Page 119 of Mates: Posy

Frowning, Rain muttered,Those hotheads better not have endangered Junie with whatever trouble they got into.

They'll have to answer to Lilah if they did,I told him with a smirk, making him chuckle darkly.

"Why don't we send Ranger to tell them?" Ela scratched her fingers through the long stubble on my cheeks and chin. "He can face the king and queen's displeasure at the news and at having their morning mating interrupted."

"Better him than us," I murmured, "and we won't haveourmorning mating interrupted."

Her grin was wicked as she wrapped her legs around my waist, then slid down to where something hard and throbbing awaited her.

#

Lilah

I woke up to a large hand trailing sparks over my bare hip and down my thigh, and a smile bloomed on my lips.

"Good morning, darling."

Julian's morning voice was rough and rumbly and brought goosebumps up all over my skin. That made him chuckle, and my eyes popped open to see him lying next to me with his head pillowed on his curled arm. His blue, blue gaze caressed me as gently as his hand was.

My face burning, I murmured, "Good morning."

"I like waking up with you like this, my beautiful queen." He brushed his lips with mine, then pulled back to meet my eyes. "Are you all right?"

I nodded, my blush spreading down my neck to my chest, and his hand squeezed the back of my thigh as he leaned closer.

"I'm sorry it hurt you so much," he whispered in my ear.

The heat from his body and his luscious coffee aroma made me melt against him, but the guilt and worry in his voice broke my heart.

"It's not your fault. It's how nature works. And afterwards, you—" Not having the words, I kissed his cheek above his beard. "You were amazing. I never dreamed I could feel like that."

"You're the one who was amazing."

He kissed me again and, this time, I parted my lips. With a low groan, he accepted the invitation and made love to my mouth with his.

"Julian," I gasped when he finally let us up for air.

He laid open-mouth kisses down my throat to my breasts, and his hand glided to my knee and tugged my leg over his hip. I felt his hardness against my thigh and moaned as my body throbbed with need.

"I want to be inside you again, baby. May I?"

His lips brushed my skin with each word, stoking the fire building inside my belly, but I hesitated.

"It won't hurt this time, right?" I whispered.

"No, darling. From now on, it'll be nothing but pleasure."

The promise in his eyes eased the last of my uncertainty, and I gave myself wholeheartedly to my mate, my love, my king.

#

King Julian

Our first time was not the perfect memory I wanted to make with my queen.

My dad and uncles had given me ‘The Talk’ when I'd turned sixteen, although I'd never needed the knowledge until last night, when I'd been more than grateful for it. However, even though I'd done everything they'd advised, I still had a devil of a time getting inside her.

She had cried, and all I could do was kiss her tears away while I stayed still, buried inside her and throbbing with the need to move. I felt so selfish, and guilt sank its sharp claws into me. Finally, she wiggled her hips with a moan and asked if it was okay ifshemoved.

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