“You’ll have to teach me,” he murmured, green eyes falling to her lips.
“With pleasure.”
Closing the distance, Maeve lightly pressed her mouth to his. Starting with a gentle touch, she teased him with ephemeral kisses, little pecks and presses around his mouth. The middle of his upper lip was particularly sensitive, at the bases of his many whiskers. A purr rattled to life in his chest as she kissed eitherside before bestowing one on his nose.
His paw at her waist began to knead, and he drew her even closer, pressing her tightly to him from chest to knee. She adored the deep groan he poured into her mouth as he followed her lead.
In no time, Maeve lost track of everything else. There was only the two of them and where they were connected. She breathed for the warm slide of their mouths, she lived for the gentle pressure of his lips against hers. Although unpracticed, Soren took instruction well. Diligent and patient as ever, he learned not just to follow but to experiment.
When he dared dip his tongue into her mouth, Maeve hummed in approval, adjusting the angle of her head to allow him deeper. She heard his sharp inhale, and then he was plundering her mouth, licking and claiming from the inside out. It reminded her of how he’d lavished her cunt the previous night.
Fates, if she wasn’t careful, she’d insist he take her right here in the shed.
As though he had a similar thought, Soren lifted his head with a groan. His pupils were still large, though, and he still held her fast, as if reluctant to truly let go.
“Maeve,” he murmured, dropping his forehead onto hers.
“That was perfect,” she praised, smoothing a hand over his cheek.
“Enket at inan,” he sighed.
“What does that mean?”
“A plea—for the goddess to take me.”
“Hmm,” she hummed against his lips. “Your goddess will have to wait.” For now, this sweet, delicious man was Maeve’s.
The rest of the day, including the evening adult class, went by interminably slowly, of course. Although her desperationhad bloomed into anticipation, that longing sharpened as the afternoon wore on. She even dismissed class early and did her best not to be caught in conversation afterwards.
Taking Soren’s offered arm, they departed on their usual evening walk back to the estate. Yet, this time, anticipation held as tightly to her as she did to him. She counted their walk in steps and heartbeats, wondering when,whenthey could dart off the path and into each other’s arms.
He stopped sooner than she expected, but Maeve was ready when Soren turned to her. Lifting onto her toes, she eagerly awaited a kiss.
Instead, he nuzzled her cheek, the hollow behind her ear, and down her neck. At the crook, he whispered, “Will you come back with me? You deserve a bed at least.”
“I thought Kiri lived with you?”
“He’s staying with Balar and Imogen tonight.” Lifting her hand to his lips, Soren kissed the back tenderly. “Come with me?”
She didn’t mind their outdoor trysts at all—there was something to this sneaking about that added a layer of excitement. Still, how could she refuse such a sweet request? Four walls offered…opportunities. And it wasn’t like she’d be missed at supper.
Squeezing his hand, she said, “All right.”
A rare smile touched his lips, and with a nod, he turned them round. But before reaching the schoolhouse, they caught a narrow deer path through the forest. They used the waning light to pick their way through the trees, creeping upon Soren’s cabin from behind.
Maeve might’ve been offended to get smuggled into a man’s house around the back were it any other situation, but with Soren, it was different. Danann had just finished talking and speculating about them—why give it a reason to gossip again?
Yet, it was more than that. The way they breathlessly tip-toed through the trees, holding tightly to each other’s hands, gave her butterflies in her stomach. Like they were naughty youths finding a quiet spot to share a forbidden first kiss. Maeve had to press her free hand to her mouth to smother her giddy giggles.
They reached his cabin at twilight. Soren put his back to the exterior wall, leading her around the side. Her gallant sneak poked his head round the front to check if anyone was nearby or looking before pulling her quickly across the timber porch and through the front door.
All it took was a breathless moment, and as the door shut behind them, Maeve let out a whuffing exhale. Turning to Soren, she was prepared to be swept up in his arms and taken right to bed, but of course, this was her cautious Soren.
Rather than her, he was surveying his cabin critically. He did take her by the shoulders, but it was to turn her toward the wall.
Ooh, from behind?Perhaps he was naughtier than she gave him credit for.
“Give me a moment before you look,” he said instead, leaving Maeve to blink at the wall and listen to him hurriedly tidying.
