Page 16 of Mistress of Hours

Orion’s voice pulled her from her reverie; she rarely took the time to simply admire the city she called home.

“You look at this view as if you’ve never seen it before,” Orion observed.

She gave a halfhearted chuckle and said, “I almost never stop what I’m doing to take in this beautiful place that I love so dearly. I’ve lived in Ichorna my whole life, and Lucinne for nearly twenty years, and I think I’d do just about anything for my people.”

“Your devotion is admirable; your people are lucky to have you as a defender,” Orion smiled at her, his words earnest.

“I try to be worthy of them, but I feel there is more I could do,” Evienne sighed. “Enough about me, though. Time for you to share all of your innermost thoughts and feelings,” Evienne said with her own mischievous smile.

“Well, at this moment, I find my mind consumed with a very specific topic,” Orion’s dimple was on display, but his gaze was heated. Evienne raised her eyebrows at him in question.

“Evienne, you appreciate bluntness, I think, so I will be straightforward with you. I am intrigued by you. I know mytime in this city will be short, but I find my thoughts constantly drawn to you since my arrival, and I intend to invest my time in knowing you better.”

Thoughts spun wildly through Evienne’s head at Orion’s words. She was supposed to be getting him off-balance, not the other way around. She wasn’t cut out to spy, she realized. She craved authenticity too much to play games with people. A rather inconvenient observation given her current situation.

Evienne felt herself wanting to be closer, though she already stood quite close to him. She knew she must look surprised at his words, and she was. He was right—she did prefer bluntness—but it was a rare indulgence, especially when it came to matters of the heart. She felt all sorts of emotions as she looked at him. Excitement, longing, curiosity—all alongside the pang of fear that had kept her from letting herself really be intimate with anyone in the time since she had left Dominique.

She decided then that she would let herself have this enjoyment. She could do this without getting attached, just as she had a hundred times before. Orion wouldn’t be here long; there was no risk of her losing all of the work she had done to reclaim herself. Other than perhaps being a bit unprofessional, she didn’t see any harm.

“Orion,” she began, placing her hand over his on the cool railing. “I do appreciate your frankness; I will endeavor to match it. I find myself drawn to you for reasons that I do not fully understand. I know your time here is limited, but I will enjoy it all the same, in more ways than one, if I understand the full extent of your proposition.”

He leaned into her space then, sliding his other hand around her waist. It didn’t even cross her mind to pull away.

“Well then, High Sangviere and Protector of Lucinne,” his voice lowered in volume, only for the two of them. “I believewe understand each other. I would like to make good on our agreement now, if that is acceptable to you?”

Evienne peered at him through her lashes. Her breath caught at his words. She had a job to do, but she supposed getting closer to him could make him more comfortable opening up to her about his motives. If she was being honest, though, she would accept any excuse her mind could give her to be with him. She just—wanted to.

She nodded, bringing her hands to his chest. His fingers tensed on her waist, and he leaned in to brush his lips against her cheek. Evienne’s breath left her in a silent pant, and she angled her head, bringing her lips to his in a gentle kiss.

Heartbeats passed before Orion deepened the kiss, his hands sliding up Evienne’s back to pull her flush to his body. He groaned softly as her lips parted for him, their tongues brushing. Evienne pulled away with a gasp, her whole body alight with desire for this man in a way she had never felt for anyone.

“Come with me.” Evienne took Orion’s hand and led him through the halls until they came to the library. She knew all of the librarians were attending the celebration, so it would certainly be quiet amongst the stacks. They entered the great wooden doors, and Evienne closed them behind her with a gentle thud.She silently prayed that no one would come looking for them or notice they’d gone.

They made their way to one of the hearths that was set up with a few sofas and a low table. It was one of the many reading areas in the massive palace library. This particular nook was along the back wall, far from the main entrance.

The fire that had been burning was nothing more than a pile of embers, casting a warm orange glow on the plush rug. The whole of the library was filled with windows, so the moon’s light made the space bright despite the dying fire.

Orion didn’t waste a moment, pulling Evienne back into hisembrace. His lips found the sensitive crook of her neck and Evienne let out a little moan at the tingling she felt in her fingertips. She breathed in his warm, spicy scent and felt her pulse come to life in her core. All hesitation left her mind as she focused on simplyfeeling.

“Is this what you want?” Orion sounded breathless, his hands bracing her generous waist. His fingers were splayed, with his forefingers brushing the underside of her breasts. She looked up at him, noticing the color in his cheeks. He was just as affected by this as she was.

“Yes. Please.” Evienne couldn’t believe she was all but begging, but she didn’t know what else to make of this pull between them. She had taken many lovers, but something about this felt new.

“Good,” Orion answered, drawing his hands up her sides until he cupped her breasts fully in his hands through her dress. He bent to capture her mouth again, the kiss demanding from the start this time. She brought her hands to wrap around his neck, running them through his silky hair. He slid his hands back down her body, grabbing her rear and pulling her closer to him. She felt his hardness against her stomach and moaned again.

“May I touch you?” Orion’s voice was a breathless rumble against her neck.

“Yes,” Evienne moaned as he began to pull her toward one of the couches. Orion sat and guided Evienne into a position astride him. She had never shied away from being on display; in fact, she rather enjoyed it. Her skirt gathered around her waist, exposing her rounded hips and full thighs.

Orion’s gaze was fixed on all of the places where her creamy soft skin was revealed. His hands slid reverently up her thighs, and he glanced up at her, his eyes full of his lust and something else she couldn’t quite place. She leaned down, cupping his jaw with one hand, and whispered in his ear, “Now, touch me.”

Chapter Ten

Orion was overwhelmedby his reaction to Evienne. Memories of how he felt when he first saw her had plagued him almost every moment since he arrived. That pull behind his sternum had been bizarre; he didn’t know what to make of it. He thought her beautiful, of course, and her wit and intellect had drawn him in as they spent time together. But he had been attracted to people before, even had feelings for them, without this hypnotic pull on his soul. He desired to be close to her, connected to her, in every way.

His fingers skimmed her lush thighs, taking in their silky feel. He shifted his gaze and was met with a mirror of his own breathless desire in Evienne’s face. All thoughts emptied from his head save one; he would bring his stunning woman pleasure as she had never known before.

She sat astride him, the apex of her thighs exposed to the cool air but obscured from view by the gathered fabric of her skirt. He slid his hands higher, reveling in the warm give of her lush hips. This woman was all roundness and curves, and he was becoming addicted to the feel of her.

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