Page 173 of Born of Blood and Ash

“Are you going to fuck me now?”

Shadows appeared beneath his flesh, swirling as madly as theeather in his eyes. “Nothing will stop me.”

Pure want made me a little dizzy. “Prove it.”

An inhuman growl came from him—a sound no mortal could make.Probably not even most gods. It should scare me. But it only excited me as hefreed his thick, rigid length. A small bead of liquid glistened at the tip.

Then his hips were between my thighs, spreading them. Deep,sharp pleasure twisted inside me as I felt the cool pressure of his cock.Sliding an arm around my back, he clasped my hip with his other hand. Astuttered heartbeat later, the way he held me kept me from sliding backwardunder the force of the deep, hard thrust. I cried out, shaking as my bodyopened for him.

There was no space between our bodies. Seated fully insideme, he didn’t move as I curled my legs around his hips. Even as his armtrembled, he held himself still for a moment. And then another.

“Ash?” I whispered against his lips, my pulse thumpingerratically.

He lifted his head. Our eyes locked. There was a suddenwildness in his silvery gaze. My breath stalled a little.

I touched his chest, concerned. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” The eather brightened,whirling through his irises. His hand left my hip, and he caressed my cheek. “Ijust sometimes remember how close I came to losing you.”

My heart ached. “But you didn’t.”

“And I won’t.” He drew his thumb across my lower lip. “Notever. That is the promise we’re making to each other.”

Ash began to move then, thrusting deeper into me, filling meup. His pace increased until it became a frenetic tempo I thought might tear meapart, given the pleasure.

Then he suddenly lifted me off the desk, his large handcradling the back of my head. I gasped, stunned by his sheer strength as hiships plunged upward. I grasped his shoulders, my senses overwhelmed.

Potent desire spread through me. I arched in his embrace, mybody aching and tense.

“Please,” I heard myself whisper—beg.

Ash answered without hesitation, knowing what I wanted.Needed. He moved faster, grinding against me as he took me right to that slickedge and then over it. I let out a scream as hot, tight spasms shook me.

Ash’s head kicked back as he drew me down on his cock. Aroar of release escaped his throat while he held me tight to his chest. It wasa sound that must have shaken the walls of the palace.

One last shudder ran through my body as I clung to him,trembling with aftershocks of pleasure. Moments passed, and I became aware ofthe fact that he’d lowered me to the edge of the desk again, but was still deepinside me, cool and throbbing.

He kissed me. The one before had been that of unyieldingneed. This was a gentle and languid benediction.

His fingers trailed down my cheek as he eased himself fromme and stepped back. Wavy strands of hair fell against a slightly flushed cheekas he pulled his pants up, his chin pointed downward.

Was he blushing?

I thought so, and there was such a sweetness to it that Ifelt my heart do several little skips.

Leaving his pants unbuttoned, he looked over at me. Only thethinnest streaks of eather were visible as one sideof his lips curled up. “I wish to paint you,” he said, crossing the distancebetween us. “With you like this.”

I glanced down at myself. “You wish to paint me topless—wait.”Surprise jolted me. “You can paint?”

One shoulder lifted. “I used to when I was younger. Can’tsay I was any good at it.”

I gaped at him. “What have you painted?”

“Landscapes—mostly Mount Rhee,” he said while pulling myblouse sleeves back up, referencing where the drakenresided. “And how the meadows would look if filled with poppies. Sometimes, Idid portraits.”

My mouth was still hanging open. “I can’t believe you’rejust now telling me you can paint.”

“It’s not something I honestly thought of before.” He tuggedsome hair free from under my shirt collar. “Truthfully, it’s not something Ieven thought of until now. I haven’t painted in years.”

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