Page 20 of Eclipsed Heart

CHAPTERSIX

I blinked,and despite the scabs on Bodey’s chest, I could easily make out the mark. Water poured down his skin, his usual scent mixed with soap.

What’s wrong?he linked, concern washing through him.

My hand shook as I traced the outline of his mark, being careful whenever it ran over the scab near one of the edges. His tattoo wasn’t as intricate as mine, consisting of just the paw print. It was a third of the size, coming in around three inches, and underneath the center of his collarbone.You have a mark too.

Eyes widening, he glanced downward. His breath caught. “That's where I was hurting when the ink wrapped around you.”

I remembered the pain I’d sensed from him. “I thought you were hurt.” My finger kept tracing the mark, and I could feel my faint touch against my own chest like I was stroking mine as well.

Odd.

“Not then,” he sighed, goose bumps sprouting across his skin despite the water’s warmth. “I thought I was feeling your pain.”

Considering how much agony I’d been in, I could see why he’d thought that, especially since our tattoos were in similar places. “You probably did, but some of it must have been your own.”

He smiled. “I love that we have almost identical tattoos.” He waggled his brow. “Kind of like we’re both branded now.”

His joy eased some of the tension in my body. Feeling a little more like myself, I teased, “We're branded as king and queen.”

“Because we’remates,” he countered. His eyes darkened, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me against him. The water now doused both of us, and I loved every moment.

Need flared within me, so I kissed his lips, wanting to taste him.

He responded with vigor, his tongue slipping into my mouth. His minty taste filled my senses, and his scent made my head spin.

All too soon, he leaned away from me, and I frowned.

Chuckling, he turned me around so I was directly in the spray then tilted my head back so the water soaked my hair.

“Let me wash you,” he murmured and pumped some coconut-scented shampoo into his hand.

I wanted him to take care of me in a different way. My body was ready for him, and I desperately needed the connection after seeing him so hurt.

When I pouted, he smirked and turned me so I faced away from him. Then his strong fingers tangled into my hair, sudsing the heavy strands. After getting the shampoo worked through, those fingers kneaded my head gently until I moaned.

Somehow, this was more erotic than foreplay.

He nuzzled my neck as his fingers continued to work, and I turned into putty, my legs wanting to give out underneath me.

As my body sagged against his chest, he took a few steps back, getting me out of the direct spray, and then grabbed a bar of coconut soap. He slowly washed my body, paying extra attention to my nipples, and then he had me lean against the side of the shower to clean my legs. Finally, he stood and linked,Let’s rinse you off.

He turned me and dipped me back in the water, and as I rinsed off, he kissed me again. His tongue slipped into my mouth, and my arms wrapped around his neck, needing to touch him and also have him support my weight.

He stepped forward, pushing me so my back was against the tile as he moved into the water.

My eyelids were heavy with desire as I ogled him. “What are you doing? I need to clean you now.”

“Nope. I did that before you got up here, and I forgot one part of your body,” he rasped, one of his hands brushing my nipple while he soaped up the other hand then slid it between my legs.

His mouth went to my breast, and his tongue licked the nipple while his fingers rubbed between my folds.

I moaned, unable to stop myself. I clenched in need so hard that I nearly combusted, but all that accomplished was his fingers circling faster as he sucked my nipple into his mouth. My hips ground against his hand, and he slipped two fingers inside me.

Before I completely lost it, I linked,You’re not fully healed. We should head to bed.But damn, those words were so hard to say because my body was on fire.

I’m fine. And if I don’t get to taste, touch, and fill you tonight, I won’t get a wink of sleep.His teeth gently grazed my sensitive flesh, making me groan.

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