Page 146 of The Cerulean Sister
The way his face lights up when a smiling huff escapes me makes my stomach flutter. "And what do you think of that idea, Commander?" I look down, a sudden shyness I have not felt with him in a long time overwhelming my senses.
"I wanted to ask you before, on Viathan."
"You did?"
He nods slowly. "If we were tethered, you would know just how many times I thought of it, but I knew how uncommon unions are in the Estate."
"They areveryuncommon." I try to think of any temple member who is in one but cannot.
"You would be a lady on Viathan." He ducks to capture my eyes again. "You could even petition for a seat on the council. It would be your right."
The thought of being in that room with the council members again makes me giggle at the absurdity.
"Or you can do whatever you wanted, but no one could tear us apart," he continues.
The emotion and depth of what he is proposing, not only to save me and my sister but because he truly loves me, is felt down to my marrow.
"I don't want you to think I am agreeing to this just because I need protection, 99. I would have said yes if you asked me on Viathan."
He exhales so deeply, closing his eyes like I have said something beautiful, and then he directs my face toward him, holding the side of my cheek, his fingertips reaching to the back of my neck in a firm but tender grip.
I look into his eyes, really look, the deep pools that stare back at me and convey so much without words. How did I ever doubt our connection? How could I forget that there is a profound trust to be forged in our words and actions without the need of our tether? I want to know him fully, to learn every detail of who he is and I am content if that takes our entire lives, as long as we are together.
"I read, that numbered commanders share their names with the person they enter into union with." I press my lips together a little shy and hoping my statement is well received.
His head tilts like I have surprised him. "My predecessor, the 98th Commander, his family and wife used his name." He strokes my cheek and leans in to speak more gently. "Willmywife want to know my name?"
"Yes," I whisper.
"Lord General can perform a union ceremony the moment you and Leema are aboard the ship." His deep voice sounds more breathy this close.
"I would love that very much, 99," I whisper, his lips hovering over mine, and when I feel them turn up slightly in a heartbreaking smile, I press forward.
He grumbles in his throat so deep I feel the vibrations against my lips. He angles my head to the side to kiss me deeper, his other hand slips up to my hip, pulling me closer against his body. The kiss is sweetly slow, measured and as if we are kissing each other for the first time all over again.
When I pull away, a shy flutter blooms in my stomach noticing his hungry blown out pupils. The way his lust hooded eyes search my face is as if he is drunk on the sensation of kissing me again after so much time has passed. We have not kissed in weeks, and even if it is a small act, this type of simple intimacy has been missed dearly.
"I have dreamed of your lips every night since we departed Viathan," he whispers, still holding me close to his lips like he is not finished. "Your taste. Your breath against me. The sounds you make." He kisses me softly between each phrase.
"I have thought of you too."
His exhale comes out with a groan, making me realize the true meaning of what he is saying and what he now believes I am confessing to as well.
By dream, he means something else entirely.
I bite my lip as he watches the movement, eyes flicking down and back up to mine, more feral than before.
"Tell me." He languidly kisses his way down to my neck, the sensation against my skin making me gasp and feel bolder. "Tell me if you touched yourself when you thought of me."
"Not here, but on the ship, the first night when I slept in the bed we shared before." I gasp for breath as he moves the straps of my nightgown to gently nip my shoulder, a kiss coming in close succession to soothe the spot. "I missed you so much andthere were so many memories in that room, I needed to feel close to you again."
"Did you make yourself come in our ship bed, Priestess?"
"Yes," I whimper as he nips the skin under my ear, pressing me against his hard chest.
I run my fingers through his tousled hair as he makes his way upward again. "Kiss me, 99, I cannot bear it."
He groans and grips me with his large hands, pulling me into his lap. My knees rest on either side of his hips as we both tug my slip over my head, throwing it to the floor. His mouth descends to my nipple, sucking at the peaked and sensitive flesh. My back arches at the dizzying sensation of his swirling tongue.
