All that warm skin.
I closed my eyes and smiled as I let go of the hold I had on my magic. I heard Nick’s sharp intake of breath as it wrapped around him, seeking out his own, even if I still couldn’t quite reach it.
Soon.
Soft lips trailed along my collarbone while clever fingers wrapped around my cock, and it was my turn to gasp. “I thought you were tired?” I opened my eyes to find Nick staring at me intently, bottom lip drawn between his teeth.
“I am.” He stroked his hand up and down, slow and teasing, and I groaned. “But there’s no way I can sleep next to you naked and not touch you first.”
His words tugged at something deep inside me and my lips curved up into a soft smile. “I want to touch you too.” Grabbing his hip, I urged him closer, batting his hand away and taking over, my hand wrapped around us both.
When I glanced up, Nick was looking at me. The warmth in his eyes wasn’t something I should want, but I did. I craved it as much as I craved his body against mine. I kissed him, needing the connection, closing my eyes as his lips met mine.
He groaned against my mouth, the sound going straight to my cock, but I kept the same steady pace with my hand, deepening the kiss instead.
Unlike the white-hot intensity of the times before when we’d done this, I coaxed us to a slow and lazy release, my magic swirling between us in a gentle push and pull. There was no urgency this time, but the connection between us was just as strong.
As I followed him over the edge, whispering his name as I buried my face in his neck, his magic rose so close to the surface I could almost touch it.
Almost but not quite.
After cleaning us both up, I settled against Nick’s chest, his breaths deepening as his eyes closed. Reaching for his wrist, I turned it over.
The last link was all but gone, but not totally.
I stared at it, willing the last traces of ink to disappear, breaking the spell completely, but it stayed where it was. Clearly it was going to take a little more to finish it off.
We’ll just have to do all that again in the morning.
DATHAL
Unfortunately,I didn’t get the chance to wake Nick up with sleepy morning sex like I’d planned. Yet again I had to leave him asleep in his bed while I snuck out to meet Axel outside.
I’d left him a message on his phone, but I still hated leaving without a proper goodbye. He’d been dead asleep though and I didn’t want to wake him, not when he had another shift at his club later that night. With any luck, I’d get Axel to drop me off after we finished at the police station.
Axel pulled his helmet off as I walked down the driveway toward him.
“I thought we weren’t due in until eleven?” It was only nine-thirty, but Axel’s text had said it was important.
He sighed, and I didn’t like the look in his eyes. “Lady Sarhin sent word through the gateway. Since you’re playing a waiting game until permission comes through to search the hunter compound, the high court want you to return.”
I stopped in my tracks, helmet dangling from my fingers. “What for?”
Axel shrugged. “Something about one of the witches. It was vague.”
“Chlah Ferath.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Did they say how long for? Surely I need to be here when we search Yates’s home?” No part of me wanted to go back.
Not yet.
I glanced back at Nick’s house, so very tempted to ignore the high court’s order and go back inside.
“Dathal,” Axel called softly. “They’ll be expecting you.”
“I want to stay here,” I whispered, gripping the helmet tight.
“I know you do.” He parked his motorbike and walked up to me, pulling me into a tight embrace. “Fuck, Dathal. I warned you this would happen.” He pulled back and gripped my jaw gently. “You never fucking listen.”
I rested my forehead against his. “Because you’re not usually right.”
