Page 61 of Faeling
A gusty breath ruffled the hair near her temple before the big arm across her flexed and tightened, bringing her even closer to Vallek’s now purring chest. The ridges of his nose and tusks pressed against her head in a gentle nuzzling.
“I canhearyou thinking,skala,” he rumbled in a deliciously low, sleepy voice. “It’s far too early for any of that.”
“What should I be doing, then?”
He didn’t take her bait, although his chest shook with amusement. They both knew exactly what.
Nuzzling her hair, Vallek sighed, “This is just the way I wish to wake from now on.”
“That wasn’t part of our negotiations.”
“I’m making an amendment.”
“On what grounds?”
“That I’m king and I like holding you.”
Well, both of those points were hard to argue with. A desperately pleased grin twitched on her lips despite herself.
Perhaps he was right—at least on this. It was too early to think.
Instead, for the first time in a long while, Ravenna allowed herself to justfeel.
She let her body ease back into his, curling against him like a happy cat. Running her fingers along his arm, she traced the thick sinews and tendons up and down his green forearm, delighted when gooseflesh followed in her wake.
They lay in the soft quiet of dawn together, movements small and sensuous. The arm he’d laid beneath her had tangled in her long hair, and he played with the ends between his fingers. She continued to pet him, indulging in all his textures and marveling at how he was softness stretched over such strength.
It wasn’t long before Ravenna felt a certain new heat pressing against the curve of her backside.
Vallek was a big man, and proportional. Although she’d only spied his manhood a few times, including when he slipped into bed last night—naked—she knew it to be formidable. Her handful of experiences with human fishermen paled in comparison to him, and while their difference in size—only accentuated by how he absolutely surrounded her with his body as they lay together—should have concerned her, even frightened her, she felt neither.
No, as she began to move her hips back and forth in the smallest movements, all Ravenna felt was a thrilling anticipation.
It probably wasn’t wise to tease him. And her pride remained bruised from their first encounter. Yet, she couldn’t help herself. Desire flowed thicker than syrup through her veins, an ancient and powerful lust compelling her to keep going.
Besides, she wasn’t thinking. Only feeling.
His large hand rose from the bed to settle on her hip, stilling her.
“I can be as soft and gentle as you need,skala. But don’t start what you cannot finish.”
He might not mean it as a challenge, but Ravenna couldn’t help hearing one. Body flushed at the low rumble of his voice at her ear, she began to rock again. She worked to help his cock find the cleft between the cheeks of her backside, gratified to feelhow he began to easily slide against the loose fabric of her filmy nightgown.
His purr deepened into something of a growl, but still he didn’t move.
Using a little of her magic, Ravenna pressed against the small of his back, drawing him even closer and urging him to move.
A hot exhale buffeted her cheek as he leaned over her. Even in the colorless light of dawn, his eyes captured her with their blue intensity, searing her.
“Can I touch you?” he ground out, voice gone thick.
“Yes.” Fates, yes. She might combust if he didn’t.
He found his purr again, and somehow she thought it sounded like praise. His hand at her hip made quick work of rucking up her nightgown, exposing her legs to the cool morning air. His palm spanned her thigh as his head dropped so he could bury his face in the curve of her shoulder.
Reaching back to dig her fingers into his thick mane, Ravenna met his hungry lips when they fell upon hers. He devoured her with his kiss, tusks pressing into her cheeks as his tongue teased and coaxed.
He overwhelmed her, dominating all her senses, but this wasn’t like last time. Even in their haze of lust, everything felt different. Softer, gentler. Urgent but not frenzied. As though they could and meant to take their time with each other.
