Page 120 of A Trial of Fate

“No, brother. You are fine. I’ll see Sky off tonight.”

Shit. Alone with Daxton?Calm down… Calm down,I told myself.

“Who is thiscompany?” I asked with a tone I had heard Neera use more than a few times in my life. It was fun toying with Castor. It reminded me of what I had with my cousin. I was beginning to see him in a brotherly role, and for once, I was not the oldest. I now understood the fun of poking fun at your elder sibling.

Castor strutted to the opposite side of the deck as a gorgeous female High Fae appeared at his side. Her beautiful long braided blond hair swung down to her hip, and her deep brown eyes were mesmerizing in the darkening evening light. The female wore a practically see-through night slip that left little to the imagination of what lay beneath. She had it all out on display and rightfully so. Every High Fae I had met held an angelic beauty that made me feel a twinge of inadequacy.

Castor snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her lips to his. She moaned as she melted into his arms. “Good night,” he said to us with a playful wink as he led her away to his quarters.

“Cas is never shy about his promiscuous sexuality,” Dax murmured. “You get used to it.”

“It doesn’t bother me. I just enjoy teasing him.” I fidgeted with my wine glass as the sun finally set, welcoming the cool evening air. “So… what about you?” Yes, it was an extremely personal question, but I was feeling bold tonight. What was in this wine anyway? I was already feeling the effects of it, and I had barely finished my small glass.

Dax narrowed his eyes and glanced back over his shoulder toward me. “Why do you ask?”

“Curiosity. Have you ever known me to hold back andnotask?”

Dax shrugged and took another sip from his glass. “No, in this short time that I have known you… I can’t say that I have. I am more private about my personal endeavors.”

I uncrossed my legs and dangled them over the barrel, leaning over to get a better look at the high prince sitting at my feet. Heseemed relaxed and confident, stretched out and reclining with one leg bent and his arm resting over his knee with his shirt still casually tossed to the side. I imagined the breeze from the open sea helped cool his heated flesh. The cold pine scent that followed him wherever he went was stronger than ever right now, surrounding the two of us on the deck of the ship.

The final rays of the sun kissed his high cheekbones, outlining the concrete jawline and his trimmed ebony beard. I wanted to reach out my hand to caress his face and lace my fingers into his flowing silver-black hair. I wanted to… fuck. This wouldneverend well. My animal wasn’t helping as she kicked up the intensity of ever-building hunger. I crossed my legs to try and curb the pressure building between my thighs. My gaze wandered to Daxton’s lips that I secretly fantasized about tasting for myself.

Shit. I needed to leave. This was not good. I shouldn’t be fawning over Dax like this. It was foolish to expect this male, who likely had a plethora of breathtakingly gorgeous females to indulge himself with, to want anything more than an alliance with me. If only I could force my body to listen to my head, this would all be fixed. But it seemed I was unable to do that at the moment.

“What is on your mind?” Dax casually asked as he reached to lightly brush his fingertips against my knee. His touch only spun me up more. Gods, I wanted him to trace his fingers upward along my thighs to my now throbbing center. I wanted those fingers… I wanted those hands on my body again. Liquid heat spread through me, my desire for him rising despite knowing that this could only end badly for me.

“Nothing,” I answered, curling my toes and clenching my thighs tighter together.

Daxton’s voice dropped into a deeper sweltering tone. “Skylar, it’s not polite to lie to your friend.”

“Then allow me to correct myself.” I folded over, moving closer to his eye level. “Nothing I want totalkabout.”

“But there is something you want to do? Can I lend ahand,perhaps? Or another form of aid?”

Smug… Arrogant… Handsome… Dammit, I was royally fucked.

“Nope! Not tonight!” I announced as I pushed myself off the barrel, putting some much-needed space between myself and Dax. “I’m going to bed. Good night.”

“Whatever you say.” He didn’t leap up to chase after me.Instead, Dax remained seated on the ship’s deck, leaning against the barrel and casually sipping his glass. “Until tomorrow, then, Spitfire.” His half-grin exposed the dimple on his cheek, and I felt my knees wobble as I began to wind up like a spinning top.

Get moving,I told myself. Lust threatened to overtake the rational side of my brain as I practically ran away from Daxton across the deck. I didn’t care what my body was feeling or how turned on I was, I couldn’t act on these feelings. I wouldn’t allow myself to tumble down that hole yet again. I slammed the door shut and crumbled against the frame, melting to the floor with my heart pounding inside my chest.

My animal was insistent on trying to lure me back outside, but I refused to give in.I know… I know. But that is not going to happen,I scolded myself.Determined to remain in my room, I sought out one of the books I brought with me. I decided I would read one of my favorite novels to try to escape into another world or spark a new wave of inspiration and quiet my animal from her insistent nagging. Everything would return to normal tomorrow, and I would stop fawning over Daxton.

I turned the dial of the oil lamp, igniting a spark that illuminated the center inside a glass casing. The room was dark after the sun finally set along the western side of the ship. I stripped down into my bindings and underwear before climbing into the surprisingly soft and delectably comfortable bed. Turning down the brightness of the lamp, I settled into my covers and began reading one of my favorite adventures that, of course, had a little dose of romance. I had read this story probably a dozen times in my life. My favorite part was when the two characters destined for each other finally realized what was there all along—love. It was no mate bond, but it was beautiful and pure.

True love, followed by a wild and crazy, world-turning-upside-down kind of passionate sex. I read the descriptions of the characters’ enthralled lovemaking, and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t turning me on. Laying back, the images sprang to life inside my mind’s eye, and I slowly began to touch myself. I imagined what it would feel like to have a male caress me, kiss me, and make love to me with the uninhibited passion described in this story.

I didn’t want to just have sex.

Over the years, I could have accomplished that task with a handful of willing males in my pack. No. I needed something more. I wanted a deep personal connection to make the experience specialand honor what was being shared. I blamed Neera for her romanticized viewpoint rubbing off on me. Until then, however, I was able to see to my own needs just fine.

I adjusted my bindings, loosening them from my chest, and reached down toward the apex between my legs. My fingers moved across the top of my undergarments, diving beneath the surface, desperate now to release the pent-up tension rising within. The build-up over the past few days was almost unbearable now. I lightly circled myself with my two fingers before pressing down harder and moving them forward and back over just the right spot. Pleasure began to flood my body, and heat pooled in my center as I fell into the euphoric feeling I was giving myself until a very noticeable moan crept through the wall near my head.

Castor?

The next sound was clearly from a female, followed by a prominent grunt and some loud, meticulous thumping that could only mean one thing.Gods help me. I could hear Castor fucking through the wall.

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