Page 175 of The World Undone

They hadn’t let me out of their sight since the moment I woke up, doting on me at all times while my strength came back.

No one allowed me to help around the town, despite the fact that Charlie was due any minute and was being equally monitored and bed-ridden.

Still, situational clinginess aside, I never would’ve guessed that the perfectly cold, arrogant leader of Six who I’d met my first day at The Guild was a complete cuddle bug.

Sun streamed through his window. It had to be late morning, maybe even noon, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Normally, I wouldn’t either, but we were leaving today.

Not that anyone would tell me where we were going beyond, “it’s a surprise.”

“Atlas,” I whispered, burrowing down under the covers until my nose met his, only mildly self-conscious about my morning breath. “I think we’re late.”

One eye popped open, the familiar sight of gold and brown shadowed by a few loose strands of dark hair. My stomach flipped at the sight, and I was now fully convinced that my body would be forever shocked by the effortless effect they all had on it.

One look—hell, one eye—and I was a puddle of goo.

“We’re not late. They won’t leave without us.” His voice was raspy and heated, like hot chocolate syrup, and he roped his arms around me, pulling me so close that my leg had nowhere to go but between his. “I’m not ready to leave this spot yet.”

I bit my lip, a poor attempt to hide my smile.

He inched closer, his teeth lightly tugging on my lip until my own released it. He soothed the soft indentations with his tongue.

“Atlas,” I said again, this time far less convincingly.

He swallowed whatever else was going to follow that with his tongue sliding against mine, until the only sound I could make was a needy, aching moan.

Fuck it, I was now thoroughly convinced. They could wait another few minutes before we got on the road.

I was suddenly grateful we’d said our temporary goodbyes to the group last night, especially if it had given me an excuse to linger in Atlas’s arms for a little longer.

He pressed me closer, a feverish need suddenly taking over him as he pulled me onto his lap. HIs fingers combed through my hair, the pads rough and soothing as he tugged at the loose bun hanging at the base of my skull. He tilted my head and went deeper.

“I haven’t brushed my teeth,” I said, gasping as he kissed my jaw, down my neck.

“I don’t care.”

He was hard as a rock, and my head felt dizzy with heat as I shifted forward, sliding against him—slow, teasing.

He hissed as I ground myself against him, giving him just short of what he was really hunting for.

With an arched brow, he gripped me, shifting us around until my head fell back on his pillow and he hovered over me.

Slowly, torturously, he slid his hand down the front of my pants, my skin aching at every inch of his touch. I soaked his fingers as he ran them over me, his thumb circling my clit, which was already throbbing.

I hummed in assent, shifting forward, desperate for more pressure, but he pulled back slightly, teasing and pinching me as I gasped and started spinning out of control.

Every inch of my skin tingled, my body impossibly sensitive as pleasure raked through me.

His eyes, wild with barely-contained restraint, told me all I needed to know—he was on the edge too, my pleasure his. Each of us starving for the other in a game we’d both lose—only to both win. Massively, massively win.

“Tell me what you want.”

“I want you to make me forget my own name,” I said, crying out when he slid two fingers into me.

They’d all been so careful with me since I’d woken up, but this was the exception. Sex was one of the ways I grew stronger, and they’d all been so very willing to help with those…training exercises.

Atlas pulled his hand out of my underwear, stare filled with challenge, unflinching from mine as he tasted my arousal on his fingers.

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