“I’m counting on it.” His amber eyes darkened with hunger as he ground against my palm. “And I think it’s time for a practical lesson in...endurance.”
I laughed, the sound breathless with want. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
“Among other things.” He captured my mouth again, deeper this time, his tongue sliding against mine in a way that made my knees weak. Through our bond, I could feel his arousal mixing with mine, that intoxicating feedback loop that made everything more intense.
“Valen,” I gasped when he moved to nip at my throat, right over my pulse point. “Someone could see us out here.”
“Let them,” he growled, his hands already working at the fastenings of my shirt. “I want the whole world to know you’re mine.”
The possessive edge in his voice sent heat straight to my cock. After the busy week we’d had with almost zero free time, having him claim me so openly felt like freedom at last. I reached for his shirt, desperate to feel his cool skin against mine.
“Impatient,” he chided, but his own hands were just as eager, pulling my shirt up and off before tossing it into the grass. “I thought I was supposed to be teaching you about patience.”
“You’re a terrible teacher then,” I shot back, finally getting his shirt open and running my hands over the lean muscles of his chest. “All you’re teaching me is how much I want your cock.”
He pinned my hands above my head against the cottage wall, his body pressing against mine in a way that made me arch into him. “Is that so? And what else am I teaching you?”
I looked up into his eyes, seeing my own desperate need reflected there along with something deeper. Love. Trust. The absolute certainty that this was where I belonged.
“That this is exactly where I belong,” I said honestly. “That some things are worth fighting for, even when the whole world tells you that you’re wrong.”
His grip on my wrists gentled, his thumb stroking over my pulse point. “And what else?”
“That you’re mine too,” I said softly. “Just as much as I’m yours.”
Something fierce and tender flashed across his face. “Always,” he promised, releasing my hands to cup my face instead. “For as long as you’ll have me.”
“Forever sounds good to me,” I whispered, pulling him down for another kiss.
This time when our mouths met, it was slower, deeper, full of promise and possibility. Through the bond, I could feel his emotions as clearly as my own. There was love and gratitude and wonder that we’d somehow found our way to each other despite everything that had tried to keep us apart.
“Then take me right here,” I said. “Give me everything you’ve got.”
Valen’s eyes darkened at my words, his control visibly fraying at the edges. “Fuck,” he breathed, his hands already moving to the button of my jeans. “You have no idea what you do to me when you talk like that.”
“Show me,” I challenged, my own hands working frantically at his belt. The afternoon sun was warm on my bare chest, but it was nothing compared to the heat building between us.
He spun me around suddenly, pressing my chest against the stone wall of the cottage. The rough texture scraped against my skin as he ground against my ass, his hard cock evident even through our remaining clothes.
“Right here where anyone could see us,” he murmured against my ear, his fangs grazing the sensitive skin of my neck. “Where the whole academy could know exactly what their proper little Quinn heir is doing with his vampire professor.”
I moaned at the combination of his words and the way he was pressing against me, my cock straining painfully in my jeans. “Less talking, more fucking,” I managed to gasp out.
His laugh was dark and promising as he yanked my jeans and underwear down in one swift motion, leaving me bare and exposed against the wall. The cool air hit my heated skin, making me shiver despite the warmth of the sun.
“Someone’s eager,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice as his hands mapped the curve of my ass. “But I think I need to remind you who’s in charge of these lessons.”
Before I could respond, one slick finger was pressing against my entrance, and I realized he must have been carrying lube in his pocket. That bastard.
“Always ready, aren’t you?” I gasped as he worked the finger inside me, my body already welcoming the familiar intrusion.
“For you? Always,” he replied, adding a second finger and making me arch back against him. “I’ve been thinking about this all week while we were stuck in those meetings. About having you like this, open and desperate for me.”
The feeding connection sparked to life as my arousal spiked, that familiar warmth flowing between us. But this time it felt different somehow. Stronger. Like the bond was deepening with each passing day we spent together.
“More,” I demanded, pushing back against his fingers. “I need more, Valen.”
“So impatient,” he chided, but he added a third finger, stretching me thoroughly while his free hand roamed over my back and sides. “I want to take my time with you.”
