Page 96 of Tempting Fate

The nest pushed us together, snuggling us in its well, and Airida curled behind me. As he settled me in his arms, I wriggled my arse against his stiff length. God, this was so nice, why hadn’t we done this before?

He whimpered, the sound of it going straight to my clit.

Airida rocked his hips. Even through clothes, having his dick pressed against something other than my hand was something else. So close to where I wanted it, but this was all I needed, him feeling like my lover. In this haze of tiredness, recovery, I didn’t need to think about… whatever it was I was supposed to be thinking of. When I was with him, everything was right.

I’d descended into that strange place, that sleepy arousal where my mind was too tired for anything but sleep, yet my body insisted on staying awake there.

He moaned, his movements small, all he could manage.

I rolled my hips. This was something I could give him. “That’s it, kitten, grind that dick on me, make yourself come for me.”

“Fate.” His hand slid over my shoulder and settled on a breast. He gave a tentative squeeze, rutting against me.

I arched into his touch.

Kalidi had him in its thrall, and I closed my eyes, enjoying his unpracticed, lust-drunk caress.

He came with a gasp of my name, dick stiffening and pulsing at my back. I hadn’t expected the low shudder running through me, not quite an orgasm, but not quite nothing. The ghost of satisfaction, maybe, a soft echo of his pleasure.

I clutched his arm, brought his hand to my lips, and kissed his fingers. “Sleep, love,” I murmured. “You did so good for me.”

His growly whimper rumbled into my back, and I fell asleep with his hot breath in my hair.

Towards the end of the day, the medic on duty discharged us. Once we’d both showered, we made our slow way back to Airida’s hut, arm in arm, wanting nothing more than food and sleep.

Fenn rose from the fire and hurried over to us. “How are you doing?”

Like I’d done ten rounds with an alien tentacle monster. “We’ll be fine. Just need food and some more rest.”

“Good. Don’t scare me like that again.” They gave me a swift hug. “Come on, we’ll get you something to eat.”

We perched on a log while someone served us each a bowl of stew.

Flavour burst on my tongue. God, I’d been such an idiot. We should never have left the village.

“Are you going to tell him, or shall I?” someone called out.

Now what? I forced down my mouthful of stew.

At the other side of the fire, Tokki stood. He made his way over, a grim expression on his face. “We were attacked last night.”

Airida put his spoon down with a clunk. “What? Who?”

“A bounty hunter and some mercenaries. We saw them off easy enough, but you aren’t taking any more risks like that.” He raked a hand over his headspines. “You were bloody lucky.”

Fuck. My fingers tightened on my bowl. “Will they be back?”

“Undoubtedly.”

This was the last thing we needed. “How long before they get bored and give up?”

“Who can tell? But hopefully before we have to leave for Orith.”

“Why then?” I spooned more stew into my mouth, as if the extra energy from it could help me follow the flow of conversation. Tokki was leaving something unsaid.

“When we leave, there won’t be enough of us here to protect you. But don’t worry about that now, just get yourselves better. We’ll handle it.”

As he walked away, Airida’s shoulders slumped, and I could only imagine what he might be thinking.