Page 33 of Witchful Thinking

Alarick's smile was both proud and a little awed."I simply focused my magic on our connection.The rest happened naturally."His fingers slipped just beneath her waistband, teasing the sensitive skin of her lower abdomen."May I?"

Diana nodded, lifting her hips to allow him to slide the pants down her legs, leaving her completely bare before him.His gaze traveled over her with such open appreciation that any lingering self-consciousness evaporated like morning mist.

"Perfect," he breathed, his hands caressing her thighs as he settled between them."Absolutely perfect."

Diana started to protest—she was thirty-five, not perfect by any standard—but the words died in her throat as his mouth pressed a kiss to her inner thigh, then moved higher with clear intent.All thoughts of age and imperfection vanished as his lips found her center, drawing a gasp from deep in her chest.

Alarick took his time, exploring with the same thorough attention he brought to complicated ward structures.His tongue traced patterns that made her tremble, her hands fisting in the sheets as pleasure built with each deliberate stroke.When he added his fingers, curling inside her in perfect counterpoint to the movements of his mouth, Diana felt herself rapidly approaching the edge.

"Alarick," she gasped, one hand tangling in his hair."I'm going to—"

"Let go," he murmured against her, the vibration of his voice adding another layer of sensation."Let me feel your magic respond."

The combination of his skilled touch, the commanding tone in his voice, and the deliberate pulse of magic he sent through their connection was too much.Diana's release crashed through her like a wave, her body arching off the bed as pleasure radiated outward from her core.The golden shimmer of their fusion flared brilliant, momentarily illuminating the room like midday sun as her magic responded to her climax.

As the intensity gradually subsided, Diana became aware of Alarick moving up her body, pressing gentle kisses to her stomach, the undersides of her breasts, her collarbone.When he reached her mouth, she tasted herself on his lips, the intimacy of it sending a fresh pulse of desire through her still-sensitive body.

"That was..."she began, breathless.

"Magical?"he supplied with a smile that managed to be both smug and tender."Quite literally."

Diana laughed, the joy of the moment bubbling up irrepressibly."I was going to say 'impressive,' but magical works too."

"I aim to please," he replied, his expression warming at her laughter."Especially when the results are so spectacular."

She reached between them, her hand finding the evidence of his own desire still constrained by his pants."Speaking of pleasing," she said, her fingers tracing his length through the fabric, "you're still overdressed."

Alarick's breath hitched, his hips instinctively pressing into her touch."An oversight I'm happy to correct," he said, shifting to remove the last barrier between them.

When he returned to her, Diana took a moment to simply appreciate him—the broad shoulders, the lean strength of his body, the visible evidence of how much he wanted her.The golden shimmer of their fusion highlighted the planes of his chest, the tension in his thighs as he hovered above her, waiting.

"Come here," she said softly, reaching for him.

He settled between her thighs, his body a welcome weight above her, but made no move to join them fully.Instead, he brushed a strand of hair from her face, his expression suddenly serious.

"I love you, Diana," he said, the simple declaration hanging in the air between them."Not just because of this extraordinary magic we share.Not because of how incredible you look right now, though that's certainly not hurting your case."His smile flashed briefly before his expression grew earnest again."I love your brilliant mind.Your dedication.The way you care for your patients.Your sarcastic notes in ancient grimoires.All of it."

Diana felt her throat tighten with emotion, the golden shimmer brightening around them as her feelings responded to his words."I love you too," she whispered, the truth of it resonating through her entire being."Despite all my logical objections and practical concerns.Perhaps even because of them."Her hand came up to cup his cheek."I never expected you, Alarick Blackthorn.But I'm incredibly grateful you came along anyway."

The kiss that followed was different from any they'd shared before—deeper, more tender, filled with acknowledged love rather than just desire.As their lips moved together, Diana felt the golden shimmer of their fusion enveloping them completely, creating a private world where only they existed.

When Alarick finally joined their bodies, sliding into her with a groan that she felt to her core, the fusion responded with a brilliant flare that cast dancing shadows across the walls.Diana wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him deeper, her hands mapping the muscles of his back as he began to move within her.

Unlike their previous encounters, fueled by urgent passion and new discovery, they found a slower rhythm that built steadily, each movement deliberate and deep.Diana could feel her magic mingling with his on a level she'd never experienced before, creating feedback loops of pleasure that intensified every sensation.

"Open your eyes," Alarick murmured, his voice strained with the effort of control."I want to see you."

Diana complied, meeting his gaze as he moved above her, within her.The connection was almost overwhelming—physical, magical, emotional, all intertwined until she couldn't tell where one ended and another began.The golden light of their fusion pulsed with each beat of their hearts, growing brighter as pleasure built between them.

Alarick shifted slightly, changing the angle of his thrusts to hit a spot inside her that sent lightning through her veins.Diana gasped, her nails digging into his shoulders as her body responded instantly to the new sensation.

"There?"he asked, repeating the movement with deliberate precision.

"Yes," she breathed, arching to meet him."Just like that."

He maintained the perfect angle, his rhythm steady despite the tension evident in every line of his body.Diana could tell he was holding back, waiting for her, and the knowledge sent another wave of emotion through her that had nothing to do with physical pleasure and everything to do with the man himself.

"Let go," she whispered, echoing his earlier words."I want to feel you."

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