Page 66 of Shadows and Roses

She gasped as Castien dropped to his knees. No more gentle and slow movements now. His chair thumped away; neither of them noticed. She fell forward, her hands landing on his shoulders as he yanked up her dress and pried open her legs. Laughing breathlessly, Anais leaned back.

"What I want," Castien said between kisses on the inside of her thigh, "is to spread you open and take you. What I want…" More kisses. His fingers rubbed circles on her sensitive skin. Higher. "Is to bury myself in you, swallow your screams, and make you unable to walk without remembering every second we spent together."

He glanced up, his eyes burning. "Are there guards out here?"

Her insides clenched. "I don’t care."

"I do. No one else gets to hear you scream for me."

She moaned and lifted a leg, resting it on his back. "I’ll… mmm… be quiet. Please, Castien." If he didn’t touch her soon, she’d go mad.

"Hm." A corner of his lips lifted slightly. Holding her eyes, he gently tugged aside her undergarments. The cool breeze made her very aware of her arousal, then warmth enveloped her core.

Oh, gods, the heat. His mouth was molten wet silk, his tongue soft as he dragged a path up her slit. Air left her lungs and she fought to take another breath.

"Quit squirming," he said in a low tone.

"Don’t talk… with your mouth full," she panted.

A soft growl answered her. His hands pressed down her thighs, keeping her still as he returned to his task with a vengeance. Nipping, licking, sucking, he drove her quickly to the edge - so impossibly fast. Her muscles tensed, her hands gripping the arms of her chair as her body hummed in anticipation. Gods, so close. Just another-

"Beg," he growled, his fantastic mouth separating from her aching flesh. "Beg for what you want, Anais. Beg for me, my sweet lady."

Was this punishment? Delight tickled the back of her mind as she moaned, "Please! Castien, I can’t… oh, gods, please, your mouth, I need- Oh! Ahh…"

Gasping, she barely held in a shriek of pleasure as he kissed her between the legs again, his tongue diving into her slit, circling her opening, tasting her nether lips. Then he sucked her clit and she whimpered. Exploded.

She hadn’t played an actually entertaining bedroom game since… ever. This release soothed more than the ache between her legs. She let go.

He didn't stop, though he slowed, leisurely tasting her until she caught her breath and relaxed her legs. Eventually, he lifted his head with a satisfied, very male expression while he massaged her thighs.

"More, please," she moaned, her hips writhing, her back arched.

"So needy," he purred.

Those eyes, that voice. He could do terrible, wonderful things to her.

"Later," he murmured. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and licked like a cat savoring cream.

This man on his knees had an intoxicating power over her that she should have found alarming.

She didn’t mind in the least.

"Stay with me." She didn't mean here and now. Suddenly, it was desperately important that he did not leave the palace—leave her. She smoothed her dress, straightened on the chair. "I know you want your freedom. I know you want to leave the palace. The deal we made—I’ll honor it, of course, but I’d rather you stay as an Escort." As hers.

She wanted to beg him. Even what she'd already said was too much. He trusted her, perhaps wanted her, but she couldn't expect more than that. No matter that she felt more alive with him than ever in her life, that she couldn't imagine feeling so deeply for anyone else. She wanted to beg him not to tear her heart from her chest and take it with him.

He didn't respond, the living darkness in his eyes stilled.

She forced herself to hold his gaze. "It’s not a command. I shouldn’t even be asking you. You’ve waited your entire life to be free, and you’ve barely known me a few weeks. I apologize—"

"Yes."

"Yes?" She breathed the word.

"I will stay. As long as you will have me."

Forever, she wanted to say, afraid it would make him run.

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