Page 21 of A Deception of Courts

“Let me indulge myself, if only for a moment,” Duncan exhaled, resting his head back on the gold-painted wooden frame of the chair. His eyes were closed now, and he was smiling. Grinning to himself like a cat who had uncovered the lake of cream all for himself.

“Speak then, or forever hold your peace.”

Duncan’s fingers gripped tighter into me. My heart leapt wildly in my throat.

“There are so many things I wish to say. None that would be suitable in such a place. What I wish to do and what I will do are two separate matters.”

I lowered myself to his cheek and pressed my lips to it. His skin twitched upon impact, and his smile widened. The kiss was brief, and yet exactly what I needed.

“That’s all you are getting,” I whispered, lips brushing the damp skin of his cheek.

“More,” Duncan demanded. “I deserve it.”

Lowering myself to his face again, I aimed my lips at the corner of his mouth, where the scar met his smile and gave the impression that it was never-ending. This kiss was as gentle as the first but lasted a heartbeat longer.

“Better?” I asked.

“Ask me after another,” Duncan replied, gravelly voice rumbling with a chuckle.

“Do you enjoy demanding things from me?” I asked, smiling too as I moved back to his face again.

Duncan seemed to find some strength as he held tighter onto my back. I had no hope of escaping him, not that I cared to.

He raised his neck from the chair and opened both eyes. Our faces were only inches apart. “Believe me, darling, what I want from you is far more than closed-mouth kisses. Until I locate the energy to do what I desire, another kiss here will suffice.”

He pressed a finger to his lips as though telling me to be quiet.

My mouth pressed to his for a final time, lips urging one another’s apart as our connection quickly dissolved from its softness to desperation.

I groaned into Duncan’s open mouth. His tongue lapped against mine, fuelled by the noise I made. My fingers coiled within the locks of dark hair, tracing across his scalp that conjured a shiver to spread across his exposed arms. He had hold of me, too, ensuring the kiss wouldn’t end before he wished for it to. One hand grasped onto my side, and the other gripped the back of my neck with force. In that moment, he wasn’t the weak man who’d pushed himself to the limits of his power.

Our kiss might never have come to a natural end if not for the knock at the door.

Reluctantly, I pulled away to a string of displeased groans from Duncan.

“It had to be too good to be true,” Duncan growled, his grip on my side still preventing me from standing. “Let them in, and there is no going back. Tell them to fuck off, and we can continue where webluntlyleft off.”

Upon the door that led out to steps down from the main deck of the ship was a circular porthole of frosted glass. I recognised the shadowed outline beyond. They were tall. Wild curls of hair. Twin points of ears.

“Once this meeting is over with, there will be plenty of time during our journey to Wychwood where we can pick up where we left off.” I patted his knee and stood. Duncan’s hand traced the curve of my ass as he dropped his arm, reluctantly.

“I don’t feel comfortable letting you go to them without me,” Duncan attempted again, circling back to our original discussion. “Those people have proven themselves volatile. I don’t trust them with the most important person in my life.”

A warmth spread across my chest as his words settled upon me. I had my back turned to him as I faced the door that sounded with another knock, this time more impatient than the last.

“You can come in,” I called out.

“Robin. Don’t ignore me…” Duncan started.

I glanced over to him as the door screeched open, allowing the rush of salt wind to fill the room.

“If, and only if, by the time we leave you can stand without aid, then you may join me.”

Duncan’s lips narrowed into a thin line. It was the last thing I saw as I turned my attention to Althea Cedarfall, who led the party of three into the room.

“So, he didn’t perish after all,” Althea cooed, sparing Duncan a quick glance. As she did, there was nothing caring about her expression. However, when she looked back my way, her face lit from within as her freckle-covered lips turned upward.

“You would have liked that, I’m sure.” I stiffened at Duncan’s reply, but Althea showed no sign she heard as she continued.

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