Page 56 of The Gargoyle and the Maiden
She melted into him then, all resistance flowing away. “Yes. Yes. Whatever you need.”
“I need you. I need this.” He covered her with his body and ground against her, heedless of the layers of leather and fabric between them. His wings stretched out, casting them both in shadow as he drank deep kisses from her trembling lips. Winds aid him, he was so parched. He could not get enough of her.
His mouth ravished hers with a ferocity that left her gasping. When his tongue demanded entry, she surrendered instantly, her hands wrapping in his hair as she kissed him back with equal desperation.
Idabel’s breath faltered as his hands moved down her body, tugging impatiently at the leather laces that held the sides of her bodice together. They tangled, refusing to give way for him. With a snarl of frustration, he abandoned the effort and rucked her skirts up instead.
He had no patience for laces and bows. Not tonight. Not after so long apart.
She shivered beneath him, though whether from the temperature or his touch, he couldn’t tell. All that mattered was the way her breath hitched as he reached beneath her pretty hem and found his way through the petticoats. His fingers traced her bare skin along the line from her hip to her pussy, before teasing between her folds to test her readiness. Fallen gods knew, he was ready enough for both of them.
She was already slick and swollen. His breath hissed out with the effort of keeping himself in control. He didn’t want their reunion to be over too soon, but neither could he wait much longer.
He gripped the hem of her gown and pushed it up higher, revealing more of her to his hungry gaze. Her legs were strong, shaped by hard work, but soft in a way that made his mouth water. He bent his head, pressing a rough kiss to the inside of her thigh, savoring the taste and scent of her skin.
“You’re mine,” he said fiercely, his fingers tightening on her thigh. “All the time and distance was worth it for this. For you.”
“I hope so,” she whispered.
He didn’t bother undressing her fully. There was no need to strip away every layer when his need was so piercing. He pushed her skirts onto her belly, baring her sex to him in a way that felt almost obscene. His eyes roamed over the juncture of her thighs, where the swell of her mons, covered with soft, enticing fur, was beaded with her dew.
His hunger grew fiercer with every second. His fingers trailed upward, brushing against the sensitive skin of her stomach before sliding lower once more, seeking the heat between her thighs. She jerked at his touch, her lids falling shut.
When he found her clit firm and throbbing, a low, satisfied sound escaped him. “Perfect,” he murmured, his voice thick with approval. His thumb circled it, drawing a whimper from her lips, and he watched intently as her back arched, her body responding to his touch. Her hands clawed at the furs beneath them, her breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps. The sight of her unraveling beneath him sent a bolt of heat straight to his cock, and he clenched his jaw, forcing himself to hold back.
“Brandt,” she moaned. Her hips shifted, seeking more of him, but he stilled her with his other hand, pinning her in place. He wasn’t ready to give her what she wanted. First, he wanted to savor every sound, every shiver, every flicker of pleasure that crossed her face. His fingers moved with deliberate slowness, teasing and exploring until she was trembling beneath him.
Finally, when he could no longer resist the insistent pull of his own need, he gripped her hips and aligned their bodies with a growl of anticipation. She was close and so was he. Any more teasing and they’d both tip over the edge.
He fumbled with his breeches for a moment, freeing himself with a satisfied grunt, and positioned himself at her entrance.
“My mate,” he purred, his voice thick with possession. For once, his mind walls did not hinder him, for he had few thoughts to get lost in them. “You belong here, spread out beneath me.” His hands pinned her wrists above her head, his body weight trapping her. He knew he wouldn’t last—not after so long without her—and he needed to make this moment count.
He thrust into her to the root, filling her snug heat completely. A sharp gasp escaped Idabel’s lips, her nails digging into his palms as she adjusted to the sensation. He groaned, his forehead pressing against hers as he fought to maintain control. Every inch of him burned with the need to take her harder, faster, but he forced himself to move slowly, savoring the feel of her around him.
His fingers tangled in her long braid, and he began to unravel it with a gentleness that contrasted sharply with the intensity of their coupling. As the strands fell loose around her shoulders, he combed through them with his fingers, his touch reverent. “My Idabel,” he murmured against her ear, his voice rough with emotion. “My sweet mate. Tell me you’re mine.”
She arched beneath him, her hips meeting his with increasing urgency. “I’m yours,” she gasped, her voice shaky with pleasure. Her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him deeper, urging him to lose himself in her.
Brandt held on, jaw clenched. The way she felt around him—tight, hot, perfect—was almost enough to unravel him completely, but he fought to stay in control. He angled his hips to brush against that sensitive spot inside her, the one he knewwould send her spiraling. Her breath hitched sharply, her body tightening around him in response, and a low, guttural growl rumbled in his chest. His fingers tightened in her hair, as if it anchored him to her, to this moment.
Thiswas what he’d been waiting for.Thiswas what he’d been fighting for.
Her hips lifted instinctively, seeking more of him. Brandt groaned, his forehead pressing against hers as he moved with deliberate slowness, each thrust deeper and less controlled than the last. He could feel her quivering beneath him, her breaths coming in shallow gasps, and the sound of her soft whimpers made his knot threaten to swell.
But he would not rush this. Not when she was so close, not when he could see the way her eyes squeezed shut and her lips parted in silent pants.
“Let go,” he murmured against her ear, his heart achingly tender. “I’ve got you.”
Her nails dug into him, her fingers tightening around his shoulders as if she needed something to ground her. Brandt could feel her body tensing, her inner muscles fluttering as she teetered on the edge of release.
He slowed his movements even further, drawing out the moment, savoring the way her breath caught every time he bottomed out inside her. His hips snapped forward again, harder this time, and she cried out, her head falling back against the furs. He could feel her body coiling tighter, tighter, like a spring ready to snap. His own control was slipping, the rhythm of his thrusts becoming more erratic as he struggled to hold on just a little longer.
“Come for me,” he commanded, his voice low and urgent, almost a snarl. “I need to feel it.”
And she did. Her channel convulsed around him as she cried out his name. The sensation was too much for Brandt to resistany longer. With a guttural groan, he buried himself to the hilt, his knot swelling inside her as his seed gushed out in heady pulses.
He shuddered above her, his breath ragged as he leaned down to capture her lips in a tender, possessive kiss. The feeling of being locked together was so consuming, he could hardly think of anything else but the place where their bodies joined. They were one. They were mates as certainly as the moon shone.
