Page 119 of A Legacy of the Light

The kiss isn’t gentle like the one he gave me this morning. His lips are full and soft, but firm as he consumes me. He tastes better than I could ever imagine, and when his tongue gently caresses mine, I grip his shirt tighter. He slides one hand up my torso to hold the back of my neck and presses his fingers at my nape, making me groan. I slide my hands across his toned chest and to his sculpted shoulders, noticing the way he tenses when my hands roam his body. I arch into him, needing to get closer.

When my breasts press into him, a deep, low moan comes from the back of his throat that makes my nipples harden and strain through the thin silk fabric of my pajamas.

Tavish’s hand on the curve of my ass digs into me when I gently tug at the hair on the back of his neck. He pulls away, and the need in his face sends fire racing through my body. He moves his hand into my hair and fists it, angling my head so the length of my neck is exposed to him.

He dips his head and runs his nose from my collar bone to below my ear and whispers, “I don’t think I will ever tire of your taste, Elsie.” The way his accent wraps around my name, and the feel of his breath on my skin, causes goosebumps to break out over my entire body.

A needy whimper escapes my lips and I tighten my hold on him. He kisses below my ear and along my jaw and stops at the corner of my mouth.

The hand holding my hair moves to grip my chin and brings my face back to his. He holds my gaze as the other goes to my robe and unties it, the material opening to reveal my pajamas.

His eyes drop down to the shape of my breasts. I’m not wearing a bra and everything is on show. He gently strokes the pad of his thumb across my peaked nipple. I exhale and push into the touch, forcing his palm to the underside of my breast. He releases a sharp breath and bites down on his lower lip as he rubs his thumb back and forth.

I grip the back of his neck and pull his lips back to mine, the sudden dominance catching him by surprise. I feel him harden where he’s resting between my legs and I gently bite his lip.

I need more. I need him.

I need this, the feel of his body against mine. I need to not think or feel anything else, only the way my body molds to his and the desire he ignites between my legs.

He groans and pulls away, dropping his hands to brace either side of me on the counter. I don’t release my hold on him. He rests his head on my shoulder and his breath comes out in soft pants against my skin. “If we don’t stop now, I won’t stop until I’m buried inside you.”

I squeeze my legs around him and he braces his hands on the tops of my thighs and lifts his head to look at me.

“Fuck, Elsie,” he growls and kisses me again. Slowly, and worshipping my mouth in a way that makes me wonder what it will be like to have his head between my legs. He cups my cheeks gently and the red-hot desire that was coursing through my body slows, settling over me like a warm blanket.

Fuck. I have never been kissed like this in my entire life and I don’t know how I’m supposed to stop.

“I have to go and pack,” he whispers between soft kisses against my lips.

“Okay,” I whisper back but make no move to let him go.

He chuckles, releases my face, and steps out of my hold.

I lean back on my hands and breathe heavily. He rubs a hand over his mouth as he looks at me, my body, and my legs still spread on the counter.

Tavish shakes his head and sighs. “Fuck.”

I smile and pull the robe around me and slide off the counter. “Is that your favorite word tonight?”

“When you look at me like that with your legs spread for me, yes. Fuck is my favorite word.”

Following him to the door, he stops and kisses me once.

“I’ll see you in a few weeks,” he says, then leaves me alone with a racing heart, a needy body, and a quiet mind.

Chapter 29

Thankfully, the next three weeks in Elfayne pass with a lot less drama than the first. The first few days Tavish is away I spend locked in my room. I tell Reyne I don’t feel well when she comes knocking on my door, but the truth is, I need some space. After everything I have discovered and the intensity of things with Tavish, I feel overwhelmed and need to process everything on my own for a while.

I’m angry with my family for keeping such a huge secret from me my entire life. But I also feel guilty for being angry with them. I know they did it to protect us, but I can’t help but wonder if my grief wouldn’t have been so heavy if I had known the truth.

I sit with that thought for a while, and try to rationalize if it would have made a difference knowing Granny was Seelie. And that it’s very possible the Dorche found her, and Mom was in their way.

I come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter how it happened. Mom is gone and so is Granny. I still don’t believe she’s dead, but I have no way of proving that other than the nagging suspicion in my gut.

When I see Grandpa I will tell him I know everything. My suspicion is that he knew what the Craobh would do when he gave it to me and that’s why he looked so sad after I dropped him home on my birthday.

When I trudge down to the library the day after I decide wallowing in my room isn’t doing me any favors, Finneus takes one look at my tired face and red eyes and pulls me into a warm hug that makes me sob into him for a few minutes before we get to work.