Page 138 of The Ballad of a Bard

Rightways.

“I do know, West.” Crimson said as she lowered her spine to meet the navy blankets. “I’ve known since the ball when you told me that you were tempted.”

He prowled closer. “There were so many chances to take you there, so manytemptations.When I was removing your gown and saw you in those barely-there underthings, I wanted to remove them and take you in this very bed.”

Her skin prickled in a good way and she tuned into it, opening her well of newfound powers and letting them explore this event. They zapped, sparked and raced within her flesh, turning every little touch into something more extraordinary.

His fingers skimmed the underside of her breast through her fighting leathers. “When you were in the shower, and I had to hold you to the wall in order to cool you down.” He began to pull at the knot that rested at the very top of the red jacket, tugging it loose. “There was nothing more tempting than stealing a kiss and creating our own steam.”

Her throat was painfully dry as he freed the lace, gently pushing her out of her jacket, one arm at a time. “I saw it, in your face. In the way you spoke to me.”

He grinned, lowering a kiss to her right shoulder, then her left as he tossed her fighting jacket aside. “I’m sure you did. You don’t miss anything, Heartstrings.”

Her heart expanded at the way he said her nickname. Her Saint name, gifted to her by her soulsaint. Nothing could be more perfect.

West moved to her pants, shrugging her plain shirt up andrevealing her bare stomach. He lost a breath as he flicked the button on her pants, her boots lost somewhere in the mess of their clothes. They were only adding to it as well.

“I wanted to take you as soon as you darted from the bathing room, wanted to show you that you weren’t the only one who wanted to burn that night.” He freed her waist and slid them down her legs, moving with it until he was at the foot of the bed and she only wore her shirt, and underthings.

“You should have.” Crimson admitted, her skin electric from the slow drags that he was purposefully leaving on her. “Because I imagined you did.”

Confidence was a fiery comet that streaked across her system, her soul as she boldly brought up what she’d done after he’d left.

His gaze snapped up to hers. “You did what?”

She pushed upwards on her hands, unabashedly tossing her shirt off and finding him once more. Hunger lingered there and it made her needy. “When you left, I touched myself to the thought of it being you instead. That’s why I demanded that you leave. Because I couldn’t hold back anymore.”

West was unmoving as she quickly removed the last layers of clothing on her, setting them on the floor. She was utterly naked before him and when his smouldering eyes dropped, she swore she saw the moon on argent fire.

“Saints, Crimson.” He panted, kneeling before her once more. His body came down atop hers and she loved the additional weight of him. “Let’s see if the imaginary West lives up to the real West.”

Crimson bit her lip and he tracked it, not allowing her to say anything else as he captured her mouth with his, replacing her teeth with his.

His hand sunk below her waist and there were no more soft touches, gentle caresses or scraping nails. He rubbed hard, fast,and her back bowed as he managed to place an arm around her waist. His mouth was hot and tasted like pearlescent dusk, his hair falling around his face as he made a complete mess of her.

Her skin was alive and everything he did to her only made it better, far better. Her powers flared again and everything became even more sensitive. Her nipples rubbed against his smooth chest and she whimpered, needing his tongue to soothe the ache that built there.

West went one step further.

He pulled his glistening lips from hers and propped her against the bed frame, scooting downwards until he could reach her legs. One by one, they were propped up and hooked over his shoulders and she inhaled sharply as he blew a puff of hot air directly into her core.

“I wonder if you’ll taste as sweet as I imagined.” He rumbled in warning before lowering his mouth to her sex and seeing for himself.

Crimson gasped as his tongue slid up the middle, parting her and dipping inside. He swirled it around and around, up and down as she’d done with her fingers and it was a million times better than she could have ever imagined. Her fingers found the sheets, because she didn’t want to pull at his hair as hard as she was pulling at them.

West curled his tongue, nose bumping into her sensitive clit and her toes curled over his broad shoulders. She cried out, back arching as pleasure shot through her. She was close, so close and he must have sensed it because he continued.

Her feet dragged along his back, unintendedly tracing his spine as her ecstasy built and built and built, the pressure swarming towards a certain point that would throw her off soon enough. Crimson knew that it would be a far more intenseshattering than before and she was more than alright with that fact.

“West!” She moaned, head flying back as he curled it again, growling softly into her core. The rumble undid her, her power flaring bright as it intensified it and she was there.

Crimson shook, her core pulsating as he licked her through it, every single stroke only adding as she rode it out, mouth agape. Each vibration was longer than the last, more powerful as well. Her fingers tensed in the covers, his eyes open and shooting to the way they clenched.

When the last wave had finished, and she was left panting, he licked his lips clean. It undid something in her.

“Just as I imagined.” West’s voice was rough, untethered. He rose, wiping his mouth and then his undershorts were gone. “Have I lived up to your fantasies of me, Crimson?”

She lost a breath, nodding because words were too far off for her to reach. Her legs shook with extreme force as he settled between them.

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