Page 45 of Fire in Stone

Twelve

ELEX

Other than a bathroom break, they didn’t stop, not even for food. For lunch, he fed Amber some of the fruit she had in her backpack.

Despite having relaxed in the air a little, she refused to let go of him, even to free a hand to eat. Her arms clamped around his neck like a vise.

He reached into the pack on her back, took out a box of green grapes, then fed them to her, one by one. He did the same with pieces of melon and pineapple, taking none for himself. They didn’t have much food left, and Amber needed nourishment more than he did. Humans were so much weaker than fae.

“Don’tyouwant to eat?” she asked between bites.

“I’m not hungry.” He slid another piece of fruit between her lips. Watching her take it from his fingers gave him a new, exquisite kind of pleasure. Her lips touched his skin as she took the fruit with her teeth.

He lowered his head, wishing to taste the juice on her lips. To taste her.

“Elex,” she whispered, stilling in his arms.

She’d released him from his promise. He no longer risked certain death over a kiss. But he didn’t like how tense her body got against his at the prospect of him kissing her.

Her pink tongue darted out, licking the juice off her bottom lip, and he couldn’t resist any longer. He leaned closer and brought his lips to hers, gently testing the waters. Then, he paused, giving her a chance to pull away.

She didn’t. So he flicked his tongue out and glided it along her bottom lip, tasting her sweetness.

A puff of her breath fanned across his face. He closed his eyes, savoring the sensation against his skin that had been nothing but an unfeeling rock for so many years.

“More…” he begged.

Thank the gods, she obeyed.

Her lips closed over his, making his head spin from the hurricane of delicious sensations. Heat shot down his chest and straight to his groin. Lust throbbed between his legs, his cock swelling thick with fire and heat. He grew rock hard in a much more delightful way than turning to stone. The throbbing between his legs burst with life, so different from the near-dead stillness of his stone form.

Blood coursed through him so fast it made him lightheaded.

More… He needed more of this. More of her.

Drawing her closer, he slid his hands under her shirt. She shuddered as the air chilled her skin, and he sent more fire through his veins, warming her up.

“Oh, Elex,” she murmured between kisses.

He feared she’d stop, but she shifted higher up his body, trailing her lips along his jawline.

“Why does it feel so incredibly good kissing you?” she moaned against his skin.

He could have asked her the same question. She tasted sweet, like the fruit he’d fed her and the memories of the life he used to have back in Dakath.

At that moment, he wished to give her the world—anything to make her feel as happy as he did.

She rocked her hips, grinding her core against his abs. He could feel the arousal buzzing through her slender body.

“Let me touch you,” he rasped. “Let me make you feel good.”

She paused, shutting her eyes tightly, then pulled in a long breath.

“This is just physical, right?” she said, not looking at him. “Just sex. My one and only opportunity to fuck a gargoyle, just like you said when we met.” She finally opened her eyes, but he couldn’t see deep enough into them. Her expression was closed-off, guarded. “It’s your only chance to fuck a human before you leave.”

“Amber.” He stroked the side of her face with the back of his fingers—the lightest touch, not enough to spook a butterfly. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

“But that’s the only way it ever could be between us. There isn’t any other way.” She leaned into his caress. “But I’m fine with that. Just sex. Just this once. Nothing more.”

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