Page 16 of Wings of Cruelty and Flame

“I’m legally allowed to look?” I asked flatly.

He released my wrist, catching me against his body before I could process his intention. “You know what I meant.”

“You’re my utterly mad husband,” I said with a breathy note I excused as exasperation. “Who needs a doctor to look at what most certainly is a head wound.”

Varidian snorted. It shouldn’t have been charming, but it was. Oh, dear. I hadn’t planned for these warm, fuzzy emotions toward my husband, and now they were here, I didn’t know what to do with them.

His hands spread across my back, like he couldn’t touch enough of me. “Are you still vexed that I want to bloody the sheets with a cut on your arm?”

“Are you still set on avoiding our wedding night?” I retorted, just as quick.

“I am.”

“Because it’s too soon to take such a step with me? Because you need more time?” I pressed, softening the edges of my voice so he’d know I wasn’t disappointed or irritated that he needed more time.

“Because it’s too soon foryou,”he corrected, matching the softness of my tone.

I blinked. I was practically delivering myself to him on a silver platter, yet he thought I didn’t want him?

“So, it isn’t because you find me repulsive?” I double-checked, narrowing my eyes at his glorious face.

“Ameirah,” he said, pained. “Of course not.”

Well. That was a pretty stroke to my ego. I pressed a smile from my lips, ignoring the way it tugged at their corners. “So, in summary, you want me, but you’re dead set on avoiding that bed over there if I’m in it. And you’re so stubborn that nothing I say can change your mind?”

“That’s accurate.” But his hands flexed on my back, belying his words.

Oh, fuck it. I’d read enough romance books to know my next move.

“Alright,” I agreed mildly. “Then I won’t say anything.”

I felt the jolt of shock through his body as I reached up to lock my hands behind his neck, drawing him down into a kiss. Heat scalded the few inches between our bodies, but the kiss was tentative, gentle.

“Ameirah,” he warned. The tone sent a thrill through my body.

I blinked up at him. “Yes, husband?”

His eyes turned a whole shade darker, both desire and danger in those eyes, and the butterflies thrashed in my belly. I swayed closer, until there wasn’t a single scrap of space between us, and the heat of him almost made me moan.

“I’m going to regret asking you to call me that,” he said in a voice like gravel, his hands sweeping up and down my back, like he couldn’t decide where to settle them.

“Why would you say that, husband?” I asked, fluttering my lashes.

He groaned, ducking down to grasp me behind my thighs. The sudden touch and the unfamiliarity of it made me gasp, molten heat pouring from between my legs. Oh, I liked being held by him. I liked the possessive press of his fingertips, and I liked the way he settled me at his waist. I especially liked the hard exhale he let out when I wrapped my legs around him. The takchita had ruched up around my knees, and it felt scandalous to bare my calves. Exciting in a way I hadn’t expected.

“You,” he said, turning us away from the dresser and towards the bed, “are going to ruin me.”

The low, rumbly tone of his voice did things to me. So did the way he tossed me onto the bed, not at all gentle. Shivers swept down my body. My breath caught as he crawled onto the bed.

“Something tells me you’ll enjoy the ruination,” I breathed.

His chest expanded with a hard breath; I watched the dance of muscles just beneath his skin as he loomed over me, close but not quite touching. “Tell me you don’t want this, Ameirah. I’ll stop immediately.”

If he thought I wanted to stop now we’d finally reached the bed, he was truly mad. Though I suppose he didn’t know about all those naughty chapters in the romance books I’d read. I was happy to enlighten him, to show him what I’d learned.

I lifted my head off the mattress and brushed a kiss to the spot on his neck just beneath his ear. He shuddered, his hands dimpling the butter-soft fabric on either side of us as they flexed.

My breath caressed his ear as I breathed, “You know exactly what I want, Varidian. So keep your mouth shut and fuck me.”

---