Page 89 of Heart of the Summer Queen

He smiles against my skin, hands roaming over my body, traipsing over every swell and curve. His pace is leisurely, entirely unhurried, as if we have all the time in the world.

If only we did.

His hands run down my body, reaching ever lower, gliding across my stomach. With the back of his hand, he caresses the soft skin of my inner thighs, each brushstroke coiling the tension within me even tighter. Heightening the burning need swelling in my core.

Then his fingers sink into me, parting the wet folds, and a cry escapes me. Deeper, he bears into me, and I oblige, legs spreading wider.

But though the sensation is delightful, it is him I want. Not his fingers.

I push him aside, and at first he looks surprised—worried, even—but then, realizing my intentions, he settles down onto the deck, allowing me to straddle him.

I don’t hesitate before taking exactly that which I seek, lowering myself onto him as deeply as I can, burying the full length of his hardness inside me.

Then I roll my hips. A slow, devastating movement which has him hissing my name, his nails biting into my rear.

I can’t decide which I like best: the way he feels inside me, or the way he reacts so readily to my body.

He reaches up, cupping my breast and kneading it beneath his fingers. His other hand stays on my waist, steadying me. Together, we move to the same rhythm of the waves crashing around us. Sea spray splatters across my back. Wind rips through my hair. But all those sensations are insignificant to Elaric and the molten fire coursing through my veins.

And in that moment, I realize the truth in his words. Even spending every day like this would never be enough—

A wave slams into our boat, interrupting this bliss. The two of us are torn apart, tumbling onto the deck.

The stars spin overhead.

Then sense pierces my daze, and Elaric is scrambling upright, rushing to the wheel.

I scan the surrounding waves but nothing seems unusual. Nor do I see a frozen island on the horizon. All I notice is the waves are choppier than earlier, the wind having picked up considerably.

“Are we still on course to Eruweth?” Elaric calls.

I tear open the sack and grab the pendant, holding it out until it springs to life. It points further left than before.

Elaric turns the wheel left, and our boat soon shifts direction.

Maybe it’s the shock from the sudden wave, or perhaps the desire still smoldering within, but a laugh escapes me.

Elaric glances back, casting me a curious look.

“I never imagined I’d be sailing the sea naked.”

His lips quirk. “I suppose we’ve just demonstrated why doing so isn’t wise.”

I roll my shoulders back in a shrug. “It isn’t as if anything bad happened. We just had to alter our course slightly.”

“This time,” he says, voice growing stern. “There might be a storm brewing ahead, and should we be hit by a larger wave, we risk our boat capsizing. It’s far from the sturdiest vessel I’ve ever sailed upon.”

I heave out a sigh. What he says sounds sensible, but it’s hard to think about anything other than the desire still aching between my thighs. And how the moonlight is silvering his every muscle, emphasizing their hard lines, isn’t helping matters either. If he’s going to insist on staying by the helm, then he really needs to put back on his clothes since this is just torturous.

“Aren’t you joining me?” I ask as casually as I can, patting the damp deck beside me.

“You should try to sleep, Adara.”

I clench my jaw as I bear the sting of the rejection. The waves already seemed to have calmed down again, and we may have no more such opportunities. Why must he insist on being such a bore?

But as much as I want him right now, I have no wish to beg and demolish the little dignity I have left.

“Fine,” I huff, getting to my feet. “If you won’t join me, then I’ll have to continue without you.”

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