Page 81 of Storm of Desire
She bit her lip, reaching up to twist her hand through his hair. "Come forme."
A hand speared down her soft belly, slicing unmercifully through her curls, and pressing exactly where she likedit.
"Youfirst."
A second wave of pleasure overwhelmed her. Árdís lost herself in the wake of it, feeling his body jerk as his own pleasure overtook him. Teeth sank into the muscle of her shoulder, and Haakon grunted softly as hecame.
I've missedthis.
I've missedyou.
She fell forward onto her hands again as he gasped and ground himself within her one lasttime.
The pair of them collapsed onto the bedroll, Haakon melting over her. His chest heaved, and his weight forced her into the blankets. Not unpleasantly. Árdís shuddered as her body kept clenching, little shivers of aftershock lighting along hernerves.
He withdrew in a wet gush of seed, and fell beside her, dragging her back into his arms. Árdís's hips ached, but she drew her knees together and curled her arm over his, pressing a kiss to the smattering of blond hairs along hisarm.
If she'd hadn't been exhausted before, she wasnow.
A soft laugh shuddered through her. "I finally concede. You've destroyedme."
He rolled her onto her back, leaning over her. Panting. She'd quite forgotten the storm outside, but lightning flashed again, highlighting the stark ridges of his face. In that moment, he wasn't hiding anything, and she saw it painted across his face in a mixture of raw pain, hope, and somethingelse.
Longing.
Árdís sucked in a sharp breath, her fingertips pressing gently against the stubble on his cheeks. She was grateful the world fell into darkness again, for her eyes were flushed with suddenheat.
"Best get somerest."
"Why?" shewhispered.
His hand slid between the skin of her breasts, and she sensed him leaning closer, as he bent to kiss her throat ever so gently. "Because tonight is our last night together. And I plan on taking advantage of every single moment ofit."
* * *
The fire crackledin the grate, and the smell of roasting meat made her mouth water. Árdís dragged her boots on, her body a mess of heated bruises and bitemarks.
She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the ache of the loss of the ring still. It felt like something was missing. A piece of her,perhaps.
But... she'd somehow been able to hand itover.
She'd been physically incapable of throwing it away for years. Haakon had demanded its return and she couldn't even give it tohim.
The heat of blood draining from her face made her lips tingle.You are mated.She felt like that bell was ringing in her earsagain.
You are linked somehow, but there is a chasm between where your soulstouch.
I'm not talking of his odor, you foolishkit....
What did hemean?
Could it be? Had she somehow imprinted upon Haakon? Started forming a mating bond with him years ago, but never finishedit?
The stormy afternoon slipped by in a burst of lovemaking and sleep, the questions haunting her. Haakon had left at some stage, and only returned hours later, shaking the water from his oiled cloak as he slicked back his hair and delivereddinner.
"Dare I ask where you found a goat?" She settled beside him at the grate, tucking herself against his side and resting her head on his chest, as he turned the makeshiftspit.
"It was tethered out in the middle of a rockyplain."
