Page 92 of Dragon Gods

Fox seemed to be thinking the same thing because a moment later, his hand shifted, running across the hem of her tunic and then under it, calluses brushing against soft skin as he pressed her closer.

His hand was a hot brand against her stomach and she bit her lip, trying to ignore her body’s reaction to him. His heat was a shocking contrast to the icy air around them, and she shifted, as if she might burrow into the warmth of him. The soft groan that slipped from his lips was so quiet, she wondered if she’d even heard it, but when she shifted again, she felt the rumble this time through his chest.

Her hips were notched perfectly with his, and she felt him growing harder behind her with every shift of her body. She should pull away. She didn’t want to.

“Sofia?” His voice was ragged as he continued to stroke the skin of her stomach, fingers brushing the underside of her breast.

“Yes?” she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.

“You should probably stop moving.” Even as he said it, his hand moved higher and his finger brushed across her nipple. It tightened painfully.

She swallowed hard before she answered, not wanting her own voice to quaver. “Probably.”

But, against every thought screaming through her brain, she rocked her hips back, pressing her ass against the hardness she felt there, savoring the groan that slipped from his lips once more. His hand cupped her breast, holding it roughly as he ground his hips back into hers, breath hitching in her hair. His nose traced along the sensitive skin behind her ear.

Her body was thrumming and for the first time in blinks, Sofia wasn’t thinking about consequences. She wasn’t focused on the rage and grief that had been nestled in her chest since the moment Mina had been dragged from the chief commander’s office.

She pushed her hips back into him, rotating them slowly when his breath hitched.

“If you don’t stop moving,” he said, voice a rough growl against her, “I’m going to have trouble controlling myself.”

She should pull away. The last thing they needed was to get physical entanglements involved. But then again, if all went to plan, they’d never see each other again after tomorrow. They’d go back to their separate worlds of trying to kill each other’s friends and be done with everything out here.

And gods, did she need to stop thinking? She didn’t want to worry about tomorrow. Or Micael. Or Clarita. Or who Fox’s father was. She wanted to feel.

“Then don’t control yourself.”

Like a flood released from a dam, Fox moved with surprising speed, flipping them with a single arm so Sofia was lying on her back, looking up at him. Even with the moons closing into their blink, they were still bright through the trees, caressing his face with their light. He leaned forward, eyes focused on her own and for a moment, she was afraid he would kiss her, but then his head ducked lower. His teeth scraped the skin of her neck as he licked his way down, pulling her shirt down to taste her skin.

When he reached the limit of how far the collar would go, he gave a grunt of frustration before grabbing the bottom hem and pulling it up, exposing her breasts to the cold air of the night. Before she could protest, his lips closed over her nipple, his hand coming up to cup her other. The heat of it had her forgetting about the icy night that surrounded them and most everything else. A groan slipped from her lips and he hummed against her skin, even as his tongue flicked across her nipple.

Of course, the Dereyan soldier with a body like his would also be skilled with his tongue. Life wasn’t fair.

“You’re still thinking,” he said, the words hot against her skin.

“Then stop talking,” she said, raking her nails down his back until she reached the hem of his shirt, pulling it off. She wanted to touch every inch of his skin. He didn’t protest, even as she ran her hands over his body, tracing the ink that wrapped across his chest.

His hands shifted, fingertips brushing across her back. Against one of her ridged scars. He stiffened, mouth opening.

“Don’t,” Sofia said, before he’d even drawn breath. She hated the way his gaze was shifting, cooling into something akin to pity. She reached between them, cupping his hardness and squeezing. “We’re not thinking, remember?” she said.

He stared at her for another moment, indecision in his eyes, but then she gripped him again, stroking him through his pants. The groan that escaped his throat made the decision for him, and he returned to running his tongue over the skin like he was trying to memorize the flavor of her. “If you don’t stop that,” he said, “this will be over too soon.”

Her core throbbed, heat radiating through her, but she released him, moving her hands to his hips and trying to pull him down to her. She wanted friction. She needed his body on hers. But he didn’t give it to her. He kept his arms and hips rigid, hovering just over her so their bodies didn’t touch. He switched his assault to her other breast, teeth nipping in a way that made Sofia’s breath stutter.

“Fox,” she said, hating herself for how his name tasted on her lips.

“Yes, my captor?” he said, the words hot against her skin.

“Move,” she said, attempting to pull him down once more so their hips would meet.

“I am moving,” he said, punctuating his words with a soft pinch to her breast.

“Not what I mean and you know it,” she half-growled.

“Patience.” The words were a murmur, but he finally released her nipple, lips and tongue tracing a path down her stomach and toward the band of her pants.

As his fingers came up to untie her pants, she let out a groan and placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

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