“I love you too, Viking.”
“Enough to tell me that you’re beautiful on the inside and out,” he barters.
“Not quite, but I’m getting there, my Viking.”
“Then let’s get there together,” he recommends.
“I have an idea about how we can do that,” I suggest.
“Anything, goddess. I’ll do anything to help you get there.”
“Make love to me. Show me with your body how I make you feel. Prove to me that I’m beautiful.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
Icer
“Are you sure, baby?”I ask, my tone gentle and concerned, hoping she won’t withdraw from me if I follow through on what she’s asking. The vulnerability in her eyes makes me want to be certain, to hold her close and protect what’s unfolding between us.
She looks up at me, her gaze steady and unwavering. “I’m sure. I’m ready. My body is singing for you, Viking. Tell me you can feel it.” Her words are confident, and there’s an undeniable, lustful connection igniting between us. It’s scorching hot. I pull her back into my chest and begin nibbling on her neck like a starved man needing a snack. This spot between her shoulder blade and nape has always intrigued me.
It calls to me like a siren luring a sailor to the depths of the sea.
Like an alpha wolf wanting to claim his mate so no other man can try and take her away.
The moan that escapes her has my dick going from stiff to rock hard.Mine,my inner beast snarls. Too bad I’m nothing but a measly human because I’d like to mark her, brand her, insert my scent into her veins like the shifters of lore do.
I huskily breathe her name, “Letti,” my voice rough with longing. Unable to hold back, I press my hips forward, the denim of my jeans rubbing against her backside. She reacts instantly, shifting and pushing her body back into me, her curves perfectly molding into the crevice of my hips.
Even in this heated moment, I pause, this isn’t only about me, I need to be thinking with a clearer head. This is about her mental state and well-being, not about the way my damn dick is aching to slide inside of her.
“Make sure this is what you want, baby,” I tell her, my tone soft. “I don’t want to do anything that’ll trigger you.” The air between us is heavy with carnal anticipation, it’s dynamic, but respect for her remains at the forefront of my every move and action, making sure she feels safe and in control.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what matters the most. Her. Always her.
With pure determination, she looks me in the eyes and says, “I swear I’m ready, Viking. This time, my mind isn’t going to ruin the moment between us. I want you. I love you. I need you.”
Her words carry the weight of her past struggles, but she also has a renewed strength, one full of hope for the future—our future. Her confession’s more than mere words, it’s a heartfelt admission of desire, affection, and necessity.
“Fuck, baby, if this doesn’t prove your strength, I’m not sure what does,” I rasp, foreign emotions clogging my throat. Mygoddess is putting herself in a vulnerable position and placing her trust in me without reservation. She undoes me like no other woman ever has.
Our eyes once again meet through the mirror as I lift my hand and brush it beneath the hem of her T-shirt. When she gives me a nod of approval, I let it glide upward and cup her unbound breasts.
“No bra?” I ask, wondering why I hadn’t noticed that before now.
“It’s restricting and the reason I wear a cami underneath my tops when I’m at home,” she informs me with an impish twinkle in her eye. She knows that she’s pulled the wool over my eyes because it keeps her constrained enough that it never registered that she wasn’t wearing a bra.
“All this time you’ve been teasing me and I never realized it. That’s a shame. I’m disappointed in myself,” I admit, digging my nose into her skin and breathing in her natural fragrance, embedding it in my nostrils so she’s the only thing I smell. “That’s something I should’ve definitely picked up on seeing as I notice everything about you.”
“You shouldalsobe noticing that my nipples are hard, begging for your attention,” she purrs, her eyes drooping. “Touch me, please.”
“You need relief, baby girl?”
“Yes,” she hisses, her body humming for me.
“Where, baby? Where do you need me to touch you?” I ask, wanting her to know she’s in charge. I want her to direct me, even if it’s just this once until her confidence in us grows. She trusts me, I know she does, but I need her to remember thatno matter what we’re doing. Most importantly, I need this to be ingrained into her psyche when we’re sharing something so intimate. There can never be any doubts between us during times like this.
