Page 73 of Kingdom of Faewood

I eyed the lone bed, then my bag on the floor that Phillen had handed to Jax before shuffling Guardian Alleron down the hall. Silverly light was the only thing that illuminated it since neither of us had bothered to ignite the fairy lights. “I just realized I don’t have any sleeping attire. I forgot to buy that today, so there’s really not much I need to do in the washroom.”

Jax’s eyebrows pinched together, and he cleared his throat. “Right. In that case, I can give you my shirt. It’ll keep you fully covered and be more comfortable than your clothes.”

My eyes rounded, but before I could protest, he was unbuckling his belt and lifting his tunic over his head, then the looser shirt beneath it. His broad, muscled, and very naked chest appeared in the moonlight. Several scars were carved into his flesh, dipping over his defined abs and planed back.

My breaths sped up, and I hastily gulped. The fact that I was twenty-eight summers old and had never been with a male inthatway came roaring back to me. My virginity wasn’t by choice, after all. My guardian was entirely controlling and had never allowed any male near me who hadn’t paid for mylorafin services, so seeing Jax now...a male with a body like a god and a scent that went straight to my head...

My virgin body was practically salivating.

Goddess, don’t embarrass yourself, Elowen.

Averting my eyes, I somehow managed to ask in a fairly normal-sounding voice, “What will you sleep in? Won’t you be cold?”

He made a soft sound, like a laugh or scoff. I couldn’t be certain because blood was thundering through my ears.

“I rarely get cold.”

I gave him a side-eye, but I couldn’t help my gaze from skating over him. The male was truly breathtakingly beautiful.

But then a barely perceptible scar, right below his breastbone, flashed in the moonlight. It was brighter pink than the others, still somewhat fresh looking, and my eyes widened when it hit me that it was the only remaining evidence of Lordling Neeble’s attack.

And here I was ogling him after he nearly died last night.

For all the shame, Elowen.

Jax held out his big, loose shirt. I snatched it, then hurried to the washroom, berating myself the entire way. It was silly, my reaction to him. I’d seen males without their shirts on before. The guards at Emerson Estate trained that way regularly. That was nothing new.

Yet this felt new.

I was no longer under Guardian Alleron’s care. I was nolonger subject to his rules, and something told me if I chose to bed a male, Jax wouldn’t stop me or try to control me.

And knowing that, I couldn’t help but want to stare at him. I didn’t want to be a virgin. I wanted to learn every dip and turn of a male’s flesh and the rise of his muscles. And Jax was a gorgeous male. Anyone attracted to his gender would notice that.

I argued internally as I passed him, that it was only natural to be having illicit fantasies about how his body would feel atop mine.

A sharp inhale came from Jax when I brushed by him, but I didn’t slow my steps. I would likely embarrass myself if I did.

It was only when I was safely locked within the washroom that I allowed myself a moment to breathe. Yet an ache filled my belly, a wildly delicious ache that I’d never had the pleasure of a male satisfying before.

Stars and galaxy.

I sagged against the wall, gripping his clothing to my chest as I tried to ignore the tantalizing scent of pine and spice rising from it.

I was truly losing my mind if I wanted nothing more than to give my virginity to the Dark Raider.

True to his word,Jax slept on the floor. He settled as faraway from me as the chamber would allow him to, which wasn’t that far.

Consequently, it took much longer than usual to fall asleep, even though the least of my worries was some male breaking into my room and harming me.

I was acutely aware of every breath Jax took, and I was painfully aware of every rustle of the blanket that I’d insisted he take from the bed. Other than those small sounds, it was quiet.

Silence filled the room, the wildling band in the salopas below now quiet.

Yet, never had the silence felt so . . . loud.

I finally fell asleep sometime in the early hours of the morning when one of the moons had set, and the stars were most alive. Yet, it wasn’t a restful sleep. Dreams plagued me. Intense dreams. Indecent dreams.

Each time I awoke, I was certain that I’d find Jax beside me with his fingers fiddling the sensitive bud between my female flesh. Or that my hands would be upon his chest as I memorized and marveled at the leashed strength harbored in his muscles. My body felt as taut as a bow string. I was that aroused, that needy.

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