She blinked those beautiful, champagne-hued eyes at him. “What?”
“This eve, I’ll bind us back together and fix what was nearly broken.” A vow.
The familiar scents of herbs and woodsmoke wrapped around them as they entered Talonhold. Bregga shuffled out from the kitchen, relief softening the hard lines of his weathered features.
He bowed. “Your Majesties, welcome back. The people are joyous.”
Ash smiled, and Race, still gloriously naked from shifting back into human form, didn’t so much as blink at the old shifter, just nodded.
“I bring ye a tray?—”
Race’s crimson gaze cut to him, and his growl rumbled low, dangerous. “Later. We’re not to be disturbed.”
“Aye, sire.” Bregga’s mouth snapped shut with a noise, but his rheumy eyes twinkled as he quickly shuffled toward the kitchen.
“Oh, God,” Ash groaned, burying her flaming face in her good hand.
“What?” Race cocked an eyebrow, pure devilry in his tone.
“Now he knows. You can’t just stalk around like this, with that?—”
“Hard-on?” His grin turned wolfish. “I can, and I will. You’re the only one who matters.”
Before she could retort, he pressed his hand to the small of her back, steering her up the stairs. His stride was relentless, his silence a taut wire humming around her like a living thing.
Upstairs, he closed the door behind them. The quiet clicked through her bones.
Then her spine met wood, his body caging hers, his eyes burning as if she were the only one in his world.
“Ra—” His name was cut off as his mouth found hers, fierce and claiming, flooding her with the heat.
He pulled away, then with quick, efficient moves, her boots and jeans were off, her shirt—or rather his—was yanked apart, buttons popping, plinking everywhere.
She was as naked as him.
Then, as if she were the most precious thing ever, he scooped her into his arms, careful of her injuries, and carried her to thebed. He laid her on the covers, his gaze tracing the sling around her arm.
He sighed. “I shouldn’t touch you while you’re hurt.”
She sat up. “Funny, I thought the idea was that I’d touchyou.”
His eyes narrowed, heat deepening those gorgeous claret depths. “Much as I want this, Ashaya, you’re not a hundred percent yet?—”
She snorted. “What I need works rather well.”
With her good hand, she stroked his shaft—so close to her face—then licked the head, and his jaw flexed.
“What are you doing?” he rumbled, pushing her hair back and watching her.
“Sucking you off. Finally.” She grinned and licked him again, then took the head into her mouth and worked him, taking him as far as she could, before releasing him. Then starting over again, and squeezing the root she couldn’t quite swallow.
He grunted, grasped her hair and shunted into her mouth, harder, faster?—
“Fuck!” he growled, stopping, his eyes shutting. He pulled out and sat next to her, rubbing his face.
He always put her first in everything, and Ash’s heart expanded, too big for her chest with how much he meant to her, with how much she wanted him.
She rose, straddling his thighs, careful of her injured arm in the sling, her good hand gripping his hair at the back of his nape. His arms came around her.
