Page 7 of The Naiad's Wish

The walk to his cabin had never taken so long.

Erik’s hand was warm in mine, his hold on me as firm as my hold on him. We talked as we walked through the forest, but I couldn’t tell you what we spoke of; all my senses were attuned to him. To the warmth of his body beside me and to the sounds he made as he breathed, as he swallowed, as he moved at my side.

Where he belonged.

Sunlight filtered onto the track we’d worn over the last few months between the thick trees. It was quiet and hushed here. The sheltered air was warmer than down by my lake, and instead of water and rock, it smelled sweetly of pine. It felt heavy and intimate.

Twice, I had to stop and kiss him breathless before I could wrench myself away and resume the endless, everlasting walk.

The third time, Erik was the one to stop us.

He wasn’t talking anymore, but he wasn’t silent, either. His breath came fast and rough. I knew that it wasn’t from our brisk pace. He was a fit man, used to walking many, many miles every day.

I sent him a sideways glance from under my lashes and found his eyes on my face. Our gazes clashed and locked.

“Fuck it,” Erik said in a low growl, and startled me by turning and pushing me up against a tree.

He leaned in, ducking to press a harsh, biting kiss to the centre of my chest. “I have missed you,” he said. “Gods.Somuch.”

“I have—oh.” My head fell back as he took hold of my shaft and gave it a demanding pull. “Erik,” I said. “Erik, I?—”

He kissed my neck as he continued to stroke me. He opened his mouth over my skin, caught my flesh in his teeth, and he sucked. Hard.

I made a needy, gasping sound as my buttocks clenched and I forced myself into his grip. He pressed his free hand flat against my stomach, told me to hold still for it, and set about driving me out of my mind.

I shuddered and trembled, trying to be good for him but I couldn’t help it, I couldn’thelpit, my hips had tomoveand my muscles all tightened as I?—

I came disgracefully quickly and stood on shaky legs, panting loudly in the quiet of the forest around us.

Erik stared at me with possession and pride.

I almost came again, just from looking at him.

The rest of the walk home was a dazed blur. This, too, was something new that I’d experienced only with Erik.

I used to satisfy a lover, take my pleasure, and leave, content with a job well done but otherwise unmoved. With Erik, I felt something else entirely.

I’d asked him about it, once.

He’d said it was called an afterglow.

I liked the word. It fit.

Iglowedafter Erik had taken me, or I had taken him.

Iradiatedwith warmth, with satisfaction and happiness. I had begun to understand—a little at least—Erik’s obsession with warm fires and candles and his hot drinks in the cold times, and his seeking out of the bright sun in the warm times.

I glowed all the way home, soft and fuzzy-edged like a dandelion clock lit bright with the setting sun, and by the time my thoughts sharpened, we were already mounting the steps onto the porch of Erik’s cabin.

I rushed him inside and slammed the door behind us, making him laugh when I curled over him and walked him backwards into the main room, my lips parting his.

“Now, now,” I whispered into his mouth. “Let me have you now, my Erik.”

He hooked an arm around my neck, smiling as he said, “Not yet, my Sayan.”

I growled and fake-nipped at that smile, the one that told me he was in a mood to make me dance to his tune.

And Iwould, as I always did.

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