Page 135 of An Empress of Fire & Steel

“What have you done to me?” he asked as he stole a quick breath from their embrace. But before she could speak, his mouth claimed hers again, melting her bones enough that she wobbled in his hold. He pulled back and she gasped at the sudden loss of him on her mouth. One of her hands found the cold rock of the archway to steady her.

Gradually, he unbuttoned and lifted his tunic over his head, uncovering layers of solid muscle that could only be earned by years of training. He cast the tunic to the ground and his eyes met hers again.

Her heart clicked. It was locked. And Torin Blacksteel had the key.

His eyes moving from her gaze, his hand went to the button at the top of his trousers. He dug his thumbs into the rim of his leathers, taking everything off with one clean sweep, and the leather and weapon belt hit the ground at the same time. The dim lighting cast shadows into every space that his muscles rose from, defining them even more as it lingered in the shade of his golden flesh. His hair was an inky black and it shined against the light, just like the scars on his bare skin.

A warmth worked its way up from Emara’s core right through her stomach as she took in the size of him. She knew she was blushing when the heat hit her cheeks. She had never really seen a man fully naked before. Even in the cavern, Torin had kept his leathers on.

But he was glorious. Every inch of him. A God.

“Emara.” His voice was deep but soft. “You don’t need to be ashamed or embarrassed to look at me.”

And she let her gaze linger a few more seconds before she drove her eyes to his.

The briefing with Breighly had been quick, and she had to admit that she hadn’t really been listening after the wolf had instructed her what to do with the robe as the nerves had begun sinking into her stomach. Another part of her tension eased as Torin moved towards her, making the first move. He removed her long hair from her neck and placed it over her shoulder, making sure it tumbled down her back.

His hand went to her chin. “If there is anything—and I mean anything—you don’t like, just tell me and I will stop.”

She nodded, short of breath. “Just kiss me.”

Because when he kissed her, she would know what to do. Her body always knew what to do when he kissed her.

And he did, soft and slow. Torin moved, pivoting her like he was a ballroom dancer, and the backs of her legs caught the edge of the bed.

How did he move so fast and gracefully?

Distracted by the fact that his hands were now on her back, unfastening the hook that held the bralette in place, she forgot to breathe. His mouth didn’t stop from kissing hers, and in one swift movement, the bralette unclipped at the back. Knowing her well, knowing her body, his mouth went straight for the soft and sensitive part of her neck, dissolving any nerves that had materialised in her stomach.

He kissed down and down, his mouth warm along her shoulder, and her body relaxed against his as she held on to his arms, embracing all of him. He sent a scorching hot kiss into her mouth again before he pushed forward, lowering her back to the mattress.

There was a moment of kisses before he stopped.

Torin curled his fingers around the thin straps of the bralette and pulled it to one side, revealing the flesh that lay under the lace. For a second, she had forgotten that his talented fingers had unhinged the clasp at the back and Torin lowered himself slowly—at a teasing rate—towards her lips.

“I told you before that I wanted to take my time with you and savour every moment.”

A tantalising sensation ran through her spine at his words, causing her hips to move from the mattress. Emara did all she could to press them back against it. One hand pressed into the bed above her, and one caressed her hip.

Torin knew exactly what he was doing to her, and she couldn’t hate him for it, not one bit.

Not when it thrilled every part of her.

He moved downwards, his tongue leaving a wicked trail between her breasts, and she locked her knees into his sides as a gasp left her mouth. The hardness of him grazed the very centre of her just as his mouth found the bare flesh of her nipple.

Her head kicked back in silent delight and Torin rolled his hips into the pooling at her core.

“You have no idea how many times I have thought about this moment. Every day, every time we trained, every time your lips curved up into a smile or you rolled your eyes at me. Every time you challenged me. When I saw you with my sword in your hands, and you swung it at me, I knew it would lead to this. And I am going to get you so unbelievably ready for me before I fuck you.” He breathed into the peaks of her skin which had now hardened against his tongue. “I am going to lick every part of you, kiss every part of you.” Torin’s voice came out in deep, sharp rasps. A moan escaped her mouth at his promise. He moved down, lower and lower, worshipping her body with his mouth. “I am going to finally taste you, and hear your moans as you come for me again and again. ” He nipped her hip with his teeth, and a whimper left her throat.

Quickly, Torin sat up, moving from the bed to kneel on the floor. Looking at her with feral desire, he suddenly changed the pace. He scooped underneath her legs and pulled her closer to him, tilting her hips upwards. Her ass came to the end of the bed and he spread her legs. Torin glanced to where she lay beneath him, and with a sinful grin, he ran one finger down the centre of her lace underwear. She bucked, flinging her hands into her own hair.

Torture. This was agonisingly brilliant torture.

“These need to come off.” He breathed deeply. “And since I want to see them again, I won’t rip them this time.”

He flicked a finger under the lace and pulled.

This was it.

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