Page 114 of Flameborne: Fury
SOUNDTRACK:Surrenderby Natalie Taylor
~ BREN ~
I’d always loved Donavyn’s kiss, but in that moment he sipped at me like I was a fine wine. His kiss was soft but insistent, delving. And his touch… He held me like I was precious. Breakable. To be protected.
The bond glowed.
I’d been so afraid when that hollow space appeared in my chest, so terrified when Kgosi said I’d severed our connection, to have it back, to feel him again was a relief so deep I would have wept if I hadn’t already spent my tears.
But the moment we kissed, and Donavyn sighed into my mouth, the moment he believed that I wanted him, the glow of that cord between us became a spark.
Then a crackle.
He started so slowly, tilting my head to deepen the kiss, leaning into me because I straddled his thighs. But he moved slowly, cradling the back of my head when he had me leaned back over his arm, and always, always tasting me—lips, tongue, breath.
As he leaned me back, I wrapped my arms around his neck to keep myself held into his kiss, while his hands traveled down my sides to my hips, holding me there.
His kiss grew more insistent.
My breathing rasped and my heart thrilled as I felt him tremble, holding himself back. But I didn’t want him restrained. I didn’t want himcareful.I’d been violated. I’d been coddled. I’d been seduced—by a man who never loved me, but used his words to convince me that he did so I’d give him what he wanted.
I could see that now.
There was no part of me that wanted anything to do with Ruin ever again.
Buteverypart of me wanted every part of Donavyn.
Donavyn’s touch wasn’t a violation. It lit up my skin like fireflies dancing. I shivered with joy, rather than fear. My heart raced with anticipation, not anxiety.
Being in his arms, covered by his body, I felt safe. Protected from the world.
Not revealed for someone else’s pleasure.
When his hands slipped under the waistband of my jacket to slide against my skin, I sucked in a breath and kissed him harder.
When I unbuttoned his jacket, celebrating when I found his skin because he had no shirt on underneath, he shuddered.
I still straddled him when he got my jacket open, and my shirt. There was a split second when he drew back, sitting up straight to look down on me, that a tiny flutter of fear niggled in the back of my mind. But his eyes were avid with love, not lust. His gaze bright with need, not hunger. And his touch…
God, he touched me like I was precious. Fragile.
Whispering to me to rest back, he pulled up his knees to support me, then slowly, with shaking hands, peeled my shirtand jacket away until they lay against my sides, while my chest and stomach were bare to the morning air.
His gaze warmed my skin, then his eyes snapped up to meet mine. “Bren, are you sure—?”
I sat up quickly, kissing him hard, taking his hand and placing it on my breast, arching into it. If I’d needed to, I would have begged.
But Donavyn groaned, cupping the weight of my breast in his palm, teasing my nipple between his thumb and forefinger, and kissing me like I was air to breathe.
I lay back against his knees again, let my head fall back, gasping when his hand slid up from my breast, to my collarbone, then lifted to trace fingertips from my chin, down my throat, and back down to my breasts.
I panted and arched, watching him touch me with both hands, his expression one of wonder and delight as he teased my nipples and kneaded my breasts.
He was already hard. I could feel him straining against his leathers, and it madewantjolt through me.
For a time, we both panted and writhed, touching and sliding, breathing each other’s names as I peeled his jacket back off his shoulders, and he released my arms from mine. But then he pulled me up to his chest and kissed me hard again, as he lifted me and shifted, picking me up and carrying me, his steps hurried, to a spot near the creek where the grasses were lush and the morning sun filtered through leaves.
He paused for a moment, staring down at me, shaking his head slowly. “You amaze me, Bren,” he croaked.
