Page 42 of Warrior Princess
“I wish we could stay here forever,” I moaned as Ronan began to massage my shoulders. “This place seems so secluded. We could hide here forever.”
Ronan chuckled and continued to massage my back. “Eventually we’d be found.” His hands roamed down my arms, then slid around my waist and held me tightly against his bare chest. I felt him harden behind me.
“Ronan …” I moaned as his hand traveled further south. “This doesn’t seem like the right place—” I gasped as his deft hands slipped between my thighs.
“What better way to relax than this?” he whispered in my ear, placing gentle kisses all the way down my neck and shoulder. “Close your eyes,” he murmured against my skin.
I did as I was told as he inserted a finger inside me, his thumb circling my nub with exquisite slowness. I leaned my head back and rested it on his shoulder while his other hand slid toward my breast.
“Ronan?” I said his name like a prayer. “Don’t stop.” He inserted a second finger, then a third until I felt completely full. “Oh gods, Ronan!” I gasped as I teetered on the edge of a mind-blowing orgasm.
In the blink of an eye, he spun me around and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around him and he slowly slid me down over him. His cock glided into me and fit like a glove.
I rode him slowly, clutching his shoulders tightly to keep myself steady. “Ronan,” I murmured against his lips, kissing him and relishing our connection. No one had ever made me feel the way Ronan did. It wasn’t just physical – although that part was amazing – but he completed me emotionally. He gave me something I never thought would be filled.
“Come with me, Leila,” he whispered against my lips.
I picked up the pace, feeling my orgasm hovering just out of reach. His mouth latched onto my breast, sucking, nipping and biting, sending me over the edge. He soon followed, calling my name into the night.
He kissed me with such animalistic hunger that goosebumps spread across my body. “I love you,” he growled.
I shivered. “I love you, too.”
Dawn’ssoft light spilled across the room and gently roused us from sleep. We were intertwined beneath the sheets, our limbs woven together in a comforting embrace that felt both protective and wildly intimate. I nestled closer, savoring the residual warmth and his familiar, soothing scent, reluctant to let the morning pull us apart.
“Good morning.” Ronan's voice was a low rumble against my ear. He pressed a tender kiss to my forehead. “How did you sleep?”
“Like the dead,” I murmured, my voice muffled against his chest. “And I'm not looking forward to leaving this bed.”
He chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest. “I know, but we've got a busy day ahead. We need to figure out our next move.”
My brow furrowed as I propped up onto one elbow to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“We need to find a way to get a message to Marcellus. He needs to know what's happening to your father. We can’t afford to let this one be intercepted by Caelan.”
The mention of my father knotted my stomach. “I feel so helpless here. Maybe I should just go back to Valoria.”
Ronan cupped my cheek, his thumb gently stroking my skin. “That's exactly what Caelan wants. If you go, he won’t let you leave again. It's too risky. We're better off reaching out to Mykal. He's got connections that could help us.”
“Mykal?” The idea hadn't even crossed my mind, despite knowing about his extensive spy network across Asteria. Fatigue had clouded my judgment more than I realized.
“Yes.” Ronan nodded, his expression serious. “He's our best shot at getting a message to Marcellus without anyone noticing. Plus, we still need to track down that midwife in Keldara, remember?”
The weight of everything we had to do pressed down on me. “Why do you think Avery wants us to look for this midwife? It doesn’t seem important in the grand scheme of things.”
Ronan brushed my hair back. “I don’t know, but she brought it up for a reason. She wouldn’t have mentioned it unless it was important. Maybe if we find this Abigail, we’ll learn why.”
“Do you really think it's wise to go back to Keldara so soon?”
“We don't have much choice, Leila.” He gently extracted himself from the tangle of our limbs and sat on the edge of the bed. “Every moment we delay puts your father at greater risk. And this business about your mother's supposed firstborn...” He trailed off, looking back at me with concern and determination.
I sat up and wrapped the sheet around me. “It doesn't make sense. Yes, my mother had a difficult time before I was born, but a secret child?” I shook my head, unable to make sense of a puzzle where the pieces didn’t quite fit together.
Ronan stood and offered me his hand. “We'll figure it out, but first, let's get moving. We've got a long day ahead of us.” He pulled me to my feet with a gentle tug.
“I guess we do,” I agreed, feeling the resolve settle within me.
We dressed and headed toward the market to find breakfast. We strolled into the bustling market, sunlight casting long shadows between the stalls, when unexpectedly, Shiro emerged from amongst the throng of villagers.
