My loopiness, in the face of imminent danger, has become my whole personality.
“You go first.” I look at Hailey and Gyun. “We’ll see you soon.”
“Godspeed,” Hailey says, then the assortment of gods and ungods disappears in a blink.
And suddenly, it’s just me and Ethan in the shadowy echo of his mother’s garden. “Are you—”
Ethan crushes his lips against mine and absolutely plunders my mouth. I don’t pause to process my surprise. I scrabble to climb onto him, and he hoists me up by my ass so I can wrap my legs around his waist. I moan against the slick heat of his tongue and draw a groan from him with my teeth. He kisses me until I’m breathless and lightheaded.
“I don’t know when we’ll be alone again.” He punctuates every word with a kiss, then draws back to look at me. “We should take advantage of purgatory’s strange flow of time before we go to the Mortal Realm.”
I fist my hand in his hair and tug him down for another hard kiss. “You are a smart, smart male.”
Our mouths fuse again, and I tear at his clothes as he maneuvers us to the pavilion. We don’t get much further than the stairs. I squirm until he sets me down on the top step, and I push him onto his ass.
Ethan rips off his T-shirt, and I squirm out of my jeans and panties along with my shoes. I plant my knees on either side of his slim hips and unzip his jeans to free his hard length. Without pause, I sink down on him, taking him inside me to the hilt.
I don’t feel the dig of the wooden floor against my bare knees as I ride him, full throttle. Ethan pivots his hips to meet me, every time I bear down on him. This isn’t tender lovemaking. We fuck hard and fast with the jagged edge of fear and uncertainty dogging our every thrust.
“Sunny,” he growls, gripping my hips to move me up and down even more frantically.
He’s close, and so am I. When he tilts my hips and pushes his cock against a secret spot deep inside me, I unravel with a throaty scream. He holds me still as he rams into me, once, then twice, and finds his own release.
Ethan collapses onto his back, with me on top of him, his legs stretching down the steps of the pavilion. My head rises and falls with his chest as he fights to catch his breath, and I lie limply against him.
“Best honeymoon ever,” I murmur, my words a little slurred.
“You need to set your bar higher, sweetheart.” He chuckles. “I will take you on a proper honeymoon when this is all over.”
“Somewhere more romantic than purgatory?” I gasp. “How ever will you manage?”
“I’ll have to find a way.” He cups my ass with his big hands and squeezes.
“Hey,” I protest and squirm, embarrassingly turned on.
“Sorry.” He loosens his grip, then pats one cheek in apology. “I love your round ass. I couldn’t resist.”
“‘My irresistible ass’ and I forgive you.” I rest my chin on his bare chest and look up at him. “We should go.”
“Yeah.” He raises his head a fraction to meet my gaze. “We should.”
Neither of us move for a full minute, then with a long, reluctant sigh, Ethan sits us both up and sets me down next to him. I retrieve my underwear and jeans and pull them on with far less enthusiasm than when I practically tore them off. I pout when Ethan zips up his jeans and tugs on his T-shirt.
Much too soon, we’re ready to leave.
“Crap.” I cup my forehead. “I forgot to ask the gods to teach me how to get to the Mortal Realm.”
“You don’t need them to teach you anything. Not anymore.” He dips his head to catch my eyes. “Think like a goddess. How wouldyouget us to Shinsan?”
“Well, I liked how the god of Water swooshed his long sleeve like a magician when he transported us to the Kingdom of Sky.” I pinch my lips to the side. “But I’m not wearing anything swooshable.”
“I know exactly what you can swoosh.” Ethan’s lips spread into a gleeful grin. “You were actuallymadefor this.”
Laughter bubbles up my throat when I catch on to his meaning. I shift without hesitation and proudly raise my nine tails toward the sky.
“Whoa.” Ethan steps close and runs his hand down my snout. “You are ... brilliant.”
“I know,” I say telepathically before looking down at myself.Whoa.My coat sparkles like I’ve been glitter bombed. “Oh I get it. I am literally brilliant.”
