Page 62 of A Hunter for Luna

A bitter laugh escaped me. "You didn't want to know me then."

"But I know you now." His hold tightened, as if he could shield me from the past. "And I swear, Luna, no one will ever hurt you like that again. Not as long as I live."

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to trust in this moment, in the warmth flooding me. But how could I? Could we find a way past all the anger and pain that defined us?

His hands moved down my back, tracing the lines of my scars with a reverence that made my breath catch. From there, he moved to my belly and breasts, his touch gentle and slow. There was no urgency, no rush to claim or conquer. Just a leisurely, steady exploration, as if he was memorizing every inch of my skin.

I closed my eyes, letting sensation wash over me. The rough calluses on his palms against my nipples, the heat of his breath and his tongue followed his hands, the solid weight of him pressing me into the carriage seat. It was almost too much, this sudden tenderness after so much conflict.

Can it last?I didn't know. But I wanted to find out.

I slid my hands up his back, feeling the shift of muscle beneath his shirt. He made a low sound in his throat, halfway between a growl and a groan, and shifted to capture my mouth in a searing kiss.

Yes.I lost myself in the taste of him.This is different. This is real.

The carriage stopped.

In a smooth motion, Benedetto swung his cloak to cover me. He stepped out, and when I followed, swept me off my feet and carried me to our room.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

BENEDETTO

Golden sunlight flooded the room,bathing the room in warmth. I lay awake, enjoying the weight of Luna's body curled against my side. Her soft auburn hair cascaded across my chest, her fair skin glowing in the morning light.

It had been a week since the duel, and this was the first time she hadn't slipped away in the night after we fucked. The realization stirred something in me, both hopeful and terrifying. Maybe this woman could stay by me. She'd seen me at my worst, and she hadn't run. Nor did she try to manipulate me or involve me in schemes.

She said what she wanted and had kept her promises thus far. A flicker of admiration mixed with the slow burn of desire that never seemed to fade when she was near.

A flicker of motion caught my eye, and my dagger was out from under the pillow and waiting. Pip hopped onto the bed just short of the thin blade, nuzzling Luna's cheek before giving my knife hand a playful nip.

“Keep that up and I’ll have dragon skin gloves,” I muttered.

Pip shook its wings and crawled over the top of the pillows to snuggle into Luna’s back.

I watched with mild amusement as the drake stretched its neck to rest its head on a few locks of Luna’s hair.

It liked her. And we’d come to tolerate each other. An improvement.

Luna stirred, opening her cloud gray eyes with a sleepy smile, stretching languidly. "Good morning."

I brushed a strand of fiery hair from her face. "Morning. Your Pip is making itself known again."

"He's just trying to win you over," Luna said with a teasing grin. "You're a tough nut to crack."

She sat up, gloriously naked. We both enjoyed me ripping her clothing off, and Luna had worn the same neatly mended nightgown to bed the past few nights.

I pulled her in for a kiss. "Stay in bed."

She raised an eyebrow but complied, the sheets pooling around her waist.

I rose and dressed. Luna’s appreciative gaze on me as she enjoyed the view made me prolong the process.

Clothed, I opened the door and said to the waiting maid, "Fetch some clothing for my wife."

Luna smiled at me. “A dangerous quest.”

“One deserving of a reward,” I answered, and kissed her.

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