Page 74 of Regally Binding

She ached to hold him, to feel his touch and submerge herself in their connection. Everything he shared made her care about him more. It was as if they were two ends of a piece of string that now bound them to each other no matter what. His eyes shone with their shared connection, and with a quivering heart, Liss kissed him back. It was the gentle kissing of two people entirely comfortable with each other and living in the moment. Tentatively, he lifted the hem of her T-shirt with raised eyebrows. She helped him pull it up and over her head. He tossed it to the side of the room, and she positioned herself under him. It wasn’t smooth, but it didn’t need to be. Bear rested above her before kissing down her body. His mouth brushed her skin, and his tongue pressed against her breasts. She openedher legs as he travelled lower. Before, it was a fraught fight of sexual desperation, but this was the opposite. His lips touched her belly, and she froze.

He raked her body with pure desire. “You’re beautiful, Liss. Every part of you turns me on, and your stomach is one of the things I fancy about you. It gives you these sexy hips, and we both know your ass makes me hard. But if you want me to avoid it, I will.”

Her lips parted, and she whispered, “Don’t stop.”

“That’s my girl,” he said against her skin. He growled more names as he explored her body, avoiding where she wanted him the most. He pressed his mouth to the inside of her thighs, and she sucked her lower lip into her mouth. He had skills for days. Each touch heightened her desire more than the last, and as he climbed her thighs to her pussy, she held her breath.

“Don’t forget to breathe,” he whispered before blowing across her clit. She jolted against the bed, but it didn’t deter him. With a flat tongue, he licked her pussy in one stroke. A shot of desire coursed through her veins.

With his forearm against Liss’s belly, he licked and sucked her clit. The way he’d pinned her gave him control against the tremors and shakes that owned her body. He swirled the tip of his tongue around her clit before sucking on it hard. Each time she moaned, his efforts doubled. He understood her body quickly, and as she cried out, he ran circles around her clit before dipping his tongue inside her. Liss held his head against her in an attempt to direct him, but it was unnecessary, as he was attuned to all of her reactions.

His movements sped up as he feasted on her. Her eyes fell back into her head when he licked harder. His lips caressed her clit, while he slid a finger inside her, hooking it slightly. He was the master of her body, and he repeatedly pushed two fingers inside her. The scent of her arousal accompanied hismovements. It was heady and intense, yet there was more to it than that.Don’t invest your emotions.But it was already too late. Bear seduced her body—and then her heart.

Her wetness against his skin and his licks on her clit were the soundtrack to his endeavours. He coaxed her climax closer. Their friendship was sass and fight, but in the near silence of the room, he made her come apart. Her pants and gasps spurred him on, and as he pushed her arousal higher, the deep burn in her stomach signalled how close she was. His teeth grazed her clit, and her trembles turned to shakes against the arm that kept her pinned to the bed. He didn’t relent for a second as every limb clenched tightly before releasing in an orgasm that exploded behind her tightly closed eyes. Her heart was out of control. For a second, she feared it would explode in sparks of little lights. As his licks slowed and his fingers eased out from her, she gasped for deeper breaths. He peppered kisses to her skin and repeated his earlier movements but in reverse.

“You’re fucking everything, Liss,” he regaled. His lips were wet from her juices, and he swiped the water from her nightstand. “Now go to sleep so we can repeat that in the morning.”

He wiped his mouth before kissing her hard on the lips. She turned over, and he brushed her shoulders with his lips. “Goodnight, beautiful,” he whispered as she fell asleep.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Liss opened her eyes gradually. She was butt naked with the duvet tightly tucked under her chin. Her body ached every time she moved.

Her night with Bear wasn’t a dream.

She glanced over her shoulder, confirming her fears. The bed was empty. A check of her watch told her it was still early—well, early for a pub landlady.

The scent of bacon and fried eggs teased her nose, and her belly rumbled angrily as if forgotten. It deserved a hearty feed based on last night’s flips and aches. Liss slipped joggers and her T-shirt on before creeping down the hallway towards the stairs. The familiar photos shared new things with her now that she understood their backstory. She thanked Strike’s mum and dad as she passed their photo for taking care of Bear.

Bear’s naked back greeted her as he sang at the oven. With joggers hanging off his toned hips, heat filled her limbs. With guys from her past, she’d never experienced wanting sex so close to having had it. Yet with Bear, she was drooling at what they could get up to that day.

“Morning,” she said breathlessly, brushing her lips against his rippling back. Every part of him was muscle, and she leant into him and slid her hands to his chest.

“Morning, Liss,” Strike said behind her. She whipped around and was confronted with a smirking Strike sitting at the table, although his eyes remained buried in his phone screen.

“Fuck,” she shouted. Bear threw his head back and laughed. Her pulse quickened, and she attempted to bolt from the room,but Bear threw her over his shoulder. His body rumbled with laughter beneath her.

“That’s hardly the polite morning greeting I expected from a princess,” Strike chuckled.

“Leave her be.” Bear popped her onto the chair. “She needs feeding. This princess deserves to be waited on.”

Bear attempted to kiss her, but she slapped him away. “I’m sorry, Strike. This isn’t good for the business and—”

Strike interjected as she tied her tongue in knots. “I’m okay with it…ish.” He pointed at a smug Bear. “Not that I want the details. I like you, Liss. You’ve done good things for the business and were a great movie buddy this week. I’m not condoning this, because, as we know, I’m a grumpy bastard who doesn’t like to see people having fun.” He smirked as Liss covered her mouth with her hand. She’d never said it aloud but thought it several times. “But I like how Bear sings, and he hasn’t sung in years. Just don’t let it detract from the job.”

“You’re being weird,” Bear said with a raised eyebrow.

Strike shrugged, but they were missing something. Being with the men only increased her curiosity about their history, and learning about Bear pushed her to learn more about those he cared about.

“Just feed me. I’ve only got an hour before heading out to investigate the bomb threats. Something is off about this whole thing.” Questions rested on the tip of Liss’s tongue, but Bear placed a bacon bap before her. Her belly growled, causing both men to laugh.

She covered her blushes with the giant bacon roll and chomped as the men discussed future jobs and Strike’s plans for the day. She licked the ketchup off her fingers, drawing a hungry gaze from Bear that she pretended not to see.

“I’m chatting to Steve today too. I don’t like the guy,” Strike replied between mouthfuls.

Bear slapped his hand loudly on the table, causing it to shake and coffee to spill. “Finally, you’ve come around to my viewpoint.”

Liss’s shoulders froze. “What’s this about Steve?”

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