Page 35 of Kiss of Fury

And for the first time, he felt like a husband. He felt like…a father.

Are you the dragonslayer?Brody had asked.

He never should have told that story. He’d started out intending to weave a fable about a noble knight who slew mythical dragons, but fiction became the conduit for the truth to pour out.

People said the more you lied, the easier it got. Not for him. Every day he maintained the lie, the heavier it got. And every time he retold it, it got weightier and more conspicuous, as if the stench of his lies were there for everyone to detect. It felt like he carried around a pack of herb cakes, and every day another brick made of shit got shoved into the bag.

He’d started his story, the bag burst, and the truth tumbled out.

He had taken solace in his assumption the kid wouldn’t see it. But he’d underestimated him; the boy was too smart. He’d caught on.

Are you the dragonslayer?

No, that’s just a story.He should have said that. But he couldn’t lie to the kid, couldn’t add another brick to the bag.

Yes, I’m the dragonslayer,he’d said.Go to sleep now.

He had to tell Verity the truth. But he had no idea how to do that and keep her from leaving him. So, hecouldn’t bring himself to do it—not when his marriage was maturing. But soon.

She shifted against him. “Are you awake?” she murmured.

“Yes.” As he remembered unspoken promises, his cock hardened.

“What are you doing?”

“Waiting for you to wake up,” he said in a low voice.

“Why are we whispering?” she asked.

“You started it.”

“Is Brody up?” She squeezed his waist.

“I doubt it.”

“I should check.” She sounded so reluctant at the prospect of leaving, his heart skipped a beat. They were on the same wavelength.

“I’ll go. You stay here.” He slipped out of her embrace.

“You check on Brody. I’ll brush my teeth and meet you back here.” She flung off the covers. She still wore the robe over her nightgown. He hadn’t removed her robe when he’d put her to bed.

“Deal.”

They darted out of the bedroom. She ducked into the bath, and he proceeded to the boy’s room.

Out cold, Brody sprawled on his stomach, the stuffed alien on the floor. Fury closed the door. He shoved a couple of herb cakes into the stove then ran into Verity coming out of the bath. He flashed her a thumbs-up and ducked inside to give his teeth a quick brush.

Back in the bedroom, he jumped into bed, noting her robe on the floor.

“Now, where were we?” she asked.

“Hmm…I think we were right about…here.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Organic and electronic nerves lit up. Her lips were soft, her mouth sweet, her tongue avid as she responded to his kiss. Swamped in pleasure already, he groaned. “I’ve waited so long for you.”

Her breath caressed his face as she gave a little laugh. “We’ve only been married ten days.”

“A lifetime.” He kissed her again, stroking her hair then trailing his hand down her spine to her ass cheeks. Rock-hard, he ached for her. She was a dream come true.

She smoothed her hands over his chest, her touch igniting hot tingles.

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