This had nothing to do with his rank or titles. She wasn’t after him for his wealth.
She was here because she wanted to be.
Her red curls fanned out on either side of her face, reminding him of some beautiful fey creature who had stumbled upon him and claimed him with her magick. And she felt so good surrounding him. Surely there was no better pleasure than her being held in her arms.
She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders then brushed them through his hair.
He lowered himself to her and gathered her into his arms. Then slowly, very slowly, he began to gently rock himself between her thighs.
Tanis sighed in pleasure at the feel of him so deep, hard and strong inside her. She wrapped her arms around him and listened to his rapid breathing as he moved.
Arching her back to draw him in even deeper, she kissed his shoulder and inhaled the scent of him. He quickened his thrusts, sliding himself in and out of her, deeper and deeper. Her head spun from the sensations of his skin on hers, of his breath against her neck.
She breathed his name in his ear as she clung to him and met him stroke for stroke. Her body felt out of control. She was hot and tingly. And just as she was sure she would die from the pleasure of him, her body erupted into an ecstasy so intense that she screamed from it.
Dash ground his teeth at the sensation of her body gripping his while he kissed her deeply. Holding her tighter, he felt his own body release. With one last forceful thrust, he buried himself deep inside her and felt the waves of pleasure rippling through him as gave her a part of him he’d never given another single soul.
He lay completely still holding her for what seemed an eternity and yet it seemed to be no time at all.
“Is it always like this incredible?” she asked, her voice awed.
“Only with you.”
She gave him a hard stare.
“I swear, Tanis. You can accuse me of many things, insincerity and flattery aren’t two of them.”
But as his senses returned, he knew he should have done anything other than make love to her.
Again.
And yet even as the thoughts whirled through his mind, he looked into her beautiful face and saw what he had waited a lifetime for.
All he had to do was find the courage to take it.
If only it was that easy. Honestly, he was terrified of the feelings inside him. Whenever he looked at her all those long-buried dreams resurfaced and made him wish for things he had no right to wish for.
Home. Family...
Love.
Love? You? You’re a mongrel demonic bastard! Who’d ever want love from you?His father’s cold words continued to haunt him even though he’d buried him long ago.
Sometimes dead wasn’t dead enough.
Unable to breathe, he reluctantly withdrew from her, got up and dressed.
“Dash?”
The sound of her voice sliced through him. He paused at the door, torn between the need inside him to return to bed and take her into his arms and hold her forever, and the fear of her eventual rejection that made him want to bolt like a frightened colt.
For the first time in his life, he chose retreat. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
With no real direction on where to go, Dash returned to the great hall where he found Ryper alone, sitting at a table with bread and cake, drinking elfin ale.
“You do knowthat,”Dash indicated the cup of ale in Ryper’s hand, “can be deadly to other species?”
Ryper actually smiled. “Hasn’t killed me yet. Let’s see how much I can drink before it does.”
