His eyes were half-closed, shielded by dark lashes. The last sunrays shining through the trees bathed his hair in warm light. Lora let her eyes drift shut, breathing him in as he cupped her cheek more firmly, his lips trailing a lazy path to her mouth.
Fiery sparks danced on her skin when his mouth finally captured hers. The kiss felt soft, restrained at first. Like a secret waiting to be uncovered. She couldn’t quite explain it, but she knew she wanted this. Wantedhim.In this forgotten kingdom, Lora had found something that she would never want to erase.
She grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer. Eyden followed her encouragement, deepening the kiss. His tongue slipping in, dancing with her own. The taste of him overwhelmed her senses. Lora gently tugged on his bottom lip, evoking a groan as Eyden lowered his free hand to her hip.
Her hand, trapped between them, travelled up to his shoulder. Sensing the empty space between them, Eyden leaned in further, trapping her against the tree behind her. The contact made her shiver, yearn for more.
For a moment, their mouths pulled apart. Heads still within kissing distance, their eyes met. His were hooded, loaded with a fire that hadn’t been fully unleashed. Lora found it irresistible. A wave of desire went through her stronger than she’d ever experienced. She wanted to set it all aflame, to let the passion brewing between them run wild. Her lips curved up and the answering spark flashing in his eyes was so incredible, it stole her breath even before his mouth crushed hers.
While the previous kiss was sweet and careful, this one was all fire and haste. Teeth clashing, his lips branded hers, his tongue sweeping in fast and determined. The hand on her cheek moved down her neck to her shoulder and under her jacket, slipping it off. Lora pulled on the other sleeve and the jacket landed on the ground, forgotten.
Without hesitating, Lora tugged on Eyden’s jacket and he listened, removing it without breaking their kiss. Her hands roamed over his chest, feeling the tight muscles under his thin shirt, before her arms wrapped around his neck. She pushed herself off the tree, closing the remaining space between them. Eyden groaned into her mouth as her breasts pressed against his chest, his hands squeezing her hips.
In one swoop, he lifted her up. One hand grabbed her ass as the other one steadied them against the tree, making sure their position was secure. Lora instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. The sound Eyden made in the back of his throat filled Lora with wicked ideas.
His hand moved from the tree to brush her thigh, dangerously close to where she craved it the most. She gasped as he pressed his hips against hers. The moan leaving her lips didn’t sound like herself. It was wildfire, free and untameable. Judging from the hardness pushing against the sensitive spot between her legs, Eyden was enjoying this just as much. The satisfaction of that knowledge drove her wild with lust.
His lips left hers only to leave a hot trail of kisses down her neck. His tongue flicking over the sensitive spot of her pulse caused her to inhale sharply. Lora’s fingers tangled in his hair, holding him close as her hips moved against his on instinct. She felt him groaning against her skin before he stilled her hips with one hand.
“Later,” he whispered, voice thick with desire. His warm breath teased her skin.
Eyden’s mouth travelled to her collarbone, brushing the chain of her necklace. The fog surrounding Lora’s mind lifted for a second and she moved her pendant to the side. Eyden saw it as an invitation, his lips tracing the wide collar of her shirt. His fingertips followed the path he set, stopping as he brushed fabric. His gaze dropped to her chest then up again. A silent question. His eyes were lit with desire. Lora decided right then there was nothing sexier than the look in his eyes, his own wicked thoughts transparent, laid bare before her.
Lora leaned her head back against the tree, staring at him with heavy eyes. Her whole body screamed yes. She wasn’t used to her own reaction, to wanting to speed things up this fast. To craving more and more with every whisper of a touch. The pent-up need stole her breath. She nodded, fingers twisting in his hair.
Eyden didn’t waste a second. While one hand was still squeezing her hip, the other drifted from her collar down the swell of her breast. Even through the fabric separating them, his touch felt like delicious fire grazing her skin. She wanted more.
His hand moved further down, catching the hem of her shirt and slipping under. Eyden’s fingers drew circles on her stomach, teasing her. She sighed in frustration and Eyden chuckled softly before his hand strayed higher.
Lora’s eyes fluttered shut as his skilled hand cupped her breast, her bra not leaving much barrier. She arched her back, leaning into his touch with shocking desperation. His fingers found their way under her bra, pushing the fabric to the side as his thumb brushed over her peaked nipple, drawing a cry of pleasure from her.
Her hips bucked, pressing into him. His growl of approval felt like music to her ears. Eyden’s head dropped to her shoulder as his fingers continued to play their magic, moving to her other breast. She clutched his shoulders, breathing in the scent of him.
Cool air brushed over her sensitive skin as his hand left her chest. Everything felt hazy, frantic. Eyden’s hand moved to grasp her thigh, steadying her, before sliding up to her hips and back. The repeated movement drove her crazy.
Every other thought had left her. There was nothing but Eyden. His mouth. His hands. The lower part of him pressing against hers, sending a bolt of pleasure through her with each shift. Combined with the heat of his tongue traveling up her neck and stopping to nibble her earlobe, Lora’s senses were in overdrive, her breathing coming in fast. Her heart threatened to jump out of her chest as her core tightened deliciously and the tension between her legs built.
Lora’s hands travelled up his arms, clasping his biceps, admiring the strength before moving to the band of his trousers. Her greedy fingers slipped under his shirt. She heard Eyden gasp before his lips found hers again, their tongues intertwining.
His stomach was all muscles. She moved her hand over the hard stretch of skin above his trousers, teasing him, fingers moving up and then dangerously low. She marveled as his breathing sped up. Her fingers trailed playfully along his lower stomach until she hit a firm object. Freezing, she drew back from him enough to catch a glimpse.
“Is that a knife?” Her voice was breathy. Barely recognizable.
“Mhm…what else did you think it was?” Eyden answered, planting kisses across her jaw, down her throat.
“Well…”
Eyden chuckled against her skin, the vibration further sparking the fire building within her. “I think you already knowthathappened way before your nifty hands found that knife,” he whispered in her ear, pressing against the softness between her legs unapologetically. He swallowed her moan with a kiss. “I could hear that all day and never get tired of it.”
She smiled against his lips. Her hand continued its exploration, gracing the knife again.
“You can remove it if you’d like.” He drew back, finding her gaze. “Or anything else you want.”
The heavy insinuation made her heart skip a beat. She hadn’t actually thought this through. How far was she willing to go here? There was no denying she yearned for this. Craved it. She wanted to strip all the layers away until there was nothing separating them.
But here? And now? She’d only had sex with one person and that was in a long-term relationship. Lora had never seen herself as the type to lose herself in someone she hadn’t seriously dated. But she’d also never felt like this. Like a fire wanting to be lit by Eyden’s touch.
A creaking sound broke through the silence, breaking Lora’s spiral of thoughts. Eyden pulled back, alarmed, setting her feet back on the ground before he twisted around. He drew his knife and stepped in front of her, shielding her while his free hand tugged his shirt back down.
