Page 55 of Fire Forged

“Now, do you want to sleep or fuck?”

His breath hitched, and his fingers dug into the soft flesh of her hips.“Do not speak so for I must indeed rest.”

Her lips twitched into a sweet smile.“You choose sleep above me?”She faked a pout, then grinned and slid down to press her body against his.With her head on his upper arm, she met his gaze.“Night, Nerxie.Sweet dreams.”

He brushed his mouth across hers.“Rest well,ensa.”He pretended to sleep, even as his hearing narrowed on her breathing until it slowed.When he was sure she wouldn’t catch him, he gazed upon her face.Without her eyes distracting him, he could spend as much time as he liked on every feature from her cheek spots to her nose and the black brows like paint smears across her forehead.

He drew her closer, once again content to hold her.He hadn’t lied, needing to rest.Forcing his eyes closed, he willed himself to sleep.He jerked a moment later to find Lily scrambling over him.Exhaustion pounded at him, with a harsh word forming on his tongue.

“Morning, Nerxie and Britt.”She squeezed between them, squirming to fit and get comfortable.

Morning?He swallowed at almost hurting her fragile spirit.

“Hey, pumpkin,” Britta said, dropping a kiss on Lily’s cheek.“How’d you sleep?”

“Good.”She beamed.“I’m hungry.”

“Same.”Britta hummed.“I could do with French toast.Maybe with bacon and melted cheese?”

“Oh,” Lily squealed, tossed aside the blanket to climb over Nerx as if he was nothing but a lump in her way.

Britta smiled at him.“And you?”

“I will try this French toast.”

“No, silly, how’d you sleep?”She splayed her fingers across his chest, her touch sparking a malehood twitch.

“Silly?”He widened his eyes.

“Sorry,honeybunch.”She pressed a kiss to his chin then crawled over him like Lily had done.

He caught and tucked her beneath him, just how he liked it.She laughed and writhed, pushing at his chest as if she could lift him.Her face was close enough for her breath to warm his chin.The longer he drowned in her eyes, the more her humor faded.

When he had her full attention, he kissed her, tilting his head to slant his mouth across hers, to thrust his tongue in to duel.She parried him without hesitation, digging her fingers into his hair.Her heartbeat thundered in his ears.When the pitter-patter of Lily’s approach broke the kiss, he rested his temple on Britta’s while he fought for air.

“Ready,” Lily called, bending to peer at them both.

“Go find Uncle Ziot or Uncle Edon.Nerxie and Britta need a cleanse.”He leaned to the side to smack a loud kiss on Lily’s cheek.She giggled and danced off.“And save some French toast for us.”

“Okay dokey.”The door shut on her skipping along the passage.

“I thought you said I don’t stink?”Britta sniffed herself.“Or do you want somealonetime?”She wiggled her eyebrows in a way his O.D.I.couldn’t explain.

“What does that mean?”

She jerked back, and her mouth parted on a gasp.“Alone-time?”Her cheeks flushed peach.“Um, when you’re aroused—”

“No,” he chuckled, “the thing you do with your eyebrows.”

“Oh.”She bit her lip.“It’s usually tied to a sexual implication.”

Realizing what she meant, he laughed.“Ah, time alone for me to attend to my daily chore.”

She frowned.“And that is?”

“A morning fulfilment.”He slid off her and offered her his hand.

“Like masturbation?”The moment she accepted it, he scooped her into his arms and carried her into the cleansing room.“I have legs, y’know,” was all she said even as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

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