Page 43 of Glass and Bone
We make our way to the wall quickly, the horses galloping against the grassy floor. Tobias keeps one arm around my waist, his hand splayed possessively over my stomach. The other hand holds both Sybil and Wyclif’s reins as he guides them through the open gate. I lean my head back against his chest as we slow, my eyes closing. I shiver and then feel Tobias move behind me. A second later a warm cloak is wrapped around me, fanning my face with the scent of cedar.
I’m not crazy. She was there. She was pushing me to Rakushia. She needed me to get here.I’m not crazy. Just because they couldn’t see her, doesn’t mean she wasn’t real.
Chapter Eighteen
When we reach the palace, the sun is starting to peek its way over the mountains, turning the sky beautiful shades of pink and purple. Tobias leads me straight to our room where he cleans off my feet and forces me to change my ripped nightdress into a clean one. When we climb into bed the pinks in the sky are turning orange. He pulls me against his chest, one leg in between mine.
“Happy birthday, Ela.” He whispers into my hair before kissing my neck. I smile slightly, my eyes fixed on the door. I keep expecting to turn around and see my dead body, but it’s just him. Maybe I was hallucinating? My dreams are finally making their way into reality. I’mnotcrazy, I’m just tired and stressed. Overwhelmed.
That’s all it is.
But it felt so real.
I touched her, me. I felt her bony shoulder and I could see her as clear as I can see Tobias. But she wasn’t there. She was never there.
I don’t understand.
I fall asleep quickly, and when I wake again, the sun is high in the sky. Tobias is still wrapped around me, and I try not to move and wake him up. I can feel him stir and then his warm lips are pressing right below my ear, I guess he was already awake.
“Good morning.” He whispers before kissing my throat. I turn so I am on my back, and I look up at him. “Happy Birthday, again.” He smiles, his dimple in his left cheek showing. His blonde hair is messy and more copper in the sunlight. His bare chest is sculpted, hard, as he leans over me. His breath fans over my face as he stares into my eyes. His ocean blues are the twins to mine. I reach up and cup his cheek with my hand. He turns his head and kisses the inside of my palm before adjusting so one of his hands rests next to my head on the pillow and the other brushes my hip.
“I’m sorry I ran.” He shakes his head before lightly nipping the meaty part of my palm. I smile and use my free hand to pinch his stomach. He shrieks and collapses on top of me. “Tobias!” I yell in between laughs as he tickles my arms and stomach in retaliation. I’m breathless and laughing when he finally stops and rolls, pulling me down on top of him so I’m straddling him.
“Hmm, I like this.” I laugh and smack his chest. He squeezes my thighs and then his smile fades. “Are you okay?” His voice is soft, hesitant, but I nod.
“I am. I just think this last week has been a lot and I’m grateful for you.” He smiles, his perfectly white teeth shining in the sunlight. “Thank you for putting up with me.” I look at my hands and pick at the dry skin on my palms. “I know I haven’t been the easiest woman to be betrothed to, but I promise I am trying. I don’t want to feel the things I do or see the things I see. I think I just need a break.”
“A vacation?” I look up from my hands and he’s smiling again.
“Can we do that?” He nods.
“We can do anything you’d like. Maybe a honeymoon somewhere tropical like Vodia.” He chuckles before he pulls my face down to his. “Whatever you want, Ela.” He whispers against my lips before pulling them to his, fierce and demanding. My hands rest on his bare chest, my fingers digging into his skin as he forces my lips to part. I can feel the intensity growing in another part of his body as my hips shift on their own and brush up against him, igniting a riot of wild and uncontrollable sensations inside me. Sensations I was quick to get lost into,eagerto get lost into.
“Ela, don’t move like that.” He warns, his voice barely above a strained whisper. The mask of power, of indifference slips, and I can see the heat pooling in his eyes. I do it again just to spite him. “Ela.” He says my name with little more than a growl as he flips us, so I am on my back, my legs still wrapped around his hips. He pulls at the hem of my nightdress, exposing my underwear. His hand finds my bare stomach and squeezes my side. My stomach flutters and I wrap my arms around his neck. He kisses me deeper, the type of kiss you could read about but never experience. The type of kiss that should be illegal. Cedar and smoke fill my nose and I get lost in the scent of him.
