. With time, we’ll have you riding on your own, and you won’t have to be stabbed front and back, Avery, as I’m sure you currently are.”
“Jay…” Savine growled out. He would tolerate some teasing from his council. They were the only ones who kept him grounded, and who gave him a chance at normalcy in his life. If they couldn’t be comfortable and tease him, then who could?
“Sorry, sir, of course. You’re above those sorts of baser instincts. It’s been, what? At least twenty-five years of celibacy.”
“Twenty-five years!” Avery screeched, turning her head to look at him. Goddess damn him to the Abyss. This woman had been alive as long as he’d been celibate. He didn’t need Jay sharing those sorts of personal details.
Savine pushed his essence forward, sending a tiny tendril of vines up, wrapping slightly around Jay’s neck. Jay waved his hands, grasping the vines and pulling them off his neck.
“Point taken, sir. I apologize if I crossed the line. I forgot we may not tease you in front of the human. You’ve spent so much time with our little mouse lately that I have considered her one of the council. But she isn’t, is she?”
Savine shook his head. What was Jay getting at? “Enough of this, Jay. How are the others doing? Any word from the scouts?”
“All clear ahead. In this weather, who would bother coming to meet us in battle? The supply lines with the moose and wagons are making slow progress, and we’ll be sleeping in lean quarters tonight. Traveling tents, jerky, and agaso bread for dinner, I’m afraid.” Jay asked, turning his attention to Avery. “Avery, darling, how are youactuallydoing?”
“I’m holding up. Interested to hear more about that tidbit of gossip about our fearless fae leader.”
“Now, dear, don’t tease the poor man about that. Perhaps you can remedy that affliction. You do seem rather snug up there. And the tent you’ll be sharing tonight is tiny! Who knows what may happen?”
Avery giggled. What did that giggle mean? Was the idea of being with him that funny?
Jay gave a slight chuckle, too. What did he have to do to get some Goddess-damned respect around here? “Tell me, Avery, why hasn’t Savine stripped off your soaking wet human clothes and warmed you up with a bit of essence? You look like a wet little mouse under that silly bright cloth.”
“He hasn’t offered, but now that you mention it, he is surprisingly dry for being in this downpour. So is Jari. But these silly bright clothes are the best of the best in rain gear in our human world. Turns out fae magic can top human technology for keeping warm and dry.”
