Page 54 of Wind and Water
She peers over her shoulder. “I hope not.”
Thrusting inside her, I bury myself to the hilt. Gripping her hips, I take full advantage of the position she’s given me. She’s pure perfection, and I won’t last long, but every stroke is everything a man could want. Tight and soft, her sheath grips me as alluringly as her mouth did.
As I slide forward, she slams back, taking me deeper. “Fuck. Liam. Harder.”
At her command, my balls tighten. I give her what she wants, what I want. Pounding inside her until I can’t bear the pleasure, and her body contracts around me. Again, I fill her with my seed. It’s reckless, but I need to give myself to her. I long to see her grow with our child. The idea of anything else seems pale and dishonest.
Clutching her hips, I fold over her back and trail kisses along the back of her neck. “At some point, we’ll have to join the others and eat something.”
She groans and wiggles her ass, teasing where we are still intimately connected.
It takes all of my control to ease free. I wrap my arms around her and turn her in my embrace, kissing her hair and breathing in her flowery scent. “I could live on a steady diet of just you for the rest of my life.”
Resting her cheek on my chest, she wraps her arms around my waist and lets out a long sigh. “Yes. Let’s stay here and starve to death but have incredible sex until we die.”
If only it were that easy. “I’m afraid we’d be found, and there is still the problem of the witch queen to deal with.”
On a groan, she steps out of my hug and nods. “Yes. I guess we’d better do something about her, but when this is over, I will need you to myself for an extended period of time without interruptions.”
“I promise.” It’s an easy vow to make. How this works out without heartbreak, I have no idea, but I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to stay with Wren, if she’ll have me after what I’ve put her through and what is yet to come.
Once we’re cleaned up and dressed, it’s long past dark, and we weave our way through the trees to the camp. A small pile of rocks glows with magic-created heat. It’s less dangerous and more efficient than a fire, not to mention harder for our enemies to see.
Birdie is already asleep on the bedroll I laid out for her.
My bedroll is unmoved, but Wren’s has been placed beside mine. I lean in and whisper, “I didn’t want to presume. I had put your bedroll next to your mother’s.”
Even without much light, I can see her cheeks glowing pink. “I suppose Momma approves.”
As soon as she sits on the thick blanket, I join her. “Would it matter if she didn’t?”
“Yes. It would matter to me, but it wouldn’t change anything.” She leans her back against my side.
Jadar carries two leaves filled with roasted deer meat. His gaze averted, he hands the food to each of us. “We saved you some food.” The young centaur, who is usually so full of life, looks as if he’ll never meet our eyes again. I don’t know if it’sbecause he knows we were making love, or if his attraction to Wren is causing him shame. Either way, it’s not necessary.
“Thank you. We’ve worked up an appetite.” I laugh.
Wren’s cheeks burn red. “Liam. My word.”
Surprise registers on Jadar’s face. He looks at Wren, then at me with wide eyes before bursting out with a full, deep laugh. Without comment, he backs away, rejoining the other centaurs as they begin to find their beds for the night.
My stomach growls at the scent of well-cooked deer. I eat quickly, then go to a bucket set out for hand washing. Returning to Wren, I bring the bucket for her to wash, then return it for everyone’s use. I toss the leaves we’re forced to use as dishes into the woods.
Lying beside her, I let my hand rest on her hip. “Was the food enough?”
“Yes. It was good. Why did you embarrass Jadar?” She curls her upper arm under her head.
“He was already embarrassed. I just let him know we have nothing to hide. He has a crush on you. He knows you are not available. He wasn’t sure how to act, and he was shy about his reaction to knowing you were naked in the stream. I gave the situation less gravity.” I squeeze her full hip and pull her back to my front, letting my hand settle over her abdomen.
There’s a long pause before she relaxes against me. “Very diplomatic. Will you be king one day?”
I laugh louder than is appropriate. Several centaurs turn to see what could be funny. I lower my head and relax. “No. If we don’t all die in this war, and the curse can be broken, my brother Aaran will be next in line for the elven crown. However, my mother will live a long time, and there is the curse that currently keeps men from ruling.”
“Yet you have cultivated diplomatic skills.” She yawns.
I kiss the back of her neck. “I like to put those around me at ease. I have good instincts about others. It is useful, even for a soldier.”
Rolling to face me, she opens her eyes. Panic in her tone, she says, “I wasn’t implying that your profession was less important than your brother or mother.”
