Page 123 of Fanged Embrace
It took considerable effort to eventually untangle ourselves, and my hands shook sporadically when she slipped the delicate ring onto my finger. Her eyes were just as glossy as mine, and she barely got the ring secured before I was kissing her again, heart full to bursting with a kind of euphoria I hadn’t even known was possible.
It was a happiness that never waned, never ran dry. It was a bottomless well, it went on forever. I couldn’t believe a human body could contain so much love, adoration, and deep-seated devotion. Like a cup overflowing, it poured out of me, and I kissed her until I was breathless, until my lips burned hot and my pulse picked up to breakneck speed.
We shed our layers, right there on the rug, naked in broad daylight and wrapped up in each other as sunlight kissed our skin. I was still no expert at this intricate dance, not by a long shot, but I made up for it with passion, a burningwantfor the woman beneath me that turned me feral from time to time. Now was one of those times.
Molten heat pooled in my gut and I poured my tongue into her mouth, knotting fingers in her hair while River’s hands came up to knead my ass. We moved together, bare skin bristling between us as her lips pressed hungry and forceful against mine.
It wasn’t long before River took the reins, rolling us over until I was splayed out beneath her, quivering legs parting to let her in. She bent to peck kisses down my chest, pausing to nip at one sensitive nipple and then the other, apologizing for the rough treatment with a gentle sweep of her tongue.
She moved lower, and I propped myself up on my elbows to watch her, breathing coming sharp and sporadic as she trailed her tongue lower, traveling down the length of my stomach. She paused at the scar on my lower abdomen—a past injury I had no memory of, but the silvery line of it stoked an unexplainable swell of affection in my heart.
She pressed small, tender kisses there, moving from one sloped hip to the other, before hooking my legs over her shoulders. I locked my feet beneath me and rocked my hips up to meet her, chasing her mouth when she paused to hover above me.
She jerked her head away and flashed me a smile, fangs glinting in the stream of sunlight that poured in behind me. “Eager, are we?”
I flushed bright red and dropped my head back with an exasperated groan. “Don’t make me beg.”
“But you’re so cute when you do it,” River crooned, and hot breath washed over that sensitive spot between my legs, sending shivers quivering up my spine.
I flopped down on my back, squirming beneath her while River took her time, sucking a bruise into the soft flesh of my inner thigh. She bit down, ever so gently, and the faint prick of fangs coaxed a gasp from my lips. My fingers scraped at the carpet, looking for something to grab onto as she drew thesmallest trickle of blood from the wound, and my head clouded over with wild arousal.
“River,” I rasped, edging my hips up, legs squeezing tighter around her head. Tendrils of her dark hair trailed along my stomach, lifting goosebumps along bare skin. “Please.”
I felt her smile against my thigh, and her tongue flicked out, licking gently over the mark she’d left behind before she lowered her head. The moment her mouth settled over my clit we both groaned in unison, and I looked up to see her eyes half-lidded, steeped in bliss as she licked a hot trail of fire through slicked folds.
When her tongue worked wonders on the sensitive bundle of nerves at my center, my own eyes rolled back in my skull. My spine curved up from the carpet, body wracked with burning heat that had my toes curling and my bottom lip cinched between my teeth.
No matter how many times we did this, no matter where or how she touched me, the sensation was always the same—an overwhelming exhilaration that shot through my veins, stoked fire in my stomach and turned my vision to static. Stars burst behind my eyes as she coaxed me to a thrilling finish, and all I could do was lie there, twitching under her tongue, utterly intoxicated.
I came with a cry that rang around the room, and before I could recover, we kept going. Her fingers entered me slowly, curling against that sensitive pad of skin deep inside me, forcing salacious moans from my lips. She pushed me past the point of overstimulation, until sweat broke out on my brow and my body bucked against her hand, riding her fingers, toeing the line between delicious pain and decadent pleasure.
When tears pricked my eyes and my breath came stuttered and short, River returned to my mouth and kissed me. I kissed her back with the same desperate desire, until I was lost to the moment, nothing else existed beyond the two of us. We movedtogether, until time lost all meaning, until both of us were shaking and breathless.
We were unburdened, unashamed, and utterly invested in molding our bodies into one.
Hours later, when the rays of sunlight had shifted their angle and both of us lay drifting in hazy bliss, I lifted my hand. The ring on my finger caught those golden rays, sparkling jewels refracting the faint light. Not too long ago, I’d been hellbent on revenge. I couldn’t see past my own convictions: believing that I was unlovable, unworthy, and doomed to meet an abrupt, brutal end. Even after I’d killed Marcus and gone tumbling off that rooftop—after River caught me and brought me home, I’d been directionless. I had no purpose, no drive, and no will to live.
The difference between that Laurie and who I was now, was a stark one. These days I could barely believe the state I had been in back then, before and even after River walked into my life. The way I struggled on, dragging myself through each day with heavy limbs and a heavier heart seemed so distant now. So much had changed.Ihad changed.
Maybe it was River’s doing, maybe it was because the organization and all of their leaders were gone for good. Maybe it was a combination of both, and maybe it was more than that. I wasn’t sure, but one thing was for certain; I was grateful for the change. New life had been breathed into my lungs. I wasn’t sure how it had happened, but I wasn’t going to look back now.
We’d survived, both of us, and after everything that happened, we deserved to move forward. I was tired of looking to the past, as I know my old self did so often. Now I was looking to the future—with River at my side.
Her hand came up to grip mine. Our fingers laced together, and hers tightened fiercely despite the fatigue that shook her limbs. We lowered our hands together, and I thought I’d neverlet go. I could go the rest of my life conjoined with her and I’d be perfectly content.
I titled my head to look at her and found River looking back, bright eyes brimming with tenderness. She kissed me slowly, and my fate was sealed. I was completely at peace, utterly devoted. Nothing could ever separate us now. Nothing loomed over us, no shadows threatened to encroach on our happiness.
I didn’t need her visions to see the bright future unfolding before us, a world of possibilities waiting on the horizon. I was ready to see it all, to walk this path together.
61
River
Nothing could get me reminiscing about the past and giddy about the future quite like a wedding could, and with Hunter and Addison going all out with their celebration, this particular gathering was nothing short of spectacular.
The rooftop venue was packed with guests, at risk of overflowing, everyone mingling amongst the decor that looked to be a combination of Addison’s classy taste and Hunter’s occasional monotone contributions. Fairy lights and paper lanterns bathed the terrace in a warm, golden glow, casting gentle flickers across the chic floral arrangements and crisp white tablecloths. The city skyline stretched out around us, a glittering mosaic beneath the slowly darkening evening sky.
I wandered away from the gathering and found a quiet spot by the balcony, draping elbows over the railing and looking down at the city sprawling beneath me. A burst of laughter had me glancing back over my shoulder and I saw Amara slinging her arms around a stoic-looking Dylan—who couldn’t help but crack a smile when her wife smacked a lipstick pink kiss on hercheek. A small grin tugged at my own lips, contentedness loosening my shoulders under my red velvet suit.
