Page 26 of Accidentally Ever After
“The court would be scandalized to know how eagerly their prince undresses his consort,” I teased, trying to lighten the suddenly charged atmosphere.
“The court would be envious,” he corrected, his voice dropping lower. “To see what is mine alone to witness.”
The possessive statement sent heat pooling low in my belly. Over the weeks, our physical relationship had deepened, each encounter more intense than the last. Yet there remained a careful restraint on Caelen’s part—a holding back I’d attributed to his concern about rushing me.
Tonight, though, something felt different. There was an intensity in his gaze I hadn’t seen before, a tension in his movements that suggested tightly leashed control.
The tunic fell open completely, and Caelen slowly pushed it from my shoulders, his eyes following its descent. When his gaze returned to mine, the violet had darkened to that indigo that indicated desire.
“You were magnificent tonight,” he said, his voice rough. “Navigating the court as if born to it, challenging Ellaria, charming even my father’s allies. Do you have any idea how that affected me? Watching you claim your place at my side?”
His words sent a thrill through me that had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with the hunger in his eyes.
“Show me,” I challenged, my own voice husky with sudden need.
Something broke in his expression—that careful restraint finally snapping. In one fluid movement, he pulled me against him, his mouth claiming mine in a kiss that was pure possession.His wings extended, wrapping around us both in that intimate cocoon that had become one of my favorite sensations.
I kissed him back with equal fervor, my hands finding the fastenings of his formal attire, eager to feel his skin against mine. He helped me navigate the complex closures of his tunic and armor, breaking the kiss only when necessary to remove layers.
When we were both shirtless, he pulled me close again, the feeling of skin against skin drawing matching sounds of pleasure from us both. His wings enfolded us, creating that private world where nothing existed but the two of us.
“I have wanted you like this all night,” he confessed against my neck, his lips tracing a path that made me shiver. “Watching you in formal attire, bearing my token, moving through the court as my consort… it awakened something primal in me.”
“I like primal,” I encouraged, my hands sliding up his back to the sensitive base of his wings.
The contact drew a groan from him, his wings trembling against me. “Careful,” he warned, voice strained. “I am not in a mood for restraint tonight.”
“Good,” I said boldly. “Neither am I.”
With a sound that was nearly a growl, he lifted me effortlessly, carrying me to the bed. As he laid me down, his wings spread wide above us, catching the moonlight streaming through the windows and casting patterns across my skin.
“Do you know what it means,” he asked, hovering over me, “when a fairy displays their wings fully during intimacy?”
I shook my head, mesmerized by the sight of him above me—skin glowing with those pearlescent patterns, wings extended to their full impressive span, eyes dark with desire.
“It is the ultimate vulnerability,” he explained, voice low and intense. “To expose one’s wings fully to a partner is to place absolute trust in them. It says: I am yours completely.”
The significance of the gesture made my chest tighten with emotion. “Caelen…”
“Tonight I claim you as mine,” he continued, his hand tracing the line of my jaw. “And offer myself as yours in return. No holding back. No careful distance. Just us, as we are meant to be.”
The declaration hung in the air between us, weighted with meaning beyond the physical. This wasn’t just about sex—it was about commitment, about choosing each other despite the complications.
“Yes,” I said simply, reaching for him.
He came to me willingly, our bodies aligning as if designed for each other. His weight settled over me, comforting rather than confining, and his wings created a canopy above us, shutting out the rest of the world.
Our kisses grew more heated, hands exploring with increasing urgency. When his fingers found the fastenings of my formal pants, I lifted my hips in silent encouragement. He removed them with practiced efficiency, his own following quickly after.
Naked beneath him, I felt none of the self-consciousness I might have expected. There was only desire, anticipation, and a deepening emotional connection I was finally ready to acknowledge.
“How do you want me?” I asked, running my hands along his sides, feeling the subtle difference in texture where skin met wing.
His eyes, now nearly black with just a rim of violet, held mine. “In every way possible,” he said with such sincerity it made my breath catch. “But tonight, I wish to claim you completely. To join with you in the deepest way.”
I understood his meaning. Though we’d shared many intimate acts over the weeks, there was one line we hadn’t yetcrossed. Until now, Caelen had been careful not to push for full penetrative sex, perhaps sensing my lingering reservations.
Those reservations were nowhere to be found tonight.
