Page 40 of Cursed
Nori sighs at the delicious smell of Ryland, which is burned into her brain. Turning off the water and grabbing a towel, she says, “Agreed. Let’s hurry up; I smell the food.”
Dried off and dressed in her new clothes, Nori steps out of the bathroom and follows the smells of breakfast through the bedroom to the dining area. Ryland is sitting in his same seat, drinking coffee, but he has moved her normal place to the chair next to his. He’s also already made her a plate, including a cinnamon roll, so she can start with that first.
He watches her as she inspects the new seating arrangement.
She raises an eyebrow and gives him half a smile, sliding into her new chair. “Thank you for making my plate.” Digging into the eggs and bacon first, she continues to glance at the cinnamon roll.
He smiles and starts eating. After a few minutes, he asks, “Would you like to try some coffee, Nori?”
She flicks her gaze to the drink table and then back to Ryland. “Not today, but thank you for having a carafe brought up rather than the coffee pot.” She smirks and continues, “Hopefully, I can get through breakfast without the drama from yesterday.”
Ryland asks her what he hopes is a safe question. “Yesterday, you mentioned the deaths of your parents. How old were you when they died?” Nori doesn’t flinch at the question, to his relief.
“They accused me of murdering them when I was ten years old.”
Ryland leans forward, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. “That’s awfully young to have killed an Alpha and a Luna. Do you know how they were murdered?”
“No. I have no memory of exactly how they died.” She pauses, taking her last bite of eggs. She leans back, nibbling on a piece of bacon. “Before their deaths, we were a happy, normal family, I guess. I have a younger brother who I haven’t seen in twelve years. I don’t even know where he is.”
Nori turns her head to look at Ryland. “I loved my parents dearly. I’m fairly certain that I didn’t kill them.”
“Sounds to me like you were set up, Nori. It is strange that Draven let you live only to keep you as a slave all these years.” Ryland sets his napkin down and sits back to finish his coffee.
“What about you? What was it like growing up as the firstborn son to the Alpha King of All Wolves?” Nori cuts into her cinnamon roll, smiling at him.
“It wasn’t whatever you are thinking,” Ryland says, smirking. “Of course, when I was young, I suppose we had everything we could possibly want. As soon as I turnedthirteen, though, it was all work in preparation for becoming King one day.”
“That must have been tough, having to grow up so quickly, just to get ready to be King sometime in the far distant future. It seems like a heavy burden for a teenager.” Nori says as she pops the bite of the pastry into her mouth.
She closes her eyes, delighting in the flavors. She tilts her head back with a soft groan. “Mmmm. This is so completely delicious.”
She hears Ryland’s sharp intake of air right before the room is inundated with the scent of his arousal, spiking Nori’s own desire.
Ryland grips the table and hangs his head, releasing a harsh breath. “Nori, that moan of yours sets my whole body on fire.” He tries to slow down his breathing and smirks at her. “I may need to ban the cinnamon rolls until I can control myself around you.”
Nori swallows hard and sets down her fork. She pushes her chair back and walks over to Ryland, slowly sliding into his lap. He raises his eyebrows as she folds her arms around his neck, staring deeply into his eyes. “We are trying to be honest with each other, right?”
He nods, currently unable to speak with her in his lap. She takes a deep breath, trying to gather some courage. “Ryland, I have never felt desire for anyone before you. It might be the Mate Bond, but this desire I have for you iseverywhere, all over me, all the time. I want. I want so much more from you than a kiss.”
“Nori,” he groans, wrapping one arm behind her back while tunneling his other hand into her wavy, damp hair. He tilts her head back to give him easy access to her mouth. His lips crash into hers. His tongue forces its way into her mouth, tasting the cinnamon and sugar from the pastry.
When Nori moans into his mouth, Ryland growls, kissing her like his life depends on this moment never ending. He pours all his pent-up desire for her into this kiss.
Nori feels like she’ll explode from the pleasure rocking through her as the frenzied kiss consumes her every thought.
Ryland slides her hips closer to him, and she can feel his erection pressing into her. “Ryland,” she begs, clutching his hair, his shoulders. His move nearly sends her over the edge.
A loud knock at the door startles them, interrupting the heated moment.
“WHAT!” Ryland yells harshly at the door, sending Nori into a fit of giggles.
“Damn Ryland, I can smell your arousal from down the hall! I tried to mind-link, but I couldn’t get through.”
Angrier this time, Ryland barks, “This had better be good, Zayne! What do you want?”
Still feeling the rush of desire for this Alpha male, Norican’t keep her mouth off of him. She places kisses along the right side of Ryland’s jaw. His head tilts back, and he growls out a low moan. Emboldened by his reaction, Nori presses her lips down the side of his neck, tasting him as she goes.
“Shit! Sorry, Ry,” Zayne yells through the door, “but we have to go. We’ve received word of a Rogue attack at a town in the northernmost province of our Packlands.”
