Page 46 of Raven in Midwinter

I couldn’t help but smile. “You’ve spoken to a goddess before, and a god, I might add.”

“Yeah, but…nobody ever transformed into a kitsune right in front of me.”

“Did you see nine tails? Because I certainly didn’t.”

“I—”

“It’s possible you might be mixing up your lore,” I goaded him. “Though I could be wrong. It is very late.”

“You were exhausted.”

“I was,” I agreed, climbing over him, straddling his thighs, my hands sliding over his chiseled abdomen, admiring the beautifully carved lines of the man.

“And now?”

“Now I’ve been restored by a goddess.”

“She was a goddess?”

I waggled my eyebrows, which he could plainly see in the moonlight. “Didn’t she look like one?”

“I—”

“She was very beautiful.”

“Yes,” he said gruffly, and I saw him swallow. “She was.”

“You should go back to sleep,” I said solemnly, knowing I should let him rest, getting ready to move, lifting my knee. “I know you’re tired.”

He grabbed me fast, and his grip was tight, his hands on my thighs not allowing any movement. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” I asked softly, leaning over, my hands now splayed on his chest, as always enjoying how hard his body was.

His breath caught, a shiver ran through him, and I could feel the warmth of his hands through the silk robe. “Yes.”

“She shared some of her essence with me, which was very kind of her.”

“Did she?”

“She did. She told me a lot of things I want to share with you,” I murmured as I untied the robe, letting it fall open. “But I would like to tell you later.”

“Later is good,” he said before I bent and kissed him.

He lifted for me, and when our lips met, his tongue slipped into my mouth. I was rolled quickly to my back, and he came down between my parted thighs. My lips were ravaged, and I sucked and bit, needing him there, close, wanting, as I had earlier, to claim what was mine. But we needed something first.

“Hey,” I said, breaking the kiss, having to take a couple of gulps of air before I could get any more words out. “My jeans. Go get the small jar out of the back pocket of my jeans.”

He appeared confused.

“When I was in the kitchen earlier, I thought that at some point tonight I’m going to be in bed with my husband, because if we’re under the same roof, I will be with him. Nothing will keep me away.”

The slow smile of understanding was gorgeous.

“There’s vegetable oil in my jeans, so you better go get it.”

Scrambling off the bed, he ran, and moments later I heard him in the bathroom, cursing before he banged into the wall.

“There’s other things we could⁠—”