Page 28 of Survivor
“Lore, go with her,” Tide said. “You need to sleep to heal.”
I held out my hand to Lore as I passed and tugged him to his feet. “I hope you’re a cuddler.”
He smiled down at me, his ember eyes bright in his face. “I don’t know. But it will be interesting to find out.”
* * *
Lore lay on the bed fully clothed; the lights were low, and the temperature just right. I tugged off my boots and stripped down to my underwear before crawling up beside him.
His gaze was hooded, but I caught the flash of hunger in his ember eyes, and my stomach flipped hard. He was still recovering. I needed to keep my hands to myself.
I lay beside him, heart pounding a little too fast.
The backs of our hands touched, and then he gently took my hand. “I won’t break.”
I turned my head to look at him. “You’re recovering.”
He reached out to cup my cheek. “Rogue, the fever from the infection is gone. The heat in my veins is for you.” He rolled toward me so that we were lying chest to chest, our faces inches apart. “Can I kiss you?”
My mouth was suddenly dry. I nodded, breath coming faster, lungs tight as he tentatively, gently brushed his lips over mine. A low moan of protest broke from my throat. Another brush of his lips, firm and velvety.
I fisted his shirt, my breath kissing his mouth. “Tease.”
He kissed me again, smiling against my mouth. I flicked my tongue out to taste him, and he opened for me with a soft groan. The kiss was slow, leisurely, and exploratory. His tongue caressed mine, and heat bloomed between us, sweet and aching. It coiled in the pit of my stomach and throbbed at the apex of my thighs. Our mouths opened wider, deepening the kiss, pushing closer. Hands touching, sliding over fabric and flesh and grasping silken strands of hair.
I’d never kissed anyone like this … This deep. This long, until my mouth was tingling, and shocks were skimming through my body, setting every nerve ending alight so that when he grazed his knuckles up my arm, my core clenched hungrily.
“Lore …”
He rolled on top of me, pressing me into the mattress with the heat and weight of his body. Legs twining with mine, the contact was like electric fire racing through my veins. I needed more. I needed his skin against mine. I needed to taste him. But there was no rushing Lore. He savored, touched, tasted, played until my body was wound up so tight, the tiniest push would send me hurtling over the edge, and only then did he shuck his clothes, rough and desperate, sending my heart racing even more because he was about to lose control.
It was in the bunch of his shoulder muscles and the tightness of his jaw, and oh, fuck, he was beautiful. I ran my hand down his abdomen, down to the V at his hips and over the head of his arousal. He sucked in a breath as I made circles on the wet tip. His whole body tightened, and then a low, rumbling growl grazed my senses. His hands whipped up to pin mine to the bed, and our gazes locked. His ember eyes burned like flames in his head, chest heaving.
“Please …” I arched my back.
“Yes.” He entered me in one smooth thrust.
My cry was cut off by his mouth, and then he was moving, thrusts controlled and deep as I gasped and moaned into his mouth. Our breath tangled, our bodies tightened, rushing toward the abyss together, and then we were falling into a surge of sensation, shattering together.
Long minutes passed in silence, just our breath, just the quiver of our post-orgasm limbs.
Lore raised his head, his eyes bright, his breath coming fast. “I love you, Rogue.”
I cupped his cheek. “I love you too.”
14
Vex
Istand outside the loaned quarters and take a shuddering breath. This goes against everything I am. To let her go into danger alone.
But we all know there is no other way to protect her. If we don’t do this, we’re stuck on this port, and it’s only a matter of time before the Athion government or the Trads find us.
I can’t think about what they’d do to her.
This is a shot, and we have to take it, but everything inside me wants to take her and run.
If only there was somewhere to run to.
