Page 58 of Coveted

“Go on ahead and open the door, Lady, then I’ll pass you the tray.”

Alana’s ears burned at having to be told something so simple. She wouldn’t have been able to place her palm on the scanner ifshe’d taken the tray first, but she sucked up her embarrassment and did as Maeve said.

The door cracked open on silent hinges and Maeve made sure Alana had a good hold of the tray before taking a step back and nodding.

“That’ll do. Anything else, Lady?”

Alana gave her a smile and shook her head.

“No. Thank you, Maeve.”

The older woman smiled back before returning to the hidden passage.

Taking a deep breath of her own, Alana nudged open the door and stepped inside, closing it behind her. She’d taken two steps toward the table when Vax emerged from the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel slung low around his hips.

Alana’s mouth went dry, lips parting as her eyes widened at the expanse of bare flesh before her. The muscles only hinted at beneath his clothing were on full display, each dip and valley between them a trap that refused to release her gaze.

A scattering of hair did nothing to hide the puckered scar on his ribs, his already dark skin even blacker where it had been torn. There were other scars littering his chest and arms, but none as large as it, for so obviously a stunner wound. The newer scrapes from the mine were paler than the rest of his skin, and she was glad there were no signs of fresh blood from them.

Her eye trailed lower, following a ridge of muscle along his hip until it disappeared behind cloth. The beige towel covering his manhood twitched as she stared at it, and Alana jerked her gaze up to Vax’s face, his smirk as he stared back bringing a fresh wave of heat to her cheeks.

The dishes on the tray clattered as her arms trembled, and she rushed the last few steps to the table to set it down before she dropped the whole thing on the floor. Her core pulsed, anempty clench around nothing that flustered her even more, the stickiness of slick wetting her underwear.

Eyes locked on the tray she’d deposited, she removed the covers from the food and arranged it in front of one of the chairs, trying to pull her focus back to what she was doing.

“Come sit and eat something,” she called, finally lifting her head again to find herself still trapped in Vax’s gaze.

A slow grin spread across his face, his eyes hooding as he stalked toward her. Something in his gaze held her trapped, still leaned over the table, fingers on the edge of his plate.

“Is what I want to eat on the menu?”

Her brow furrowed, and it took a moment for her to understand what he meant. Skin flushing brighter, her core spasmed as her breaths left her in short pants. There was no mistaking the aroma of her desire, and Vax’s nostrils flared, sucking it in as he stopped across the table from her.

Alana swallowed hard, trying to moisten her dry mouth as she trembled. She’d been determined to offer anything to help him relax and find a moment of relief, realizing sex was the most likely distraction from current events, but the suddenness of his offer,whathe was offering, left her speechless.

Her jaw worked, though no sound escaped. Something in her expression must have exposed her dilemma, because Vax’s smile grew predatory as he moved around the table.

She finally remembered to stand just as he stepped behind her, the length of his body pressing to her back. The heat of him burned into her, enveloping her as she drowned in his scent. His hands rested softly on her shoulders, not enough to hold her in place if she wanted to move, but she didn’t.

“I don’t know what…”

She trailed off, unable to finish what she’d been saying as lips trailed up the side of her neck. The gasp she dragged in did nothing to calm her racing heart, the breathless sensation takinghold in her gut only growing. The room seemed to sway around them and she leaned into him, his body the only thing holding her upright.

“You don’t need to know anything other than you want me. I can show you the rest.”

The whispered words had her nipples tightening beneath her dress, a moan almost escaping her throat as Vax switched to the other side and trailed kisses from her ear down to her collarbone. She could feel his stiffness throbbing against her bottom and her core was practically weeping at how close it was without being close enough.

“You’re tired.”

It was a weak excuse, one she knew wouldn’t stop him, and she didn’t want it to. She’d learned enough of Vax to know he was a good alpha, and even if she wasn’t in love with him yet, she respected his dedication. There was no reason to fight their match, and the desire pumping through her was enough to convince her to give in.

Plus, the curiosity was killing her.

Vax huffed as his hand slid across her shoulder, collaring her nape and spinning her around to face him. His other arm banded around her, pinning her belly and hips to him as he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers.

“I will never be too tired to eat you, Princess. I’ve wanted to devour you since I saw your picture on the Market.”

Alana didn’t get a chance to respond as he suddenly crushed his mouth to hers. His tongue demanded entrance, the grip on the back of her neck tightening, and she opened to him with a sigh.

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