Page 11 of Fated to the Phoenix

He made another word in the allotted time. “If you don’t set the timer, Bex, you’ll need to give up another item.” Trace’s gruff voice pierced my lust-induced haze, making me jump in my seat.

“I know, I know.” Quickly scanning my letters, I noted there were only two options open to me. I went with the shorter word as part of my strategy to make it harder for him and to get that shirt off his muscled chest. And find out once and for all how he wore it with his wings.

“M-o-t-e. Mote. That’s six plus a double word score, adding twelve points to my total,” I announced smugly.

“Challenge. There’s no way that word is in the dictionary.” Trace smirked.

He crossed his arms, his gaze steady, full of the challenge he just issued. I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, but maybe it didn’t really matter.

Because this moment felt inevitable.

A slight ripple in his wings distracted me, reminding me how I’d dreamed of stroking them last night. How he’d run them along my body, increasing me need to a fever-pitch that had me begging him to take me and…

My thoughts came to a halt when Trace quirked an eyebrow, his gaze dropping to my lips and the stark desire in his eyes made me shudder. Oh, my. Here I was panting over something that hadn’t even happened. And darn it, was that a bit of drool on the corner of my mouth?

I swallowed a groan, cleared my throat, and shot back. “Of course, it’s in the dictionary. I’ve used it thousands of times in my life.” That could be stretching the truth, but surely hundreds.

“Use it in a sentence,” he demanded.

“Alright. You will let me use this word, so mote it be.”

Trace laughed. It was the first time I heard him do so. A deep rumble that reached from my toes to my clit and I may have gasped at the sound.

“Are you attempting to bespell me into letting you use that word, mate?”

“It’s Bex, and that’s insulting. And I’m using that word.” I pushed the timer back toward him. “Your turn.”

“Ah, mate. How I do love your spirit. Our children will be strong-willed thanks to their beautiful mother. And I will enjoy our future battles over the Scrabble board. But you owe me either your bra or those damnable leggings. Your choice.”

I couldn’t tell if he was just trying to wind me up or he was being genuine in his praise, but it set me off. I was quickly breaking under the sexual frustration.

“Not happening. You can eat me, phoenix.” Oh, no! Freudian slip much? I’d meant to say “bite me.” Not that that was any less provocative.

“My pleasure, witch.” Trace’s expression had gone from teasing to hungry in a blink.

Oh, my. Once again, a verbal outburst had gotten me into trouble.

But oh, what trouble.

It was time to be honest with myself. I wanted his touch. His lips on mine and yes, between my folds, which were currently drenched. For him. The man who's more than man, who wants to bind me to him forever.

I was ready to play with fire as long as he was the one making me burn.

All I cared about was discovering what’s under his clothes, what his monster cock looks like.

What it will feel like as he pounds into me.

I’ve been ready since he first touched me and now that slow fuse was about to be lit by his next touch.

All my nerve endings sang as the anticipation built. I no longer dismissed my body’s betrayal as a simple hormone imbalance. I’ve witnessed so many things that I no longer believed Athena hadn’t been real or that the fated mate and the prophecy of the Brethren were something he’d made up.

I wanted my mate, and I wanted him now.

CHAPTER TEN

TRACE

Finally. Her words, her hungry gaze, and the scent of her arousal all combined, verifying her acceptance. But I needed a bit more than “eat me” to do just that.

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