Page 69 of Zinnia and the Zombie
“Is that so?” She arched her back as his fingers slid down her belly.
“Definitely.” He slipped his hand between her thighs and a low growl rumbled in his chest when he discovered how wet she was. “You are already ready for me, aren’t you?”
“Always,” she gasped. “Jaxx, I need?—”
“I know what you need.”
He spun her around and pushed her face down on the bed, then gripped her hips and positioned her for him.
“Hold still,” he commanded.
She did as he said, biting her lip as his fingers continued to tease and stroke, sliding through her folds and circling her clit. Justwhen she thought she couldn’t take it any longer, he pressed his cock against her opening.
“Jaxx, please!”
His grip on her hips tightened and he thrust into her, filling her completely. He began to move, his thick shaft dragging along her sensitized flesh and sending a delicious surge of heat through her. His pace was relentless, each powerful thrust pushing her closer and closer to the edge. Her legs began to shake, her muscles tightening as her body rushed towards release.
“I can feel how close you are,” he growled, his fingers tightening on her hips. “I love the way your body responds to me.”
“Jaxx,” she pleaded, her fingers clawing at the coverlet.
“Let go, my Zinnia. Give me your pleasure.”
His hips surged against her, pushing her even higher, until she could feel the tension building to an exquisite pitch. One last thrust, and her climax tore through her, her body convulsing around his as pleasure crashed through her.
“Zinnia,” he groaned, his voice rough.
He gripped her hips and pulled her harder against him, and she cried out again as a second, deeper orgasm exploded through her.
“My mate,” he growled.
“Yours,” she agreed breathlessly.
A final deep thrust, and his release spilled inside her, his cock pulsing against her sensitive flesh. She lay in a dazed sprawl as the tremors eased, and Jaxx bent down to press a kiss between her shoulder blades.
“Mine,” he repeated, his voice softer, and a surge of satisfaction rushed through her as she snuggled against him. A ruined city or an imperial palace—it didn’t matter as long as they had each other.
EPILOGUE
Jaxx prowled restlessly from one end of their apartments to the other. The suite of ornate rooms was more luxurious than anywhere he’d ever stayed, but luxury wasn’t safety, and opulence wasn’t freedom. They’d been in the palace for less than two weeks, and as grateful as he was for the Emperor’s hospitality, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being… contained.
He briefly considered returning to bed but his mate had already spent most of the previous night trying to ease his restlessness and, enjoyable as that had been, she needed to sleep. He had an open invitation to train with the Fleet but sometime during the long years since he’d lost his ship, he’d also lost his enthusiasm for military discipline.
To his relief the door the bedroom opened and Zinnia emerged, looking enticingly disheveled, her hair tumbling around her shoulders. She came directly to him and put her arms around his waist, leaning against him with a sleepy smile, and his tension immediately eased.
She leaned back to smile up at him, then frowned. “What’s wrong?”
He shrugged, unable to articulate the feeling of frustration that had driven him from their bed. “I wasn’t sleeping.”
“You don’t want to be here, do you?”
“It’s very comfortable,” he said, his voice as neutral as he could make it, but he couldn’t deceive his perceptive little mate.
“But you feel caged,” she said softly.
He nodded, grateful that she understood. “We’re safe here, but it’s as if we’re just… waiting. Waiting for other people to make decisions.”
“And that’s not who you are.” She took his hand. “You’re a warrior, not a courtier.”
