Page 161 of Ironling
Tonight, her people were safe, her mate was beside her, and she was free.
39
Four Months Later
Aislinn carded her fingers through Hakon’s hair, biting her lip as she peered down at him between her thighs. He always made such a delicious sight there, his brown eyes hot and hungry in his flushed green face, his big shoulders wedged between her legs or her knees thrown over them.
A moan escaped her as his tongue made wicked circles around her clitoris, teasing and playful. She’d woken up this very special day to his hands on her body and his tongue running patterns over her skin. He settled himself down the bed between her thighs and looked content as a cat to stay there all morning.
Any other day, she may have let him. Waking up this way was her favorite, and he well knew it. In their months together, Aislinn had learned to indulge in late mornings. There was little she liked more than listening to the rain patter outside as her halfling licked her to a shattering orgasm.
Today, though—they were to be married today.
As if he could sense her reminder, a grin played at his lips, the corners of which she could just spy over her mons. He pressed his face more firmly into her flesh, lapping at her mercilessly. One of his hands circled over her thigh to spread her wide, and a fingertip began to play at her clitoris as his tongue thrust inside her.
Arching off the bed, Aislinn slung a leg over his shoulder to pull him closer. He rewarded her with a deep purr, setting his lips to her clitoris so she could feel his pleasure.
“Play with your breasts. Let me see you,” he rumbled, eyes dancing.
Sucking in a breath, Aislinn palmed her breasts, plumping them and running her thumbs over her nipples as he went back to giving her a most thorough tongue-lashing.
Her lids dipped closed as she fell into the sensations, her hips rolling to meet his tongue. He kissed her cunt like his life depended on it, tongue spearing inside and arching up to catch that special place on the upper wall.
Aislinn shuddered, sparks bursting through her blood. Fates, if he meant to do this all day, she might just agree to delay the wedding a day.
Her release took her by surprise, coursing through her with waves of pure pleasure from her curling toes to her thrown back head.
She was more surprised by the firm knock that sounded on the bedchamber door. Aislinn yelped, aftershocks of her orgasm quaking up her middle.
“My lady? Are you awake?” Fia’s voice came from the cracked open door to the solar.
Her friend had quickly become wise to their antics and learned to knock first before seeing anything untoward. Although, Aislinn didn’t think Fia minded too much—whenshe’d walked in and caught an eyeful of Hakon’s rounded backside one morning, she’d thrown Aislinn an appreciative wink before clapping her hands over her eyes.
Aislinn looked down at Hakon—only to find her betrothed grinning widely, with no intention of stopping.
“We’re awake,” Aislinn called back, heart pounding, “but—”
She clenched her fingers in his hair to get him to slow his infernal tongue.
“—indecent.”
She didn’t think she imagined Fia’s snort of amusement.
“I’ll come back with a bit of breakfast, shall I?”
“Yes, please! Thank you!”
Fia’s laughter echoed from the solar as she left to give them a little more time.
Although she’d been elevated to Aislinn’s seneschal and Aislinn now had a new handmaid appointed to her, Fia wouldn’t hear of anyone else helping her on her wedding day.
Aislinn had thought maybe Fia would be a good candidate to replace Brenna, but she’d taken to the offer of seneschal with more enthusiasm. In truth, it fit her talents and sharp mind better. Fia’s aid was invaluable in the running of the castle and administration of the demesne, and Aislinn was grateful for her competence and companionship.
Aislinn’s second choice to replace Brenna had recently taken over as chatelain, and soon after, Dundúran bid farewell to Brenna. It was with mixed feelings that Aislinn said goodbye, and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t feel the sting of Brenna not wanting to stay for the wedding acutely. There was nothing else to do except give over Brenna’s annuity and wish her well, though.
Brenna hadn’t been the only one to leave. Fearghas too had requested his annuity and left not long after receiving it. From what Aislinn understood from Hakon, who still spent some ofhis time at the forge, the smithy was a much more harmonious place with Edda and Caitlín in charge. A handful of other staff had left, but far fewer than Aislinn feared, and it hadn’t taken long to fill their positions.
She and Fia were making good progress in finding suitable candidates to fill the several high-level ministerial roles. Already their new master of coin saved Aislinn many a headache over the accounts, and a new master of grain for the southern demesne would begin their duties in summer.
