Page 46 of Fire in Stone

Her words were clipped, making him feel uneasy. He hesitated.

“This isn’t just collecting a trophy for me,” he clarified.

“Okay,” she said quickly in the same clipped voice as before.

It wasn’tokay. This wasn’t adequate. Justfuckingdidn’t feel like it would be enough.

She sighed softly. “What do you want from me, Elex?”

Oh, he knew what he wanted. He wished to take freely from her with no reservations. He wanted her to want him, madly. To like and to need him. To enjoy every minute spent with him, just like he was savoring their every moment together. He needed to have her smiles and to share her happiness. He craved her unconditional trust and her undivided affection.

For as long as it lasted, he wanted it all.

But was it fair when he couldn’t give her much in return?

He had but several hours left in this world. He didn’t want to leave her here with regrets. And regrets would be all she’d have from him if he pushed her into something she wasn’t ready for.

He trailed his fingers over her left ear. “I don’t want you to regret any of it.”

She gave him a tight smile. “Then make it worth my while?”

“When I’m gone, I want you to think fondly about this moment.”

A light breath fluttered from her parted lips. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to the side of his neck. “Then give me something nice to remember this moment by.”

Could he give without taking?

“I want you, Elex.” She found his lips with her mouth. “I really do.”

He returned her kiss, struggling to stay in control. His wings kept moving steadily, but he had to slow down their progress to focus on her.

She pulled back. “You won’t fall, will you? Should we stop?”

He didn’t want to stop, not until he’d made her scream his name as far as the wind would carry it above the clouds.

“I won’t fall.” He nibbled on the delicate skin on her neck. “Gargoyles mate in the sky. It’s the best, trust me.”

He kissed her neck, and she tilted her head with a moan, exposing more of it to him. He slid a hand under her skirt, fingering the edge of her undergarment. She buried her next moan into his shoulder and shifted her hips forward, trapping his fingers between her core and his abs.

He slid aside the thin material over her heated flesh. She gasped as the tips of his fingers connected with the spot that brought her pleasure. Warm and slick, it pulsed with life, begging for attention.

“This is where you want me, isn’t it?” he rasped. “Right here.”

Satisfaction spread thick though his chest as she whimpered sweetly in reply, gyrating her hips in search of more contact with his hand.

He pressed harder, rubbing gently.

“Yes.” She gripped his shoulders, digging her fingers into his skin.

The sting from her fingernails sent an invigorating rush of lust through him. He wished he could bury his cock in the slick warmth between her legs. He sensed she’d let him. At that very moment, she’d let him do anything. She was so deep into her pleasure, lost to the chase of her release.

But there was a chance she might regret it later. He’d gained but a tiny bit of her trust, and he wasn’t going to lose it by going too far.

All he allowed himself to do was to dip a finger inside her.

“Oh, Elex!” She thrust her hips his way, taking it deeper.

He feared he could climax himself, just from the sound of his name and the needy little moans she made right after. With a groan, he pumped harder, taking her higher. His wings moved faster, and his whole body strained with desire he could barely contain.

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