Page 116 of Of Glass and of Gold

“And you are mine,” I whispered against his cheek, my lips flirting with his skin.

He groaned, his arms flexing, resisting the urge to pull me closer. I flicked my tongue under his earlobe before pulling away. His breath shuddered, and pure lust coated his eyes, the sign of his arousal clear in his pants.

“Keep your hands on the bed,” I ordered, settling to my knees between his legs.

He did it, his knuckles white as he clenched the sheets. My hands worked their way in a lazy rubbing fashion up and around his thighs. “And I want every part of you.” Slipping my fingers under his waistband, he adjusted so I could shimmy down his pants.

His exposed length stood before me, and my jaw dropped. I wanted him in my mouth as much as castle pastries. Peering up at him through my heavy lids and lashes, I took him between both of my hands and worked with a massaging rhythm.

His chest heaved, those hands gripping for dear life on the bed’s edge. I lowered, licking up the length of his shaft. He pulsed against my palms.

Heat stirred between my legs. “Do you like this, prince?”

He swallowed. “Yes.”

I took his tip in my mouth, swirling my tongue over the grooves. He groaned again, and it was all the motivation I needed to plunge over him as far as I could. Again and again I dipped and bobbed, working my hands in tandem.

“Nora,” he panted my name.

I needed him. Now. I rose to my feet, whipping off my nightgown over my head and dropping my panties to the floor before practically jumping on him. “Take me,” I said before driving a kiss into him so hard that he almost fell completely backwards.

A moment later, he flipped me, pinning me beneath his muscular frame. A newfound appreciation grew for the strength in his body, the near-shadows of his defined muscles visible in the raging sunlight of the room emphasizing every bulge. He honed his body into a weapon, but knew how to control it enough to sneak silently in the night.

My core throbbed, and I spread my thighs wide to welcome him between them. He placed kisses along my jaw and neck, but my hunger for him was a raging wildfire. “Nick, now,” I barked.

He thrust inside my slick entrance, and I cried out from the intense pleasure. I’d been so eager that he’d glided in with ease.

My nails dug into his back, practically tearing his skin on the way down. He sucked air through his teeth and pumped into me harder. A moan ripped from me, louder and more unrestrained than I’d ever been. His passion-fueled guttural grunts matched my volume, and it only spurred me on to hear how unhindered he became for me.

“Pull me on top,” I instructed, jaw hanging wide. A mess of limbs flew through the air until I straddled this perfectly carved man. His skin practically glowed, not one imperfection.

I wanted to change that. I worked myself over him, sinking down, but leaned forward and used my teeth to bite his chest.

His hands tangled their way into my hair, but didn’t pull me away. I nipped and sucked his sensuous smooth skin, still working my hips. Straightening myself, I placed my hands on his pecs, using them as an anchor. I moved in a way where I felt every inch of him, my dark hair forming curtains around my face. He pushed back the hair, tucking it behind my ears while staring into my eyes, as if not being able to see me was akin to torture.

“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he rasped, glancing between my eyes and where our bodies connected. A vicious smile took hold of his luscious lips, and his hand dove between my thighs. I gasped as he started stroking, an immediate building rising within me. “Come undone for me, Nora.”

I rode him like the incoming and outgoing tide until my pleasure crested and the waves pulled me under. I whimpered, and the world became a blur of stars. There was nothing but warmth, pulsing, and release. No castle walls around us, no troubles to deal with, no painful past. Ecstasy wrapped in golden velvet skin lodged deep within me. I collapsed onto his chest when my muscles forgot how to work. He braced me, his own body shuddering with a relieved moan.

In his arms, soaking in the aftermath of mutual bliss, for the first time in my adult life, I was whole.

57

Nicholas

After her recovery, Nora’s sleep schedule reverted to what she’d been used to while working evenings and nights. Truthfully, it was for the best, since any moment she was awake I struggled to tear myself from her. This way, I could resume the morning meetings to discuss the affairs of the kingdom.

Ricks used his time allotment to go over events and details for the wedding. His bubbly demeanor didn’t diminish once, especially now that I held an interest in it. To make it easier on Nora when Ricks would pester her in the afternoons regarding event details, I made sure to run through everything with him first, making decisions that she was free to change in any way she saw fit. If she didn’t want to be bothered, she could defer to my choices and not worry about it.

So far, the only things she’d cared about were the bridal party dresses and the food. A small voice told me to prepare for a dinner made purely of pastries. Ricks already had been warned that if she chose it, it would be done.

To my surprise, those two hadn’t clashed like I initially expected. Marco bantered with Nora over our private dinners, and Commander Druller didn’t shy from speaking plainly regarding guard shifts and strategies after I’d informed him she’d be equally involved.

He’d been actively pursuing leads regarding those who poisoned the food at the luncheon. Several persons had already been detained in the dungeons, the lead conspirator woman included. It finally felt like progress was being made, like the pieces were falling into place. I had more information than ever when it came to the disappearances, and had been implementing strategies to gain more intel. Radhak monitored the Splits, ready to intervene any crew passing under shielded magic, but no new reports had come through. Even still, there was hope.

A shift had occurred within these walls, a balm to an unrecognized sore. Nora had been working her way through the staff, introducing herself and catching their names. She had to be in the two-hundreds by now, failing to remember everyone’s name but trying her damndest. It was the cutest thing.

My regular staff weren’t around as often, an instruction from Nora that they needn’t fuss over us that much, insisting they had more time with their families or doing things they enjoyed, even throughout the day.

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