Page 93 of The King is Dead
There was a dull thud in the hallway—one of the guard’s spears thunking against the wall, or a shield dropped by accident, but it reminded me that we would have to be careful. The walls were solid stone here, but sound still carried somewhat. I would have to warn Melek not to—
“Thank God, you’re awake.”
His low rumble sent adrenaline shooting through my veins. I gasped and sat up, throwing the quilts back to turn and look at him, standing in the doorway between our suites.
I had no idea how he’d gotten so close without me hearing, but I didn’t care. My belly thrummed as I whispered his name and leaped out of the bed, rushing to his open arms, sighing happily when he drew me up into his chest and held me there, one hand cupping the back of my skull, the other cupped under my ass. I was surprised by how hard his heart hammered under my ear, and how tightly he held me, as if he were just as desperate to be close as I was.
“Finally,” I breathed into his neck.
Melek rumbled his approval and his breath rushed against my hair. Then a shiver rocked through him.
I pulled my head back quickly to meet his eyes. “Are you well?” I whispered.
He nodded once, slowly. “But are you, Love?” he rasped.
I frowned. “Yes. I mean, I’m tired, but I’ve just been waiting for you. You’ve had the much harder night—”
“No, Yilan… those bastards and their cutting words…” He shuddered again, then let me slide down his body until my feet were backon the floor, but he took my face in his hands and searched my eyes. “I almost told them then and there. I couldn’tbelievethey would speak to you that way—”
“It shocked me, as well,” I muttered, my hands automatically reaching for the buttons of his shirt—which was when I realized he wasn’t wearing his jacket anymore. I frowned. “Where’s your leather?”
“Turo retreated to casual attire,” he said dryly. “I joined him and the others to encourage… togetherness.”
I snorted. “Nottrulytogether, I hope.”
Melek’s eyes flashed and he dropped one of his hands from my jaw to the neckline of my nightgown, tracing the width of it with a fingertip, a light coming alive in his gaze that made my belly flutters turn to thrill.
“God, Yilan, it’s been hell sitting there for all those hours, keeping myselfstoic,trying to be an example of humility and patience, when all I wanted to do was to whack their skulls together and teach them a lesson in respect.”
“Hold that thought,” I grinned, reaching for his buttons and popping them one by one until I could draw the sides of his shirt away from his chest and belly, and trace the lines of him with my hands. “Right now, I don’t want to think about them at all.”
“Agreed,” he rasped, dropping both hands to cup my breasts through the thin fabric of my nightgown, growling in his chest when he felt my nipples already peaked and hard.
I took hold of the sides of his shirt and pulled him with me as I stepped back towards the bed, drawing him after me. He came eagerly, his hands sliding down to my hips, then beginning to furl up the thin fabric on both sides so that the hem tickled its way up my calves, then above my knees.
When the backs of my legs hit the bed, I almost sat down. But I needed us naked first. Melek obviously had the same thought, because as I reached for his belt and began to wrestle with it, he grasped both handfuls of my nightdress and drew it up until it hit my armpits. I was forced to let go of his belt to lift my arms so he could draw the nightgown up and over my head, tossing it aside with a delighted curse when my skin was revealed to the crisp, night air.
A surge of need rocked through me as Melek dove to kiss my throat and his hands slid down to cup my backside and pull me against him.
But I squeaked, and made him wait until I’d gotten his buttons undone and shoved his leathers down, off his hips and ass until they slumped to the floor around his ankles, and his thick length sprang up against my stomach.
I almost hugged it, I was so relieved to have him close.
But there wasn’t time, because Melek was already gathering me into his arms, pulling me against him even as he rocked his hips and pressed himself against my skin, groaning as he lifted me to his chest, then took one step forward and bent at the waist, lowering me to the bed.
I slumped happily onto the quilt, my skin pebbling from the contrast of his hot skin next to the cool air that rushed between us when he braced on his hands and loomed over me.
Our eyes locked and the flames in his roared, nudging the bonfire in my blood to greater heights as I pushed myself up on my elbows and began crawling backwards onto the bed, inviting him to follow with my smile.
35. Nothing Else Matters
~ YILAN ~
My bed was more than big enough for me and a second person of similar stature, but to Melek this oasis of peace was a small island.
As he shucked off his shirt and threw it to the floor, then crawled up after me, it became clear we didn’t have as much room as I hoped.
His long body was braced over me, both fists on the quilts as I pushed myself back so my head would rest on the pillows. But he was on all fours, and already his feet were at the end of the bed.
