Page 99 of The Bond That Burns

“Fuck, Pendragon,” I teased. “You’re shameless.”

Her cheeks colored pink. But I didn’t want to embarrass her. I wanted her comfortable, relaxed.

I kissed the tip of her nose, then her cheeks, then grazed her mouth with mine. “Maybe there’s something we could do about that.”

Her hand was already reaching for my crotch. She rubbed her palm over my cock and I groaned. I’d been hard for her since I stepped into the room and I was sure she knew it.

“Maybe we can do something about this,” she whispered teasingly. Her fingers were already fumbling with my buttons.

I let her push my trousers down over my hips, revealing the length of me. I hid a grin as her eyes widened slightly, taking me in. She’d seen it all before, but still, in some ways I seemed as new to her as she was to me. I didn’t think I’d ever tire of her—or of seeing her body.

I slid my hand between her legs, stroking her up and down, as she panted with need, arching her hips to beg me for more.

Finally, I moved over her, shifting myself between her legs and then thrusting inside her.

She gasped, her hands clutching my back, pulling me against her and kissing me as I drew my hips back and thrust into her again and again.

“Fuck, Pendragon,” I gasped, as I sank into her. “You sure we can’t make a habit of this?”

I bit my lip and looked down at her, scared I’d said too much, afraid I’d offended her.

But her eyes were closed. Instead of responding, she locked her legs around my hips and lifted her body to meet me. I watched in wonder as her lips parted, cheeks rosy and flushed, as the tide of pleasure raced over her. Her soft cry broke the silence, her body trembling against me as she reached her peak.

And then my own pleasure cascaded through me like a burst of flame and I drove into her harder, finding my own release, as her name slipped from my lips over and over. The sensation was overwhelming. Like nothing I’d ever felt. Not just physical, but emotional. As if the walls between us had finally crumbled.

When I’d come down from the high, I rolled off her. But I didn’t want to let her go. I shifted onto my side, lacing my fingers through hers and pulling her close.

To my shock, she let me. She didn’t pull away.

My heart was still pounding like a drum. I wondered if she could hear it.

Our eyes met. I pressed my forehead gently against hers.

“Do you want me to go?” I asked, trying not to show how badly I wanted to stay.

The moment seemed to drag on forever.

Then slowly, she shook her head. “Bath? Then sleep?”

My heart sped up. “Sounds good.”

I felt a bone-deep relief. She wasn’t pushing me away.

I stood up and reached for a blanket folded at the foot of the bed. Then I pulled her to a sitting position and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“Stay here. I’ll run the bath.”

I moved to the adjoining room and turned on the taps. Water rushed forth. Soon steam was curling into the air. I looked around at the bottles on the edge of the tub, then picked one labeled lavender. The herb was supposed to calm and soothe. Pendragon needed that.

As I held the bottle in my hand, I froze. What the fuck was I doing? Since when did I stay in a girl’s room after we’d finished fucking? Since when did I run a girl a bath?

I’d practically been begging to stay and cuddle. Had Pendragon noticed? Did she think I was pathetic?

I went back into the other room. She was still sitting on the bed, the blanket draped loosely over her shoulders, her red hair tousled around her flushed, just-fucked face.

For a moment, I just stood there. Drinking in the sight of her.

I wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked. How beautiful she always looked. But I didn’t want to spook her. Think I was demanding too much too soon.

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