“Tell me when to stop.” He whispers against my lips before putting more of his weight on me. I moan as his hand slides from my side to my knee, holding my leg against him. My stomach is doing flips internally and I can’t get enough of him. A sense of anticipation and longing curls deep inside me, begging for more. His tongue is dancing with mine, his hands greedily pulling at me. I tangle my fingers in his hair and pull him closer to me, as close as I can. I can’t get enough.
“I don’t want you to stop.” I whisper in response, and he whimpers in my mouth. His hand leaves my knee and sticks his fingers lightly under the waistband of my underwear. My body goes taut as he teases me. The tips of his fingers brush my skin, sending shivers down my spine. I arch my back, urging him to continue. His eyes meet mine and I see they have hardened. He looks hungry,starved, and it’s a look that sends a shiver down my spine.
His thumb caresses my inner thigh before he slides his hand farther down, just barely brushing the little bundle of nerves down there. I jerk and he smiles against my lips. He presses down gently, and I move against his hand. He slides one finger down, past that little tight bundle until he is gently pushing inside me. I arch my back more, pressing harder against him.
“Gods, Elaenor. You’re so wet.” His lips catch mine, swallowing my breathy moan before I can release it. His breathing is just as ragged as mine as he slowly slips in and out, teasing me. He pauses for just a second before adding a second finger. I moan, breaking our kiss as he trails his lips down my neck. He nips lightly at my nipple pebbling against the thin cotton and I yelp. My fingers dig into his hair as my hips raise slightly, riding his fingers as they pierce my flesh. He picks up his pace, his fingers torturously pounding into me, and I can barely breathe. My abdomen is heating, pressure spreading straight down to my legs. I never knew this could feel so good.
“Don’t stop.” I whisper breathlessly as I feel the delicious curling grow more intense. Shivers run down my spine, and I slam my eyes shut as my back arches. I moan his name, or maybe I curse it, I can’t remember. All I can feel is him. Everywhere.
“Fuck.” He shudders as he slides farther down my stomach, his lips leaving little trails of kisses. He pulls his fingers out for just a second so he can pull down my underwear and before I can even react his tongue is sweeping over me and then into me. I cry out and tighten my grasp on his hair, pulling at the silky strands. He slides his tongue against me and starts to suck and lick up and up and up until he hits the right spot. I cry out again as his fingers slam into me over and over.
The pressure builds, I can barely take a deep breath before I explode. I see sparks and fireworks beneath my eyelids as he roughly slides his fingers in and out of me, riding the waves of my release. Spasms of pleasure flood every nerve, every vein, every limb as he guides me through my orgasm. I reach down and grip his wrist, urging him to stop as it’s too much. I whimper as he pulls his fingers out and runs his tongue along my slit with a moan, savoring the taste.
My back relaxes against the mattress, and I shudder as he slides my underwear back up. When I open my eyes he’s sticking his fingers in his mouth, sucking off every last drop ofme. Gods, that shouldn’t be as hot as it is.
“You taste so good, Ela. Like cream and vanilla.” Tobias murmurs. He looks down at me with half opened eyes, a smirk plastered on his swollen lips. He presses his mouth to mine and I can tastemyselfon his tongue as it swirls around my mouth. Salty and sweet. I can feel a spike of pleasure creeping back into my weakened limbs, but he pulls back. Gods, if he asked me to, I would give him everything right now. Every part of me, even if he has already explored it all.
He collapses next to me, his hand going around my bare waist as I bite my lip and try to hide the blush creeping along my cheeks. I take a nice, long deep breath as the remnants of the pressure dissipates. I’ve never experienced anything likethat. Scarlett used to talk about sex as if it was the most magical thing she’d ever experienced, but with Aleksander, it was pain and brute force. This was lust, need, affection, and I didn’t want it to ever stop. I turn my face so I am looking up at him. He’s already watching me, and I bite my lip harder to try and hide my smile, almost drawing blood. I can feel my cheeks heat even more and I slam my hands over my face, slapping myself.
“Ow.” I mutter.
“Don’t hide from menow.” He chuckles as he pulls on my wrists. “Come on, let's change and get some breakfast.” I didn’t want to move.
