Page 88 of A Lick of Flame

“Fuck!” He lowers his head, sucking in a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I thought that you might want to keep it a secret, that’s all.” He shrugs. Then he puts his arms around me and pulls me close. “I am not ashamed of last night. Do you hear me? I am not ashamed at all. I wrongly assumed that you would want to keep quiet about it.”

“Why would I want that? I loved our night together. I will cherish it for always. It isn’t something to be shoved under a rug like a dirty secret. I am not a dirty secret. I know that I’m not a fae, or royalty, or anything special, but I am me, and that should count for something.”

“It counts. It counts more than you know, and I promise you that you are special. Those other things don’t matter to me at all. Last night was incredible. I wish that I could keep you, Maya. I meant it when I said that. I mean it now, too. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. For just a moment last night, when you put a hand to your stomach, I felt…I felt longing for a child that we will never have. It was almost impossible leaving our bed this morning…leaving you. I am falling in love with you, and I can’t seem to stop it, but—”

“Well, then don’t!” I put my hands on his chest. “Don’t try to stop it. Don’t try to fight it. I know that we are meant to be together, that Fate brought you to me. I feel it here.” I touch a hand to my chest. “You must feel it, too.” I put my hand on his chest, over his heart. “I know that I am a thorn in your side. One you can’t wait to be rid of.”

“A thorn…” He shakes his head. “Why are you saying such a thing? It isn’t true at all.”

“I am no warrior. I wouldn’t be able to help you—”

“You have helped me. You do help me. You are the reason we escaped Bard.”

“It was your relationship that helped, too.”

“We did it together, Maya. We worked as a team. We make a great team, you and me. I would not have escaped if not for you. You also put two and two together about how to find the other kings. You were right. You’re so damned smart.”

“I am falling in love with you, too. I can’t bear the thought of going back or being separated from you. I hated it when you told Thesha and Xander that we’d been to see the witch instead of telling them the truth. It felt like you stabbed me in the chest when you said it.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“I understand now why you said that, and it makes sense.”

“I figured that when you told them how terrible breaking the tether was.” He smiles. “How terrible I was. I hope you were trying to get me back and that you didn’t mean it.”

“Of course I didn’t mean it. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head.” I swallow. “Or how you felt inside me.”

And just like that, I am struggling to breathe…to think.

30

Orion

“I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind either.” I kiss her softly. “The noises you made, how tight you were around me. How good you felt… How right we are together.”

“Yes.” Her voice is husky, and her eyes are hooded with need. “We are right together.” She reaches up and kisses me again softly. “I want you.”

I growl low, sounding like an animal. I kiss her deeply, devouring her mouth. Before long, we are moaning and running our hands all over each other.

She pulls on my tunic, and I pull away so that she can pull it over my head. Then she is gripping the hem and hauling at her dress.

“Leave it,” I say in a deep rasp. I yank down a sleeve, and one of her full breasts falls out. “Hades, help me!” I whisper as I suckle on her ripe nipple. “I don’t think that I will ever get enough of this…of you.”

She mewls, digging her hands into my hair. “I need you now…please, Orion.”

I look behind me and see a large, flat rock. I pick Maya up and walk us there, sitting on the rock with her straddling my lap.

I pull on her skirts, tugging them up around her waist. Then I am pulling at my breeches and freeing my hard cock.

I kiss her, rubbing on her nub a few times before sinking a finger inside her. “You’re so wet for me, love.”

“Yes, I’m wet and desperate.”

“You’re not too sore?”

“No,” she mewls. “Please, Orion.”

Then I’m lining up with her opening and gently thrusting into her heat. Her eyes go wide, and her breathing goes ragged as I ease my way inside her tightness.

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