Page 127 of Lavender and Honey

I nod, my hands finding their way to his shoulders, feeling the solid strength beneath the soft fabric of his t-shirt. "Yes," I breathe, the word barely audible even in the quiet room.

His smile turns predatory, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. Then he's kissing me again, but this time there's nothing gentle about it. His mouth claims mine with a hunger that matches the growing ache inside me.

I reach up and tangle my fingers in his hair, drawing him down to me. Our lips meet with new urgency, the gentle exploration ofearlier giving way to something hungrier. His tongue traces the seam of my lips, seeking entrance that I readily grant. When our tongues meet, a soft sound escapes me, half sigh and half moan.

Lucian's response is immediate, a growl vibrating deep in his chest as his kiss becomes more demanding. I arch up against him, my body responding with an eagerness that surprises me. One of his hands slides beneath my sweater, palm flat against my ribs, just below my breast. The touch is questioning, patient despite the hunger I can feel in the tension of his muscles.

"Yes," I breathe against his lips, answering the unspoken question. His hand moves higher, cupping my breast through the thin fabric of my sleep bra. When his thumb brushes across my nipple, I gasp, arching into his touch.

"You're so responsive," Lucian murmurs, his voice a low rumble that I feel as much as hear. "So beautiful." His mouth leaves mine to trail along my jaw, then down the column of my throat. When he reaches the sensitive juncture where my neck meets my shoulder, he pauses, his breath hot against my skin.

I know what he's asking— what it means for an Alpha to put his mouth there. The vulnerability of allowing it, the trust implied. Without hesitation, I tilt my head, giving him better access. His approval comes as another growl, this one deeper, more primal.

His teeth graze my skin, not breaking it but applying just enough pressure to send a shudder through my entire body. My hands tighten in his hair, neither pulling him away nor pushing him closer— just anchoring myself to him as sensation washes over me. His tongue soothes the spot his teeth just marked, and I can feel myself melting beneath him, my body softening and yielding in ways I haven't allowed in years— maybe ever.

"Lucian," I breathe, my voice barely recognizable to my own ears— husky and wanting.

"Gods, Lydia," he breathes against my neck, his voice rough with restraint. "You smell incredible."

He lifts his head to look at me, and the naked hunger in his expression steals my breath. His eyes have darkened to an almost midnight blue, pupils blown wide with desire. For a moment, we just look at each other, the weight of what's happening between us settling in the air.

His hand beneath my sweater becomes more insistent, kneading my breast as his thumb circles my nipple through the thin fabric of my bra. The dual sensation of his mouth on my neck and his fingers on my breast makes me dizzy with want. I arch against him, seeking more contact, more friction, more of everything he's giving me.

One of my legs hooks around his waist, drawing him closer until the hard length of him presses against my core. Even through our clothes, the contact sends a jolt of pleasure through me that has me gasping. Lucian groans, his hips rocking instinctively against mine in a movement that makes stars burst behind my eyelids.

"Fuck," he whispers, the rare profanity revealing just how affected he is. His forehead drops to rest against mine, his breathing ragged. "You're going to be the death of me."

I laugh softly, the sound transforming into a moan when he shifts, creating delicious friction where I need it most. My hands slide under his shirt, exploring the warm expanse of his back, feeling the muscles flex beneath my touch. His skin is hot, almost feverish, and impossibly smooth.

"Too many clothes," I moaned as I looked at him with a heated look.

Lucian groans, the sound raw and unfiltered. "Careful, little Omega," he warns, his voice strained with restraint. "You're playing with fire."

"Maybe I want to burn," I whisper, surprising myself with my boldness. The words hang between us, an invitation and a challenge.

His eyes flash, something primal and possessive darkening his gaze. "Is that what you want?" he asks, rolling his hips deliberately against mine, making me gasp at the friction. "To burn with me?"

I nod, unable to form words as heat pools low in my belly.

"I want..." My voice catches, and I swallow hard. "I want you to touch me. I want to feel you against me." The admission comes out breathless but clear.

Lucian's eyes darken at my confession, a slow smile spreading across his face. "I've wanted to touch you since the moment I first caught your scent," he admits, his voice dropping to a low rumble that vibrates through me. "To feel all of you."

His hands slide to the hem of my sweater, pausing there as he looks at me. "May I?" he asks, his voice rough with desire but still careful, still seeking permission.

I nod, lifting slightly to help as he eases the sweater up and over my head. The cool air of the room raises goosebumps across my newly exposed skin, but Lucian's gaze is so hot I barely notice. He looks at me with such raw appreciation that I feel myself blushing, not from embarrassment but from the intensity of being so completely seen.

"Beautiful," he murmurs, eyes roaming over my newly exposed skin with unconcealed appreciation. His hand traces the curve of my waist, the dip of my navel, leaving goosebumps in his wake. "So beautiful."

His fingers brush against the clasp of my sleep bra, a question in the touch. I arch slightly, silently giving permission, and he deftly unfastens it with one hand. The thin fabric falls away, and I resist the urge to cover myself as the cool air meets my bare skin.

Lucian's breath catches audibly. "Look at you," he murmurs, voice heavy with reverence. His palm cups my breast, the callused skin creating a delicious friction against my sensitive flesh. When his thumb brushes over my nipple, I can't suppress the soft moan that escapes me.

"I've thought about this," he confesses, lowering his head to press a kiss to my collarbone. "Wondered what you'd sound like. How you'd feel." His lips trail lower, mapping a path between my breasts. "You're even more perfect than I imagined."

"You too," I manage to say, tugging at the hem of his t-shirt. "Fair's fair."

Lucian's smile turns wolfish, pleased by my boldness. "Whatever the lady wants," he murmurs, sitting back on his heels to pull his shirt over his head in one fluid motion.

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