Page 40 of Straw and Gold
Maybe he was right. I did eat the last of them that day and still I slept through it. “Well,” I started, “You’ve fed me enough of that fuilhe. I think I can handle an hour of work.”
“No, Morella, you will not spin tonight.”
I clenched my teeth and glared. He was far too big for me to ever have the upper-hand on strength, and by the way he planted his feet and folded his arms at his chest, I knew there was no pushing him aside in my future either. Rolling my eyes, I decided to try again later. I could stay awake and wait for him to sleep and then?—
“I see you scheming, Goldling,” he added with stern precision. “Let it go. It doesn’t change anything in our bargain if you miss a few days.” His smile was all teeth as he leaned forward. “Maybe I’ll have you make up the days you miss.”
I scrunched my face in annoyance, nodding slowly, pretending defeat. “Fine. You win.” I pulled the tie off my robe and turned, striding across the room and tossing the creamy lace over my dressing screen. Without another word, I calmly folded back my bedding and slid between my sheets, blowing out the candle at the table between our beds and offering a simple, “Goodnight.”
I nestled down, turned away from where I heard him walk across the room, approach my bed and light the match.
I bolted upright, irritated, tired, and out of patience with his little games. “What in all of fucking Revelry are you?—”
He lit the candle and leaned in, his lips hovering over mine. “I have not kissed you goodnight, and I will not do so in the dark.”
His head tilted and I laughed, scooting back and away, missing his kiss. “No spinning, no kiss.”
“Morella,” he grumbled.
My heart raced beneath my ribs. I had him. I actually finally had him. Hewantedto kiss me goodnight. My plan had worked, it seemed, but now, I was annoyed. Men, in my short experience, were blundering fools who didn’t recognize their own desires until they didn’t have access to them.
I shook my head, holding back a smile and repeating his own words. “No, Killian, you will not kiss my lips tonight.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw and his eyes narrowed. “You’d use my words against me?”
I lifted my chin, unable to hold back my grin of triumph in our little play of control. “I believe I just did.”
A hearty laugh left his chest and he threw back my sheets, finding my legs and tugging under my knees, pulling me to the edge of the bed. He fit himself between them, lowering to the floor.
“What in the fucking hells are you doing!” I shouted, attempting to wiggle out of his hold.
Wrapping my legs around his torso, he held them to his sides. “Our bargain said I would kiss you goodnight every night. It was you who never specified where.”
My eyes grew to the size of saucers as he slipped his hands under my nightgown, bunching the crimson fabric to my waist. At his touch, my skin prickled and my belly folded in on itself, tightening in a painful yearning.
He kissed the inside of my knee softly, meeting my eyes. “Now that can count as my kiss goodnight.” He smoothed his hand up my thigh, slipping his fingers under the band of mysilk undergarments. “But if you’d let me,” he continued, trailing more kisses along my skin, “I have another place in mind.”
A half moan escaped my throat as he reached the apex of my thighs, softly pressing his lips to the fabric separating him from my most tense bundle of nerves. Lowering himself further on the floor, he kept my gaze, bringing more of his mouth over me. The silk bunched against my skin and another squeak left my chest.
“Have you ever been kissed here, Moh Dhóches?”
I felt the heat of his breath at the question and I shook my head, watching in fascination as he slowly pulled the fabric from my body, exposing me to the dim light and his own eyes as he devoured me whole.
“Banabh brèagha,” he whispered.
Beautiful woman.
His grip on my legs tightened as he pulled me even closer to the edge of the bed.
“I—”
He looked up at me from the floor. “Tell me if you don’t want me here.”
“I do!” I cried. “I just… I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
At that, he lifted himself, wrapping his arms around my waist and meeting me face-to-face. “Are you untouched, Morella?”
“No!” I laughed nervously, adding, “I’ve had sex before!”
