Page 25 of Kingdoms of Tides and Twilight

Her wetness surrounded him, and her inner muscles clenched as she tried to adjust around him, and it took everything he had not to release right then. Once he had entered her, he felt his body physically recognize her as a part of him. They were one person, but two minds together as one. The pleasure of knowing her both physically and mentally was making him shake with desire.

Renya felt it too. When he finally pushed himself inside, she wanted to sob. Not with pain, but with relief. The clarity that washed over her cleansed her soul. She was free from the senator and what he tried to do to her. The nervousness and embarrassment she felt was gone. It was as if her inhibitions left her, and just elation and sensation remained.

The second she felt the bond between them, her body relaxed and a joyful look crossed her face as she moved her hips up to his, goading him into pushing farther into her. He pushed in another few inches, leaving the rest of his length outside of her. He started to move, but before he could set a rhythm, Renya pushed her hips up quickly and took all of him.

Grayden shuddered as he hit the end of her, his pleasure mounting to impossible heights. He looked down at her beneath him, in his bed, and smiled at her.

“I’m going to go slow,” he whispered above her, starting to thrust lightly. “If you need me to stop, tell me and I will, no matter how hard it is for me.” He started a slow, tantalizing pace. Renya could see his biceps tightening as he moved over her, and she surprised herself by reaching behind him and cupping his firm cheeks. She could feel every muscle in his body clench and strain, working hard to bring them both pleasure.

At first, the slow movement was exactly what she needed as she adjusted to the sensation of him inside her. Renya felt stretched impossibly far, just beyond what was comfortable. She bit her lip, concentrating on relaxing her inner muscles. Grayden stopped moving, his gaze watching every expression and emotion that shone on her face.

“Renya. Do you want me to stop?” Grayden asked her, concern clouding his gaze.

“No. Just give me a second to adjust.” He heard her breathe deeply, trying to focus on the pleasure rather than the feeling of being stretched just outside of her comfort zone.

Grayden paused and held himself above her with just one arm. The other moved between them so he could stroke her gently between her thighs. Her breathing increased rapidly, and Grayden watched her eyelashes flutter. He felt more moisture between them, and he could tell she was finally relaxing. She began to rotate her hips and he once again started his precise movements. Grayden kept his pace slow, focusing on every sound, breath, and expression she made.

The room was quiet, their soft moans swallowed up by the silence. Heat filled the space, and Renya’s back was slick on the furs. Grayden picked up the speed, perspiration building up along his forehead and his upper arms. Renya wanted to say something, anything to him, but her mind was blank as he continued to rub and tease her. Her legs began shaking and she felt the pressure between her legs building. Grayden smiled at her, and sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and released it gingerly, and Renya thought she would combust. The spot on the back of her neck tingled and warmth spread through her, just like when Cressida unlocked her. But this warmth was pleasurable. It was like Grayden was everywhere within her.

Suddenly, her entire body seized up and her muscles shook from her arms all the way down to her toes. She moaned in his ear as she reached her pinnacle, whispering his name over and over with reverence. Grayden kept moving, wanting to draw out her climax as long as he could before giving in to his own.

Once she came down from her high, Grayden stopped his movements and kissed her again passionately, putting every bit of emotion and love that he could into his kiss.

“Sweet Renya…” he murmured, beginning to move again. “Can you handle a little more?”

She looked up at him, her face red and flushed. “Yes,” she breathed, and she surprised him by wrapping her legs around his waist.

He began to rock quickly into her, pushing her into the mattress with his body. Renya braced herself, knowing how hard it was for him to fully restrain himself. She bit her lip again and breathed through her nose. She didn’t feel pain exactly, but his movements and pressure felt intense against her sensitive flesh.

With a final thrust and a groan of bliss, Grayden found his pleasure and Renya could feel him release inside of her. It was a new sensation, and she hadn’t realized how warm and heavy his seed would feel. She actually hadn’t ever thought about it. She assumed for her first time there would be protection separating them. She frowned a bit as Grayden rolled over and pulled her on his chest, still pulsing inside of her.

He saw her frown and was instantly concerned. “My Little Fawn, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, I just…you didn’t wear protection. I didn’t think—”

“What should I have worn?” Grayden asked, perplexed.

Renya looked into his puzzled eyes and realized there was no such thing here.

“Nothing,” she said, smiling at him. He returned her smile in earnest, finally feeling content and satisfied now that he had claimed her.

“I’ll wear any type of costume you’d like in the future,” he said, a devilish grin flashing across his face as she felt his member begin to harden inside her again.

Chapter Fifteen

Renya reclined on Grayden's bed, her gaze drawn to the adjoining bathroom where he moved about, preparing a bath. The sliding oak door stood open, offering an unobstructed view of his form as he worked. She marveled at his ease and confidence, admiring the fluid grace of his movements.

Grayden bent over the copper tub, pouring in fragrant oils from the bottles Doria had left. Catching Renya's eye, he grinned playfully. “Like what you see?”

“Absolutely,” Renya replied, a newfound confidence coloring her voice. The nervousness that had plagued her earlier had dissipated, replaced by a sense of belonging. The magic within her no longer felt foreign; instead, it pulsed through her veins as if it had always been there, waiting to be awakened.

Grayden, too, seemed transformed. The intense, almost predatory energy that had surrounded him had mellowed, giving way to the easy companionship they had cultivated over the past weeks. His smiles came readily now, his laughter filling the room with warmth. Renya was much relieved that he was back to his old self.

As he turned off the tap, Grayden padded softly across the wooden floor. Reaching the bedside, he gently pulled back the furs covering Renya and scooped her into his arms. She felt light as air, her body pliant against his solid frame.

“Your bath awaits, my queen,” he murmured, carefully lowering her into the steaming water.

The heat surrounded Renya, seeping into her sore muscles. Every part of her ached—her neck throbbed where Cressida had performed the unlocking spell, her feet burned from crossing the scorching sand, and her backside stung from the long ride on Damion. A wince escaped her as the water touched the tender flesh between her legs.

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