Page 115 of Kingdom of Shadows and Wings

Each expert stroke leaves me yearning for more. My body’s a raging fire, this mysterious, powerful man stoking the inferno.

It’s both too much and not nearly enough.

“More.” I struggle to catch my breath. “I need…more.”

His body responds to my plea by driving deeper. Harder. Filling me. Surrounding me. Consuming me.

“You have me, Duchess.” He slams into me, eliciting a moan from deep inside me. “All of me.”

He lowers his head to my breast and draws my nipple into his mouth, sucking hard.

Pleasure coils in my core, winding tighter and tighter and tighter still.

“Oh, gods.”

“Say my name. I want to hear my name on your lips when you come.”

He nips and licks the sensitive peak. His teeth rake over my nipple.

I unravel.

“Sterling.” His name tumbles from my lips as I come undone. I savor every moment, committing the feel of him inside me to memory.

With a low growl, he gives a final frenzied series of thrusts. I roll my hips and ride out the waves of pleasure as we shatter together.

The words slip unbidden from my lips. “I love you.”

Silence follows, broken only by panting.

Afterward, he rolls onto his back and pulls my head to his chest. One of his hands strokes my hair.

My skin prickles at his lack of a reaction, yet I don’t regret what I said. Even if I could take the words back, I wouldn’t. I don’t want to play games with him. I need honesty between us.

Given the little details he’s let slip about his past, I understand why he can’t trust anyone’s love, mine included.

I know he cares. He’s proven this in a hundred ways, from his persistence in teaching me to bond with Zephyr and to conquer flying him, to protecting me tonight so I could search the files.

A man who feels nothing wouldn’t have bothered. He would have laughed when I asked for help and told me to fuck off if I kept nagging. Sterling wasn’t thrilled with what we did, but he stayed at my side throughout.

That’s everything to me.

I roll toward him and prop my head on my palm.

His lids remain down, his powerful chest no longer rising or falling as he holds his breath…waiting for whatever I might say this time. His pain and fear when it comes to getting close makes me sad, but I hate this awkwardness between us and want it to stop.

I stroke a finger down his chest. “It’s okay, you know. That you didn’t say it back. I value your honesty above all else, especially since it seems like so many people I care about have been lying to or at least hiding things from me. I know you care, and I trust you. That’s what matters.”

The hand stroking my hair tightens. My scalp stings for an instant before he relaxes his grip.

“I forgot to tell you, the king’s offered to issue me an exemption from Flighthaven, with the caveat that I wait until after the trial. Apparently he’s coming to watch.” His eyes snap open, and he doesn’t return my smile. A tiny sliver of ice slithers down my back. I continue talking anyway. “I’m not surprised since my mother begged for that nonstop. But I’ve decided not to take the offer.”

His chest rises. Falls. “Why?”

That single curt word bristles with accusation, and another icy prickle of doubt needles my spine. No, that’s silly. I must be reading into things. A good night’s sleep will banish these ridiculous misgivings and soften his cranky mood.

Shoving aside any lingering unease, I trace a faint scar on his forearm. “Because Flighthaven is where I belong. Once I complete my training, I’m going to become part of the kingdom’s flight brigade. And, believe it or not, I’d love to one day fly dragons.”

His throat bobs. He diverts his attention to the moon shining through the windowpanes.

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