Page 39 of The Daughters of Nyx

I texted a quick reply as butterflies made themselves comfortable in my stomach.

It’s now or never, babe.

Squaring my shoulders, I pocketed my phone and grabbed my key. The elevators were a little busy this time in

the evening, but I squeezed into one with a smile and waited for the inevitable drop as we descended to the lobby. Each moment that passed, my resolve slipped further and further out of my grasp.

By the time we reached the lobby, my heart was a galloping steed in my chest, ready to burst free.

When the doors opened, I found Adrian standing awkwardly in the centre of the lobby, his eyes flickering between the elevator bay and the stream of people passing through to the restaurant or the street.

Almost as if he could feel my eyes on him, our gazes met, and his face lit up with a smile. Jumping off the elevator, I met him halfway, and was caught off guard when he threw his arms around me.

“Been a while, sweetheart,” he murmured, pulling back.

There he goes with the terms of endearment. “I saw you this morning.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, as I was trying to carry my weight in boxes. I don’t think that counts. We barely got to say hello.”

I giggled and he laced our arms before pressing a quick kiss to the top of my head. Dragging him to the elevators, I tried not to think too much on that. “Come on, it’s loud down here. Let’s go up.”

Adrian wagged his brows suggestively. “So you canpropositionme for that scene you supposedly can’t write?”

“Oh, shut up.”

As we rode the elevator up to my floor, Adrian’s goofy grin didn’t drop, not even as the doors slid open and deposited us

in the hallway leading to my room. Our arms still entwined, I guided him to the door and pressed the key against the lock.

Adrian remained a warm presence beside me. He leaned in as the door opened, dropping his voice. “What exactly do you have planned for me?”

I swallowed a nervous giggle as I pushed my way in, disentangling myself from him. “So, the scene is technically outlined, but I can’t quite get the movements right. I can’t see how it needs to physically play out in my head, which is where you come in—”

“Wait,” he laughed, holding up a hand. He let the door click shut behind him as he stepped into the room. “You actually are stuck on a scene?”

Exasperated, I fell onto the bed. “Yes! I told you that!”

“Oh, well I thought it was a ruse to get me into your bed.” He feigned disappointment as he shook his head. “I was so looking forward toacting outone of those steamy, after the wedding scenes you write.”

My eyes widened, and although I’d gotten over—most of—my embarrassment for writing steamy romance, my cheeks burned. “Did you read one of my books?”

Adrian grinned and stalked forward. “Actually, Rowan and I have a book club now. See, his favourite isThe Rake Takes All, because he sees himself as this aloof and mysterious playboy—but we both know that he’s not like that at all.Myfavourite so far isThe Duchess’s Secret, specifically the scene where Lord Easterly takes the duchess on their wedding night, and he promises to protect her, unlike her last husband. He gets down on his knees before her, and tells her that she is the only god he’ll kneel before, the only deity he’ll worship.” He paused before me and lowered himself to his knees. I swallowed hard. My thighs clenched as my panties turned wet with need. “See,that’sthe kind of scene I thought you might need help with.”

Fuck me. Literally and figuratively. My breathing turned shallow as his smouldering eyes locked onto mine.

“What exactly am I doing here, Ivy?” he asked quietly, planting his hands on either side of my hips.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, feeling my cheeks burn. “I…”

Adrian cocked his head, breathing in deeply. His pupils popped as our eyes met. “Do you want me to kiss you, Ivy?” he whispered. “Do you want me to bury my head between your thighs and taste you? Are you wet for me?”

Shit. A shuddering breath slipped past my lips, and reason be damned, I leaned forward.

When our lips touched, it was like lightning streaking across the sky, striking my flesh and sending sparks across the inside of my eyelids. His lips were warm, soft, as they moulded against mine, and for a moment, he was careful as he tested the limits of the kiss.

I pulled back, wide eyed, and found his own eyes closed, his lips pressed into a line.

“I’m sorry,” I breathed, touching a hand to my bottom lip.

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