Page 20 of Of Scale and Blood

“Then perhaps, husband, I should first peel awayyourlayers before you get to mine.”

“Because that isn’t going to increase the intensity of my need at all, is it now?”

“Probably not, but it’ll nevertheless be fun.” I paused. While I was well aware of how little he wanted to talk about his father and their relationship, I also knew how important it was foroursthat he did. Still, it was dangerous territory, given I might well destroy whatever harmony we’d developed if I kept pressing. Of course, it wasn’t part of my nature to just ignore it, either. “If your relationship with the man is so fraught, why not just walk away? You’ve already said he prefers Tayte over you, so why not step aside and let your brother take the throne? Or do you actually want the role?”

“I do not and, given the choice, would certainly walk from all of this. But as I have said, things are complicated.” He motioned to the food. “Let’s eat, before my appetites are spoiled by such a discussion.”

Annoyance slithered through me, but as my father was wont to say when confronted by seemingly insurmountable problems, Esan wasn’t built in a day. Iwoulduncover the mystery Damon was hiding, no matter how long it took.

When the last of the shamoke had been drunk, I unfurled my legs and rose. His gaze skimmed my length and came up heated, but he didn’t move, and he didn’t say anything.

He didn’t need to. His desire was a force that echoed through every bit of me.

I hitched up my gown and sat astride his legs, my knees either side of his thighs. A tremor ran through him, and he caught my hips, holding me still against him.

“I wouldn’t be moving too much over that particular area right now, because I might well lose it.”

I tsked. “And where is the man of legendary control and stamina I heard so much about before our wedding?”

“He never had a hope against the nubile force that is his wife.”

“I’ve been called many things over the years, but a nubile force is definitely a new one.” I caught the laces on his undershirt and started to undo them. “And not one many past lovers would agree with.”

“I, for one, am mighty glad for their lack of appreciation, because it has ensured you are and forever will be mine.”

The final lace came undone; I caught the bottom of his shirt and, motioning him to raise his arms, pulled it up and over his head. “That would suggest my lack of womanly assets wasn’t behind your resistance to meet me at the altar.”

“I do believe it was mentioned, but the man who decried the lack is a fool.” He slowly ran a finger down the outside of my thigh then back up the inside. “Iam not a fool.”

My breath hitched when his fingers brushed the top of my mound. A knowing smile touched his lips, but he didn’t say anything. He simply continued his agonizingly slow journey down the inside of my other thigh.

Two could playthatgame.

I slowly ran my hands down from his shoulder to his chest, paused briefly to play with his nipples. “Then why such a long delay?”

“Reasons I cannot explain right now.”

“That appears to be your go-to answer to every question right now.”

“It is also nothing but the truth.”

“And an incredibly frustrating truth it is too.”

I slowly slid my fingers down the sculpted magnificence of his abdomen until I reached the sharply defined V that led down to his groin.

“You’re playing with fire if you go any further,” he murmured lazily.

I undid the first fastening on his pants. “In case you haven’t noticed, husband, I enjoy playing with fire.”

“Then you will be aware that there are varying degrees of fire, some more satisfying than others.”

The second fastening came undone. The force of his erection was threatening to pop the third, but I didn’t immediately release it, instead running my fingers down his long, encased length.

“I, dearest husband, am of the opinion that all fires can be satisfying, whether they flame hard and fast or long and slow.”

His fingers moved up my left thigh again, but this time, he brushed past hair and found my clit. I shuddered, a deep moan of delight escaping my lips.

“And I,” he said, in that same lazily heated tone, “believe that for any fire to burn satisfactorily, the fuel must be fully primed.”

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