Page 272 of A Flame of the Phoenix

The hot, milky water lapped around his waist, and he closed his eyes with the bliss of it, wondering when the last time was he’d bathed in warm waters was, never mind this heat.

“Much better than the lake,” he commented.

Nerida’s precious giggle slipped his eyes open, and he couldn’t believe the angel in his bath. Tarly took her hand, coaxing her to turn and relax her back against him. Taking a bowl from the side, he began to pour water over her scalp as she tipped her had back for him.

“When you said you wanted to be mine…did you mean it in the sense of the bond being real?” he asked gently.

Nerida danced her fingertips along the water’s surface. “That’s likely not going to happen,” she said with quiet reservation.

“Would you want to try?”

Nerida turned around, her wet lashes glistening, making her irises sparkle. “Yes,” she said, her whispering voice needy.

Tarly’s length became so hard it was painful.

He claimed her mouth, and she deepened the kiss immediately. Much as he wanted her with a feverish need, it was Nerida who demanded more, all at once. Straddling him, moving her hips against him. The water sloshed over the sides of the tub, but he didn’t care. If she needed this for her pain, he would let her have whatever she wanted of him. As much as she wanted. For however long she would yearn for him.

Tarly lifted her out of the bath, turning and setting her on the edge of it, with her feet touching the ground for balance. He lowered between her legs, and Nerida’s breaths sharpened in anticipation.

Tasting her brought out the most beautiful noise. He would never tire of discovering all the sounds she would make and how her body demanded his touch.

“Tarly…”

His name in her breathy tone of pure lust tightened in his core. He wanted her so desperately he devoured her mercilessly to compensate for not being inside her yet. Nerida’s fingers threaded through his hair, and he turned wild at the movement of her hips that demanded even more from him. She was close to finishing, but he worried about the slipperiness of the tub and her wet skin if she did so here.

With great restraint, Tarly stopped his assault, and Nerida whimpered, shuddering from the cool air against her skin and the denial of finishing. He kissed the inside of her thigh and rose, hooking an arm around her and lifting her to wrap her legs around him.

Nerida kissed him deeply as he carried her into the bedroom. She was utterlyhis.No matter what the outcome of trying to bond with her might be, she was undeniably made for him. The way she kissed him with a passion he’d never felt before, touching far deeper than the surface of lust and pleasure. She’d burrowed into his soul.

He laid her down, the sheets sticking to their skin, but he was too lost in her to care. Within seconds Nerida’s leg had hooked around him, flipping them for her to be on top. He loved this wild, dominant side that came out of her in lust. In front of everyone else, she was so gentle, almost shy, and presented as so innocent. Alone, only Tarly got to see the unleashing of all her passion, and she gave it all tohim.Only him.

Nerida took what she needed, grinding along his length that was almost as glorious as he imagined being fully inside her. He let her take lead, chasing her pleasure against him as he watched in complete awe. She was a Goddess. All beautiful wet silver hair against glistening brown skin, face painted in pure pleasure. She sat up, not stopping her movements, but she touched her body. Groping her breasts, eyes closed and head tipped back, with breathy moans caressing her throat.

Tarly was utterly entranced by her—he could hardly move. His hands on her hips pressed her down harder, and she cried out beautifully. His thrusts were shallow, but mostly, it was all her, claiming her pleasure.

Gods above.What had he done so right in his life to have this? Every trial and torment was worth reliving over and over to get to have her.

“Tarly, I’m going to…” She lost her words, but they were pinched on her face. Her hands planted on his chest, and he helped her rock harder toward that finish line.

Watching Nerida climax was an otherworldly experience. She quivered against him, crying out his name and blessing it with new meaning. He would crawl on broken bones to the call of his name from her.

Nerida panted, shivering in the aftermath of her climax. Tarly tucked the wet hair from her face. Her eyes were fixed on his neck, and her fingers traced along his collarbone.

“Can I try first?” she asked breathlessly.

Tarly’s length jutted against her at the mere thought of her biting him.

“Yes,” he said thickly.

Nerida leaned down, and his chest constricted so tightly in anticipation he thought he might stop breathing. She seduced him with so little effort. Nerida’s soft lips pressed to his chest, slowly climbing higher, while he lost his damned mind.

His hands ran up her spine and over her sides, basking in every naked feel of her.

Nerida kissed his throat right where she would puncture it—then, to his surprise, she reached between their bodies, lifted her hips, and gripped his length to sink down onto it.

Tarly swore, seeing stars as her heat wrapped around him inch by torturous inch.

“Wait,” he rasped before she could bite. Embarrassment flushed him. “If you do that right this second, I won’t be able to last.”

---