Page 12 of Blood & Ice

“Good.”

Maverick skimmed his nose along my stomach, pressing sweet, sticky kisses on my stomach. My heart leaped and I almost protested when he delved even lower, kissing across my thighs. But before I could open my mouth, he was on me, using his clever, sardonic tongue in new and exciting ways. No one had done this for me. Ever. Jonathan was sure to ask for oral, but never gave in return. For an incubus who loved spending every moment in bed, he was remarkably stingy, selfish, and misogynistic.

I was convinced Maverick was using magic to hold my hips in place, because I couldn’t shake him, no matter how hard I writhed. The climax that hit me a few seconds later was explosive, and snow burst in soft flurries, whipped around by the wind of my excitement. By the time he was finished with me, I was shaking with aftershocks and tears were beading on my lashes. He caught one before it could fall and turn to ice.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry. Did I hurt you?”

“No,” I said, surprised when my voice came out on a sob. What was wrong with me? “That was... I never...”

“Had an orgasm?” he asked.

“No,” I said with a watery snort. “I was married to an incubus. I had plenty of those… I just never had anyone who cared enough to...”

“Oh,” he said, realization dawning. A bit of pink dusted his cheeks. It was oddly endearing. He could give me a bone-cracking orgasm, but he blushed when I mentioned just how he’d done it. “Really? Never?”

“Never. For someone who eats by having sex, Jonathandidn’t have a... ah... a very adventurous palate.”

Maverick grinned. “Well, mine is exceedingly adventurous...”

Gulp. That sounded ominous. And exciting.

“We don’t have to continue if you don’t want to, Tally,” he continued. “I think I have the power under control now.”

“You do?” I asked skeptically.

He nodded. “I used a lot of it to unmake your clothes. Deconstruction takes a lot more energy than you’d think.”

“I don’t care,” I said, undoing the buttons on his jeans with sure fingers. For the first time since fully transforming into my true faerie self, I felt completely sure about something. Maverick hissed when I reached past his waistband to seize his length.

“Tally-”

“Shh,” I said, pushing at his waistband. “It’s my turn.”

Maverick groaned, head lolling back against his pillows. His hands gripped my hips, holding me off his lap. His eyes were wild, desperate, and a little bloodshot, but they were gray once more.

“Believe me, I’d love to do this, Tally, but I don’t have protection and you’re not on birth control.”

“I’m menopausal, Mav.”

“Human youappeared to be menopausal, but faeries have a longer fertile window than most other species. You were meant to have an heir with Fox. That means he was confident you could get pregnant.”

Oh, dear God. I hadn’t even considered that. Did my new faerie body react to hormonal birth control? Was there some spell or potion that could do the job for me? Did my people have a weird opposition to the idea? I didn’t know. I was glad at least one of us was thinking straight, because there was no way I wanted to get pregnant. What was more, a baby with an autumn royal, even a changeling warlock, would put me squarelyin Janara’s sights once more. I worried for Sean and Charlie any time snowstorms descended on the Hollow. The anxiety would be unbearable if I had a baby at home to fret over.

“I hate that you’re responsible,” I said, and couldn’t help the petulant note in my voice. “It really ruins the mood.”

“So does unintended pregnancy.”

I sighed. “You’re right. Thank you.”

Maverick lifted my hand to his lips and kissed every fingertip. “Rain check?”

“Definitely. Are you good?”

His expression darkened. “No, I don’t think I am.”

“Is it the magic?”

He shook his head. “No… it’s that Aurea isn’t our only problem.”

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