Page 167 of Born of Blood and Ash

“That can also wait.” Ash took my hand as he stepped intome. I felt him then, thick and hard against my belly. Our gazes collided, andhe didn’t look away as he said, “Lailah?”

“I’m good.”

“As am I,” Nektas shared, and myheart started to pound for a wholly different reason than it had before as ashadowy mist unfurled around us.

“Perfect.”

I didn’t even see the essence rise as Ash’s mouth descendedon mine, his tongue parting my lips with one fierce, wicked promise of what wasto come.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

“I really hope Kars and Rhahardidn’t head to Vathi,” I said as I slipped from Ash’s embrace, a littlebreathless from the kiss. He had shadowstepped usback to his office in the Shadowlands.

“So, they knew where you were going?” he asked. The lockengaged with a metallic click. My gaze shot to Ash’s. The intensity in hisstare bore into me, causing my already erratic pulse to speed up.

“Yes.” I backed up some more.

“Did they try to stop you?”

“They tried.” I drew in a deep breath, catching the thicker,heavier scent of arousal.

Oh, gods.

“And failed.” He prowled forward, each step fluid andprecise.

“Would you expect anything less?”

One side of his mouth curled up. “Absolutely fucking not.”

I inched back a step and bumped into his desk. “We need totalk.”

“We do,” Ash agreed. “That’s why we’re here.”

I blinked hard, surprised. “Talking is clearly not whatyou’re communicating.”

“I suppose I need to work on that.”

“Yeah—” I gasped.

Without warning, he closed the distance between us. He wasright in front of me, one cool hand cupping my cheek and tilting my head.

His mouth returned to mine with unerring accuracy,interrupting my steady stream of questions—though he’d ask more questions thanI did. There was nothing gentle or tentative about the kiss or my body’simmediate response. The flick of his tongue along the seam of my mouth was likea lightning bolt to my senses, electric and intense. His touch was cool, but itevoked a rush of sultry heat.

Ash’s lips lifted from mine, but not far. “You taste likesugar.” A deep and dark growl rumbled from him. “I like.”

“It’s from the tea I had earlier.” Or at least I thought itwas. I couldn’t be sure now. His kiss had scattered my thoughts, and he wasn’tdone doing so.

He kissed me again, and this time, his tongue parted my lipsand swept inside, dancing with mine. “My brave, beautiful wife.” His lipscoasted over mine. “Still so frightened by a snake.”

“That will never change.”

“Good. I find it adorable.” His other hand landed on my hip.“I know you were upset when you saw Attes’s face, butI didn’t hurt him too badly.”

I gripped the front of his shirt. “You shouldn’t have hurthim at all.”

His lips brushed mine as he moved his large hand over thecurve of my backside. “I enjoy the way you look in these pants.” His fingersfollowed the thin seam over the center of my ass. “But I love the way your bodyfeels in them.”

Heart thumping, I lifted my gaze to his. “I can tell.”

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