I’m not sure if it’s the ale, the bath, the tenderness, or the way his gaze clings to me, heavy-lidded and searing, but my hands move to the corner of the towel tucked between my breasts. My fingers hesitate, trembling slightly. I don’t look away from him, watching instead for any flicker of doubt, any sign that I should stop.
“Elyssara, no. Don’t do that,” Kael’s voice is low, strained, but firm. The sting of rejection washes over me, sending heat to my cheeks and making my stomach clench.
He must see it in my expression because he quickly adds, softer this time, “Not because I don’t want to, Duskae. You’ve had ale. You’ve fought for your life tonight. I can’t—not like this.”
His restraint should irritate me. It should make me push harder. Instead, it leaves me reeling, caught somewhere between frustrationand yearning. “You won’t fuck me, Kael?” The bitterness in my voice coats every syllable.
His jaw tightens, and his gaze drops to the floor for a moment as if grounding himself. When he looks at me again, his eyes are smoldering, a storm of need and control warring within him. “Oh, Elyssara, I’ll fuck you,” he says, the words dripping with raw honesty. “But when I do, it won’t be because you’re running from something. It’ll be because you’re so hungry for me that you beg.”
The breath catches in my throat. His words are a blow to my chest, knocking the air out of me and setting every nerve alight. Before I can stop myself, my fingers flick the edge of the towel free, and it falls to the floor in a whisper of fabric, pooling around my feet.
Kael’s reaction is immediate, visceral. His eyes sweep over me, lingering on my breasts, my hips, and the place between my thighs where my need for him is unashamedly obvious. He groans, low and guttural, raking a hand through his hair, his head tipping back as though he’s pleading with the Stars themselves. “Fuck,” he growls, his voice rough. “You’re going to destroy me, woman.”
I take a step closer, emboldened by his reaction. “I want you to fuck me, Kael.Now.”
His eyes snap to mine, his body taut with tension. “I’m trying to be a gentleman,” he mutters, but the way his gaze roams over me betrays him.
“I don’t want a gentleman. I wantyou,” the words tumble out before I can stop them. They hang in the air, raw and unguarded.
For a moment, he doesn’t move. His chest rises and falls heavily, his hands curling into fists at his sides as if trying to hold himself back. Then, with a growl, he closes the distance between us in two strides. His mouth claims mine, hungry and frenzied, branding me with his taste. It’s not soft, not gentle. It’s heat and fire, the brand of kiss that steals thought and leaves only feeling.
His hands roam my body, warm and firm as they trace the outline of me like I’m a map. His hands linger at my waist before sliding lower. My skin ignites beneath his touch, and when histhumb finds my clit, brushing light circles over it, I moan against his lips, pressing closer, needing more.
“You’re so wet for me,” he murmurs, his voice a husky rasp that sends a shiver down my spine.
“I always am,” I admit, breathless and unguarded.
His growl is deep, primal, and the sound sends a jolt of pleasure straight to my core. He dips down, his hands sliding around my hips, slow and deliberate, before grabbing the backs of my thighs and lifting me effortlessly. My legs wrap around his waist, and the hard line of his cock presses against me through his linen pants. The friction draws a whimper from my throat, and I grind against him, desperate for more.
He pauses, his gaze locking on to mine, his voice heavy with restraint. “I won’t fuck you tonight, Elyssara. But I will bring you pleasure that will make you see the Stars themselves. Is that what you want? To drown in it?”
I nod, unable to form words.
“I need your words, Duskae,” he says, his tone soft but commanding.
“Yes,” I whisper, my voice trembling.
Something in his expression softens, even as his desire deepens. “I want you, too,” he whispers into the crook of my neck, the words like a promise.
He carries me to the bed, laying me gently on my back. The cool sheets are a stark contrast to the heat of my body, and I shiver as his hands trail down my arms, coaxing them away from where they’ve folded protectively over my chest.
“Let me see you,” he commands, his voice low and rough.
I take a breath, steadying myself, before slowly dragging my legs across the bed, parting them just enough for him to look. His gaze rakes over me, dark and heavy, as though committing every inch of me to memory. “This is what you do to me,” I murmur, running a finger through my wet center.
His breath hitches, and he closes his eyes for a moment as if the sight of me is too much to bear. “You’re stunning,” he says, his voice reverent. He leans forward, his brown hair just shy of black, fallsacross his brow and brushes his collarbones, and gods it makes me mad with lust. His massive frame towers over me, and he grabs my hand, bringing my fingers to his mouth. He licks them clean, his eyes closing as though savoring the taste. “Addictive,” he whispers. “I’ve wanted to taste you since the moment I met you.”
Kael drops to his knees at the edge of the bed, his hands sliding up my thighs to hook them over his shoulders. My hips jerk up in response. “So needy, El,” he murmurs, his breath hot against my skin. “So perfect.”
Kael’s breath fans over my center, sending a shiver through me as anticipation coils low in my belly. He pauses, his eyes fixed on me as if waiting for permission, though he doesn’t ask outright. The weight of his gaze sends heat rushing to my cheeks, but I nod, the smallest gesture, and that’s all he needs.
His lips press against my inner thigh first, soft and deliberate, the scrape of his stubble sending a delicious jolt through me. He kisses a path up my skin, each touch of his mouth igniting a spark until he reaches my core. The first sweep of his tongue is slow, exploratory, and it pulls a gasp from my throat.
“Oh, Stars,” I breathe, my hands fisting the sheets at my sides.
Kael hums against me, the sound vibrating through my body. “Relax, Duskae,” he murmurs between strokes. “Let me take care of you. Let me help you forget.”
His tongue moves with purpose now, alternating between broad, slow licks and focused, teasing circles over my clit. My hips buck of their own accord, seeking more of the exquisite pressure he offers, but his hands grip my thighs, holding me in place.
