Page 113 of In Between Death and the Devil

I was inclined to argue with him, but something told me that was the wrong choice. Our bond was awash in his emotions, so many that I had to concentrate to untangle them. I frowned. He wasn’t just being stubborn or self-doubting. He was being vulnerable. He worried about getting things wrong between us, so much that he was afraid to try. I wasn’t sure how I was reading all that from his emotions—maybe it had to do with the depth of our bond—but I was sure I was right.

“I don’t regret my choice,” I said. “It was less painful than I thought it would be, because I was choosing to come back to you.”

He looked up at that, his expression so full of hope and disbelief that I ached for him. His lips parted as he searched my face and our bond for any sign that I was lying. “You chose me.” It was almost a question, the words so quiet I barely heard them.

“Yes.”

His eyes filled with tears, and I couldn’t hold back any longer.

Getting to my knees, I shuffled forward until I was right next to him. Keeping my eyes on his, I bent forward slowly, my intent clear. I wasn’t going to force myself on him, but I couldn’t not try to close the gap between us.

He stayed still, his body taut like he might bolt at any moment. His eyes fell to my mouth as I drew closer and closer until I finally pressed my lips to his in a gentle kiss.

Both of us trembled at the contact. Relief and joy flowed between us in our bond. Erasing the distance between us made me realize just how wrong it had felt to be at odds with him. Maybe it was the Death Chord that made me crave his closeness, or maybe it was just him.

I pressed a second kiss to his mouth and then a third, reveling in the way his lips softened against mine. On the fourth, I teased the seam of his mouth with my tongue. He opened for me with a sigh that I swallowed greedily as I deepened the kiss. Like the night we met, he seemed content to let me lead until my legs started to shake from balancing over him. I reached out blindly for the back of the couch to steady myself, but he caught me around the waist and pulled me over and onto his lap so that I straddled him.

Our kisses grew heated. One of us would pull away to catch our breath and the other would chase, unwilling to separate for more than a few seconds. My hands sifted through his hair while his inched lower until they rested on my hips, his fingers curved around my ass. I could feel him hardening beneath me as I ground against him, my hips moving of their own accord.

“Maeve,” he said between kisses. “Tell me.” Another kiss. “You want this.” His lips skated to my jaw.

“Yes.” The word was a gasp as he found a particularly sensitive spot beneath my ear.

“Be clear. Do you want me to fuck you?” He nipped at my ear before kissing down my neck.

“Please.” I tilted my head to give him better access while rocking against him.

His hands tightened on my hips, stilling me. “What do you like?”

My eyes flew open at the question and I froze.

“Maeve?” Fen pulled back to look at my face.

“I—” My face heated and I swallowed. I had no idea what I liked. Colt had been my only partner, and he’d driven every sexual interaction we’d had. It had all been based on what he wanted. All I’d wanted at the time was to please him. I felt so foolish sitting on Fen’s lap, unable to vocalize any specific desires.

He seemed to read everything I couldn’t bring myself to say, moving one hand to stroke my back. “Why don’t we play a game? I’ll try something, and you tell me if I’m hot or cold depending on how much you like it.” The heat in his eyes and anticipation in our bond cooled my discomfort.

“Okay.” I gave him a small smile.

“Do you trust me in this?” he asked, sensing my hesitation.

“Yes.” For once, I was grateful for his experience. There was no question I was in good hands.

His answering smile was bright, and it melted any remaining reservations. Leaning forward, he gave me a soft kiss. “How about this?”

“Warm.” I smiled against his lips.

“And this?” He deepened the kiss, stroking inside my mouth with his tongue, taking control.

“Warmer.” I panted, something swooping in my stomach.

He moved to my jaw again, tracing the path he’d previously taken, alternating between nibbling, sucking and grazing my skin with his teeth.

“That one,” I said with a moan.

His teeth scraped against my skin again. “This one?”

“Mmmm.” My hands wove into his hair. It wasn’t quite as good as the last, but I didn’t want him to stop.