Page 161 of The Forsaken Heir
Shouting in surprise, I fell forward. I twisted and reached back as I tumbled forward, catching Elle’s ankle. The sweat on her leg made it hard to hold onto her.
“Do you give up?” I asked, grunting as I tried to keep my grip.
Without answering, Elle twisted, her leg spinning in my hands, and pulled free. In two quick movements, she had me straddled, her hands on my wrists, arms pressed into the ground.
Elle smiled slyly at me. “I thoughtyouwere going to havemeflat on my back. Interesting,” she said, and as if to spite me, ground her hips against my erection.
Letting out a low and hungry growl, I sat forward, trying to get my face closer to hers. “I’m going easy on you. I don’t want to wear you out now. I have plans for you later.”
Her smile grew wider as she continued to grind against me. “More promises. It looks like you can’t accept defeat?—”
She yelped in surprise as I thrust my hips up and twisted my body, sending her flying over my head to the ground. Taking my chance, I grabbed her arm and pulled it behind her, pinning her to the ground, my chest to her back. Both of us panted as we struggled against one another. From the sound of it, she was fighting back a giggling fit, and I had to admit, I was on the verge of bursting out in laughter too. We were fighting, but it was almost too silly to take seriously. Too silly, and too sexy as well. Even the thought of our bodies twisted together like this while naked sent a surge of lust through me.
I put my lips to her ear. “Maybe we can do more than promise right now. How would you like that?”
Elle lifted her ass and rubbed it against my cock. “I hope you’re being serious.”
Someone cleared their throat nearby, snapping us out of our reverie.
“Am I interrupting anything?” my father asked.
I flushed as I realized how we looked. Elle and I were both disheveled, me atop her, my crotch pressed against her ass, sweat coating our skin, and each of us panting and grunting.
Shit.
I released her, and stood quickly, helping her up. “We, uh…we were training,” I stammered, feeling like a child having been caught doing something I shouldn’t.
Dad’s face was red from holding in his laughter. He was stroking his beard, but I knew he was really just covering his grin.
Elle, whose face was flaming, dusted herself off. “Sorry. I…I need a shower,” she said, and gave a short bow to my father. “See you later, Aurelius.”
She nearly sprinted back to the castle.
“Have a minute, son?” Dad asked.
“I do now,” I said in irritation as I tore my eyes from Elle’s departing form.
We walked in silence until we came to a pair of stone benches that lined the edge of the apple orchard that ringed the gardens. We sat, and for several long minutes, Dad stared back at the castle.
“I like her,” he said.
“Elle?”
He nodded. “She’s a breath of fresh air. Not some wispy thing that can’t do anything for herself. She’s feisty. Strong.” He nudged my shoulder. “For a minute there, I thought she had you. How do you feel about her?’
The question caught me off guard. I mumbled a few nondescript words before finally managing an actual response.
“She’s, uh, she’s great. I’ve never met a woman so strong and determined.”
“A woman who’d make a good companion,” Dad said. “A good mate.”
“She would make someone a good mate, that’s for sure,” I said.
The thought of taking Elle as my own had flitted across my mind almost every day since meeting her. As badly as I might want it, my people came first. I’d eventuallyhaveto take one of the noble dragon shifter women as my mate. The thought of being forced to bind myself to someone for duty rather than love always sent me spiraling into depression.
“Why do you say it like that?” Dad asked.
“Huh?” I blinked in surprise, looking at him. “Say it like what?”
