Page 66 of Bargains with Benefits
“I’m sorry,” I said.
He smirked. “Sorry that your father wasn’t bribing the governor to stop the magic school’s development?”
“Well, no.” I laughed and placed my hand on his forearm. They were very nice forearms. A muscle flexed beneath my touch. “I’m sorry we didn’t find the story you wanted.”
“That wasn’t precisely our bargain, was it? You needed to help me access Darius, which you did well beyond the requirement.”
“So our bargain is complete?” I asked a bit cheekily.
“I’m not sure our bargain was worth the paper it was written on.”
“We didn’t write it down, Vincent.”
“Exactly.”
I leaned forward, setting my cup on the low table next to the couch. “I want you to stay.” I wanted a lot more, but I figured I’d start with this.
He set his cup down, and I crawled into his lap as he did so. “All I want is to be here for you, Luna. I won’t leave unless you ask me to.”
My face was inches from his, and I was finding it difficult to concentrate on his words. His wind was already slipping around my wrist and across my arms. “I can sleep here, though.” He motioned to the couch. The wind paused the progress across my skin with his words. “I can imagine you’ve had a trying day.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “I have, but the decisions they made on my behalf are past. I can only choose the future Iwant.” I cleared my throat, suddenly nervous, though I wasn’t sure why. “Before I learned any of this, I was sure of the future I wanted with you. I still am.”
His brown gaze devoured me before he moved. I saw the moment his resolve snapped. His wind rushed forward, and he kissed me like every second he kept his lips from mine was a disservice to us both. I’d felt the touch of his lips multiple times already. This was different—this was more than mutual attraction and sweet stolen moments. His kiss was chasing, grasping, claiming all in one.
The two of us, reaching for the future we wanted—together.
He pulled me to him, erasing any distance between us. I purred in satisfaction as my chest pressed to his. My hands rested on his shoulders and slid around his neck as I sank into the kiss. I went for his hair first. My nails scraped his scalp as they freely perused the thick locks I loved. I resolved to run my hands through them every day I could.
“Luna,” he breathed, pausing as if unable to say more.
“Bedroom. Now,” I replied as I regretfully removed my hands from his hair. A squeal of delight slipped from my lips as his wind responded to my command. It lifted us both and swept us toward the bedroom. We didn’t even have to untangle.
“I’ve never lifted two people before,” he said curiously as we landed on the bed in a mess of limbs. My lips were on his neck, and his words jumbled together.
“Maybe worry about that later.” I ran my hands over every inch of him I could find.
His wind swirled around the hem of my blouse as if asking permission. I raised my arms in response, and it pulled the shirt over my head, tossing it to the floor. Vincent was there as it fell away. His hands slid up the sides of my body, heating every part of me that he touched. He tugged at the band around my chest, loosening it and banishing it to the corner of the room with my top. His hands cupped my breasts. I gasped as hebent forward, his mouth following his hands. When his lips closed around the peak, he hummed in satisfaction at my moan.
My body burned, even as his wind swirled around us, pressing us together. “I need this off,” I said, between breathless pants, pulling at his shirt.
He obliged, revealing a lean frame and honed, wiry muscle. His forearms had only been the appetizer. I wanted to lick him from head to toe. He must have seen as much in my gaze. His smile was sinful as he said, “You’ll have to wait your turn,” and then bit down on my nipple.
I could feel his smile against my skin as I moaned. His tongue followed the bite, lavishing attention as his hands roamed my skin.
We fumbled out of the rest of our clothes, eager to have nothing between us. Finally, we fell back together onto the bed. I straddled him. His hands reached up behind my neck, pulling me down to him as he drank in his fill. “You’re perfect.”
His kiss was molten, and his tongue slipped into my mouth with familiarity. I could easily imagine we’d been doing this for years instead of only a few stolen kisses.
“I don’t deserve you.” His hand cupped my cheek, and I turned my head to nip at his finger. “But I won’t continue to question why you seem so willing to have me.” He chuckled as he flipped us over. His wind lifted me higher than necessary for the motion and shot butterflies through my stomach.
“More than willing.” I stared up at him from where I now lay on the bed. “Demanding.”
He growled in pure male satisfaction, a sound so at odds with the persona he presented to the city. I loved this wild part of him that felt like it was just for me. I ran my hands up his chest, twisting my fingers in the hair at the back of his neck.
“Your obsession with my hair is intoxicating,” he breathed, letting my hands rake through it.
“It’s not only your hair I’m obsessed with.” I attempted to pull him toward me again, urging him to satisfy the need that had been growing since the day we met.
