Page 4 of Gilded Kisses

“Viper.” There’s uncertainty in my voice and we both hear it. Only he doesn’t pull away like I fear. His name lingers on my tongue. My heart quickens. I rise to the tips of my toes. Our breath mingles. His heart thumps against the palms of my hands.

“Yes,” he murmurs a few heartbeats later. I don't know if he is saying I can kiss him or if he’s giving himself that permission. I don't really care. My touch caresses over his shoulders in a way that makes me feel possessive. Like he belongs to me. Doesn’t he? My brain and heart both scream yes as our lips meet.

Raw heat explodes through me as his tongue caresses over the seam of my lips. “Open for me, my Aster. Let me taste you. Just once.”

The taste of fine whiskey and sin brush hits my senses the second he claims my mouth.

Strong hands slide up the back of my head and I’m held captive as my godfather takes what he wants from me.

Low-hanging branches from an aging willow tree seal us in our own little world. Tonight not even the light of the moon can break apart this dream.

My heart races as Viper slides his other arm around my waist and pulls my smaller frame into the hard grooves of his body. Miles of muscles press against me.

I break our kiss and linger in his arms. It takes a minute for me to say the words running through my mind.

A finger brushes under my chin, and Viper pulls my gaze to his.

He leans his impressive weight against the tree and pulls me with him. “Talk to me, beautiful. Don’t hide your words.”

I pull his hand up and trace the pad of my finger over the scar across his palm.

“In my fantasies, you belonged to me the night you bled for me. Silly as it sounds, in my head you, me, Luther and Mirsha formed a bond that could never break. I’ve ached for this since then. I know I’m young, but I know what I want. I dreamed about us being together.” The more I speak the more my nerves tremble. The throbbing between my legs deepens and every inch of me tries to touch as much of Viper as possible.

“Wearebonded. Our blood is yours.” Golden eyes peer down at me. “Until we stop breathing.”

“Why did you never let me know how you felt?”

“You know why,” is all he says before a slow smile forms over his lips. Even in the darkness I can see the intent written all over his expression.

Action speaks louder than words, because instead of answering my question further Viper’s hands find the edge of my dress. Callused fingers roam over my smooth skin made warm by the rush of blood flowing through my veins at warp speed.

“You do things to me—to us—that are unnatural between family.”

I jerk in his arms, but his hold on me is too tight for me to pull loose. My brows draw together. “Family?”

“Godfathers might as well be family, Aster. It’s in the title.”

His words turn heated, but his touch says they hold little meaning. He doesn’t care about the godfather status any more than I do.

Sarcasm grabs the tip of my lips and throws it high. I lean in a little closer and though I can’t see the gold glitter of his eyes fully, I can feel the heat in his gaze reaching for me.

My voice dips low as I taunt him with my sass.

“Should I call you daddy, then?”

Strong hands—no, possessive hands—roam from where they are gripping my hips to settle over the globes of my ass. One by one I feel each of his fingers dig into the flesh.

He inhales sharply. “Fuck, Aster. Son of a bitch. You’re bare?” His words are sharp. Strained.

My hands find the buttons of his shirt and I slowly slip them from their tiny holes. For a woman who has never undressed a man before, my fingers are moving fluidly.

Energy shifts and the soft sound of petals brushing against one another alerts us we are no longer alone. But I don’t need to see to know who it is coming into our secret hiding place.

“Mirsha. Luther.”

“Aster,” they both say in a dark tone filled with chained desires. I know because I feel those same needs locked behind a gate made of societal expectations.

I don’t know how they knew to find us here, but I’m suddenly surrounded. Heat envelopes me. And then the faint touches we shared on the dance floor earlier this evening between godfathers and goddaughter turn into something more.

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