Page 88 of Our Radiant Embers

“Don’t worry, I’m a lenient judge.”

“Is that so?” The question was textured like dark velvet. Before I could respond, he pulled out and pushed back in with a slight twist of his hips that made me gasp.

“Never one to back down from a challenge, are you?” I managed.

His chuckle ghosted across my chin. “Just trying to make this good for you.”

Brief insecurity washed through me. He’d been with plenty of guys while my experience was limited to hasty fumbling with a couple of strangers—and him. Then our eyes met, lamplight tinting the ocean blue of his irises with a hint of teal, immeasurable warmth in the way he watched me. I fought to hold his gaze even as my lungs seemed to widen with a deep intake of air.

“It’s not a one-way street,” I told him.

He opened his mouth to respond. I beat him to the point—tightening around him right as I sent a thread of magic zagging down his back. He sucked in a harsh gasp, lids fluttering. When he focused on me once more, he looked like forming words took conscious effort.

“Never said it was. You’re—God. This is already the hottest thing, okay? I’m…” He paused to shake his head. “It’s you. And if this weekend is all we have…”

“I want more than that.” I felt brave for saying it, for putting myself out there and giving him the power to reject me even though I didn’t think he would.

We couldn’t last. But I wasn’t ready to give him up after just one night either.

He drew a breath. “Yeah. Me too.”

“Good.” It was enough for now—we’d said enough.

I tilted my hips up. He read my invitation, lamplight playing over our bodies as he set a careful rhythm. Push and pull. My hands fisted in the sheets, threads of golden heat coalescing in my belly, Liam’s fingers pressing half moons into my hip dips. Watching me as I watched him. His breath came in short, sharp staccato bursts. Now that my body had caught up, every thrust sent a surge of pleasure through me.

When I reached up to comb his hair away from his forehead, he leaned into the contact, lids sliding half-shut. While his movements slowed, each roll of his hips took him deeper now—withdrawing nearly all the way only to push back in with a measured, steady slide that had me seeing stars. I bit my lip to stifle my moans.

“Hey.” Liam curved down, his nose dragging along my cheek. “It’s just us here.”

I needed a moment to make sense of it, my thoughts spinning in hypnotic circles. Just us. Then it clicked. I caught his lips for an open-mouthed kiss, sharing breath more than anything else. When another ripple of warmth washed over me, I didn’t attempt to hold back my gasp.

“That’s it,” Liam whispered, as though I’d done something that deserved praise.

I sucked air into my lungs and let our mouths brush for another kiss. “Is this part of your quest to get me used to compliments?”

“Is it working?”

“Too soon to tell.”

“I’ll have to work”—a pointed thrust—“harder then.”

Something between a moan and a groan escaped me. I brought one leg up onto his shoulder, opening myself up further. “Maybe try working on your pun game first,” I told him, a grin stealing its way into my voice.

I sucked in a breath. “Thought you’re a lenient judge?”

“Consider it friendly yet constructive criticism.”

His airy chuckle feathered over my chin. “You know, it’s considered poor bedside manner to criticise a guy while he’s fucking you. Anyone ever tell you that?”

“As a matter of fact—no.” I moved back against him, something hot and heavy trembling in my stomach. “But then, you are my first and only.”

“I am, aren’t I?” A pleased murmur. “Guess this is my chance to set a standard.”

“It’s your chance to ruin me for everyone else.” I weighed my next words, resisting the impulse to look away from the light in his eyes. “Or maybe you already have.”

“Good.” He sounded reverent more than smug, something soft in the curve of his mouth. We’d come a long way since that first night at the pub, hadn’t we? Back then, we’d barely even talked once our argument turned physical, once we’d started kissing like we had something to prove because we did.

Another thrust, more urgent now. I arched my back to meet it as my vision narrowed, heat and tension pulling at me. Each breath was thick and sweet in my lungs, shadows gathering where we didn’t exist. God, yes.

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