Page 129 of A Legacy of the Light

“I’m glad you think this is funny.”

“It is. Seelie don’t react the same about sex. I’ve seen half the court fucking by now.”

I move my hands away and look at him. “So I’m supposed to just pretend it never happened? Look him dead in the eye and pretend I didn’t see his dick down some Seelie’s throat?”

Tavish grimaces. “Hey! you don’t need to drag me down with you, you know.”

“If I’m suffering then you are, too.”

He shakes his head and abandons his chair for the sofa. The dishes disappear with another snap of his fingers. His easy use of magic makes me a touch jealous—learning how to do that would be pretty useful.

I get off the bench to join him. As I’m about to sit down, he pulls on my arm so I fall into his lap.

“Can I help you with something?” I ask, as he wraps his arms around my waist.

“Yes. I need to feel you.” He runs his nose along the side of my neck and I slip one arm across his shoulders. “Dhia, I’ve missed you.” His quiet whisper against my skin makes my chest tighten and goosebumps break out across my arms and neck.

I say nothing, but angle my head so he has better access to my neck. When his nose reaches that spot behind my ear, my grip at his shoulder tightens in his shirt.

“Aren’t you going to admit that you missed me?”

“I already did. I don’t think your ego needs anymore stroking.” My reply lacks the sass I wanted, as his fingers are tracing circles at the top of my thigh. Between that and the feel of his breath on my neck, my usual wit has abandoned me for the second time today.

Tavish pulls away and takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger, turning me so I’m facing him. Our lips are only a few inches apart.

“I need to know that you feel this, too,” he murmurs.

“I think it’s pretty obvious I feel it. You know how my body reacts to you,” I reply.

He moves his hand so it’s cupping the side of my neck, and strokes a thumb over my pulse. Where it’s fluttering, hard.

“I know how your body reacts, but I want to know what’s going on in your head,” he says.

How do I answer that? I want him. Fuck, do I want him. But I know I can’t get closer to him with the secret I carry. I know that with Tavish, I will not be able to separate sex from emotion and I will inevitably tell him what I am.

He’s shown me kindness, understanding, and patience since the very first morning I woke here. I have never met anyone like him.

I trust Tavish. But I can’t risk him finding out that I’m a Darrow by blood. That I could take the throne from his father, and his own crown, if anyone but Finneus knows who I am. That throne is mine by birthright. Finneus explained that Raghnall was given the throne thanks to his family ruling before the Darrows. There was too much turmoil in Elfayne for anyone to argue his ascension.

Tavish’s eyes flick between mine, as if he is watching all the thoughts tumble around in my head and is waiting for me to make sense of them.

Instead of answering, I kiss him.

The kiss in my room before he left for Alba was an explosion of passion and desire. This one is soft and exploring.

Tavish pulls me closer to him and I place a hand on his chest. His heart beats a steady drum underneath my palm. I sink into the feel of his lips against mine and a slow burn builds between my legs. I tighten my grip on his shoulder as he drives me wild with his gentle kisses, denying me the heat I know is simmering under the surface.

He takes my hips in his hands and shifts me so I straddle him. My surprised gasp into his mouth allows him to deepen the kiss further, making us both groan.

He rocks his hips into me, pressing his hard length right where I want him the most. I involuntarily grind down onto him and the tips of his fingers dig into me over the fabric of my sweater. The kiss quickly builds and neither of us holds back.

Tavish moves a hand to cup the back of my neck, and then he wraps my ponytail around his fist. He tugs me back so I’m sat upright, head angled back, and my throat exposed to him. Completely at his mercy.

He sits up slowly and trails soft kisses along the skin of my neck and my hands slide round his shoulders to hold him closer.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that you dodged my question,” he murmurs between kisses.

My breath comes out in soft pants that would make me cringe if Tavish didn’t handle my body so damn well.