Page 45 of Crowned

“Not close enough.”

Cove’s been especially…I don’t want to say clingy, so I’ll go withattentive…since my return. It’s sweet. And more than a little stifling. I think it has a little to do with missing me, and more to do with the fact that there doesn’t seem to be as much he can do to help with the plan. So he’s stuck withbabysitting Maliaduty most of the time, and I think he’s trying to stop himself from going crazy.

I wiggle again and he grabs my hips, grinding me down on his cock. I gasp. “Cove!”

“Hey, if you’re not going to sit still, we might as well get some fun out of it. Now, tell me what’s bothering you.”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me, Mai-Tai.” Another grind, another gasp.

“I—I’m not.”

“Malia—”

“I can’t focus on the film! There! Are you happy now?”

“Not even a little bit. Why can’t you concentrate?”

I shrug. “I thought the others would be back by now. And I hate that Bhodi has gone out on his own. What if something happens? What if something hasalreadyhappened?”

“It hasn’t.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because, we’re all connected, and if one of them was in trouble, I would know.”

“How?”

“We all have tattoos, right? You’ve seen them.”

I nod. “You only have one, though. The star.”

“Yep. We all have five-point star tattoos. It marks us as the queen’s guard and they’re imbued with a unique magic that connects us.”

“That’s crazy.”

“No crazier than anything else in our world. We’re not human, baby, you need to remember that. Now…can I help you relax, please?”

Instead of waiting for my reply, he slips his hand inside my high-waisted leggings, sliding down my abdomen and between my thighs.

“No panties? Naughty.”

“It felt weird to wear someone else’s underwear.” I shrug. I have nothing of my own here and whilst the guys have assured me I can help myself to anything in the palace, I’m uncomfortable crossing certain lines. Second-hand knickers, no matter how clean, being one of them.

“We’ll get you your own things. Or maybe one of us can risk a quick trip home to get your things.”

“Mmmm, maybe.”

I’m distracted by him rubbing his finger over my clit in slow, tantalising circles. Within seconds, the tension is leaving my body and I’m leaning into Cove’s chest, my head thrown back to rest on his shoulder. Within minutes, my thighs are moving of their own accord, mirroring his actions, chasing the high.

I’m so wet, I’m soaking through the leggings, and still all Cove’s done is circle my clit.

“Cove, please?—”

“Stand up for me, baby.”

Honestly, I don’t think I can.

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