Page 90 of The Sorrow of Shadows

“Well aware,” I say, sighing.

“Next question—why did you decide to tell me?”

I smile shyly, my cheeks flushing. “Like I said—I trust you, Elijah. I don’t have many people I can trust, but you have always treated me as an equal even when you thought I had no power.”

His face falls, and I’m left momentarily confused before he speaks. “That’s because youarean equal, Ophelia. Hell, you’re better than most people, and it has nothing to do with you having power or not. You are worthy despite your Gift, not because of it.”

“No male, except for maybe Layne, has ever spoken to me this way,” I say as my lip quivers.

Elijah growls low in his throat, “Then you weren’t talking to males; you were talking to boys.”

“How do you keep saying all the exact right things?”

“Oh, I can say plenty ofwrongthings.” I don’t miss the slight heat in his words.

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

“Like I know right now is the exact wrong time for this,” he starts, leaning in and hovering his lips just inches from my own, “but I’m going to kiss you now, Ophelia.”

Shivers run down my back, and my breath hitches. I whisper, “No, that’s still the exact right thing.”

His lips are on mine, soft and tender, not like the first kiss we shared several nights ago. It’s patient and slow, warm and sensual. He doesn’t push me any further, letting me set the pace. I tentatively run my tongue along his bottom lip, begging for him to open to me. He obliges, letting his tongue meet mine and tangle together.

One of his hands threads through the black strands hanging down my back and cups my head reverently. I repeat the gesture and tangle my fingers in the dark blond waves at the base of his neck. My fingers tug gently, trying to bring him even closer to me, and he lets out a small groan into my mouth.

“Fuck, Ophelia. What are you doing to me?”

“I don’t know, Elijah. You’re the only male I’ve ever kissed.” I feel my cheeks flame at the admission.

Elijah throws his head back and lets out a loud groan this time. “You absolutelycannotsay things like that, especially while I have you on my lap.”

“W-why? What’s wrong?” Uncertainty fills me.

“Absolutely nothing, doll. You’re fucking perfect. But it’s taking every ounce of willpower to resist your specific flavor of temptation. Now you’re telling me I’m the only one that’s kissed you? Heard those beautiful noises you make? It’s too much and not enough all at once. I want every piece of you.”

I reach out my hand, dragging his face back to mine, and kiss him deeply. Breaking it, I offer, “Then take every piece of me, Elijah. I want to know what that feels like.”

The next thing I know, the library door is slamming shut and locking. He flips our position so I’m pinned between his hard body and the bench seat below us.

“Don’t say things like that unless you mean it, doll.” He is hovering his lips above mine, so close I can feel his breath on my lips.

My response is only to roll my hips into him, rubbing against his erection pressing against my core.Holy hell, how big is it?

He chuckles, “I’ll make it not only fit, I’ll make it feel so good you scream for me.”

Oh crap, I must have said that thought out loud.

“Now lay back and let me worship you, Ophelia.”

I drop my head, my ebony locks cascading over the edge of the bench like a waterfall of midnight. His lips trail my jaw up to my ear, and I gasp as he nips at the lobe. He sucks it into his mouth as his hands trail up each side of my ribcage, stopping just below my breasts.

His fingers brush over my nipple and it hardens. The sensitive buds ache to be touched, and I thrust my chest forward, chasing more of him.

“So eager and responsive,” he hums against my skin, moving his kisses down my neck. He alternates bites and kisses in a blend of pain and pleasure, sharp and tender that leave me hot.

One of Elijah’s hands moves from my breast down to my hips, stopping just short of the apex of my thighs.

He stops his assault on my neck to ask, “Tell me, Ophelia. Have you ever touched yourself here?”

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