Page 62 of Blue Embers
“Then stop being so afraid to show it!”
Gods, this woman was pushing me. I took another step forward, shaking to touch her. Trembling with frustration.
“You’re being incredibly unreasonable,” I growled.
“Unreasonable? You just said this whole thing could lead to war and I’m being unreasonable to want to know where we stand before everything spirals out of control? I thought I could just let the questions burn away after a while, but they just keep getting bigger. I can’t, Killian. I can’t just suspect that this doesn’t mean anything.”
“What do you want me to say? You already know I care about you!”
“I care aboutyou, Killian. In fact, against all logic and reason and after trying to convince myself otherwise for days now, Iloveyou!”
She stopped for a moment, brushing her hands harshly through her hair in a brief fit of mild madness.
“Yeah,” she confirmed after a second of thought, calming her tone. “Yeah, I do. I do love you. It’s painful because I can’t tell if it’s this mark or if I felt like this before and just didn’t want to admit it, but I do. I love you, Killian, and you haven’t been able to talk to me for three days. That’s upsetting, so I came here to think. I’ve been thinking a lot the past couple days about whether or not I’m just being selfish. With everything that’s going on, I should suck it up, right?”
She turned, stepping onto the boat where cushioned seats provided her a flat space to sit and relax, but I couldn’t allow that. I reached out, taking her wrist, but was surprised to feel her tug against me. There was a new strength in her now that she was marked and she nearly succeeded in ripping from my grasp.
“Let go of me,” she demanded.
When I didn’t adhere to her request immediately, she gave her arm a hard yank, losing her footing and nearly plummeting over the edge of the boat into the water. Tightening my grip, I quickly gave her a pull and drew her firmly against me. She was wrapped in my arms now, but after a brief pause, she seemed unhappy with the position. She grumbled, pushing against me and it was at that moment I realized I had no intention of letting her go. Not that night. Maybe not any other night either. I held her tight and she fought my grip.
“Killian, stop!” she griped, giving me a forceful shove.
I grabbed her wrists, my body hot with need the longer her body was pressed against mine. My skin was tingling with awareness. I knew hers was, too. I felt it through the mark I’d put on her waist like a spiderweb we were both caught in. Every vibration moved through both of us. As my desire grew, so did hers. She couldn’t hide that from me. I spun her around and pushed her firmly against the wall beside a narrow stairway that led below deck, forcing her hands up above her head. She sucked in a surprised gasp, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. She smelled of smoke from the fireplace and roses, no doubt from the oils Keera liked to put in the baths.
Once she was aware that I wasn’t standing down to her chiding, I slowly released her, my body still aching to have her. She was confused. I could see it in her eyes. So was I, if I were being completely honest with myself. The only thing I knew for sure in that moment was that I wanted her. I had wanted her since the beginning and knowing that so unquestionably was where the real fear had set in.
Persephone watched me, waiting for some kind of explanation, but I couldn’t give her one. Not in words, anyways. Instead, I gave in to my body’s need and wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, pushing her against the wall once more and into an aggressive, untamed kiss. One I’d been wanting to give her for days.
I didn’t ease her into it. I didn’t ask for permission. I plunged my tongue into Persephone’s mouth and made sure she knew how much I desired her and just like that, her body responded. She let out a soft moan, her mouth dancing against mine with equal hunger. Suddenly, the questions were gone. The past few days of denial seemed a waste when I had known all along that this woman was special.
I reached down, grasping her thighs and lifting her off the ground, wrapping her legs around my hips before once more pushing her against the wall. Slowly, I moved against her, my cock thirsting to touch her until it was hard with anticipation. Just the thought of her naked body made me quiver.
Kissing her without restraint, I carried her down the passage to the lower deck where I could throw her atop the bed that was set up below. Persephone felt light in my arms, her long limbs coiled around me tightly. When we came to the bed, I let her down onto her feet where she quickly threw off her coat and sweater and dropped them both to the floor. I could see her breath in the air as she pushed my coat off my shoulders. I couldn’t stop looking at her, her fair skin and light, strawberry blond hair was a comfort to me now. A sight I needed and wanted in my life.
By the time Persephone had made it to my jeans and was undoing them, I couldn’t wait any longer to touch her. I stepped in, pressing my lips to her neck as her fingers finished what they started. She slid her hand down beneath the waistband until her palm was cupped around my cock. I sucked in a breath, her touch moving against me just right and awakening every nerve in my body. She stroked me a few times, just enough to drive me wild before she pulled her hand away and leaned in, biting at my chest and planting a few sensual kisses along my shoulder. Gradually, she pushed me down onto the mattress, taking charge as if she’d found the reins and had no intention of letting go.
I leaned back, sitting up on my elbows as Persephone maneuvered her pants off and kicked them aside. She was magnificent in the dark cabin, the faint glow of sunset our only light source as she pulled my pants off the rest of the way. She climbed over me, stradling my hips and gently stroking my cock with her sex. She was hot with passion. Wet with need. I could see her in the darkness as my eyes adjusted and the colors she gave off were hypnotizing. The dragon in me hungered to have her, watching every hue accentuate her arousal. It hungered to claim her in ways I hadn’t before.
Sliding a hand up Persephone’s smooth thigh and around her waist, I moved her further against me, lifting my hips to show her just how much I wanted her. She unhooked her bra, releasing her breasts so I could feel them against my bare hands. She leaned over me, pressing her lips to mine as her hand found my cock once more and guided it toward her entrance.
Fuck, I couldn’t wait. I rose toward her while at the same time she lowered herself into position until I’d filled her. In one, smooth motion, I was seated deep in her warmth. A wave of heat and electricity flowed through the both of us. In the darkness, blue veins began to glow from my chest where my heart was pumping wildly with excitement.
Persephone gasped as the same, fiery energy passed through her, pulling us together like two ropes becoming a knot. She held my hands to her breasts as she began to rock, moving her hips against me so perfectly that the pleasure was immediate. I shifted my hands to her hips, helping her find her rhythm. My attraction to her as I watched her take charge felt endless. Our breath joined in exhilaration, our bodies bound tighter together with each thrust.
As the tension grew, Persephone began to moan, her voice a pleasing song to my ears. I sat up, wrapping her in my arms as she continued to ride me, her body ravenous and demanding. She combed her fingers through my hair, panting each time she pulsed her hips against me. Every time I felt myself plunge inside her, my body found it harder to control itself. She was driving me to the edge, teasing me with every movement. Testing how far I could go. Her eyes watched me, waiting for me to lose myself, but no matter how badly I wanted to let loose, I wasn’t going to do it until I knew she’d been satisfied herself.
I pulled her into a deep kiss. One that sent warm shivers through both our bodies, and sunk down onto the bed again, pulling her close to me. She braced her hands on my chest as I held her hips, thrusting upward. She whimpered, closing her eyes as our bodies found the perfect tempo. I could feel her tighten around me as her body climbed into the arms of ecstasy.
“Killian,” she panted, her core screaming for a release. “Say my name.”
I bit my teeth, impaling her hard. “Persephone,” I breathed, kissing her once more as another moan rose from her throat. I picked up speed, driving us both to the ledge. “I love you,” I whispered, the words slipping from my lips with scary ease.
Persephone opened her eyes to look at me, her gaze glowing slightly blue as our bodies remained conjoined. She seemed surprised, trying to keep herself from falling over the threshold of control.
“Say it again,” she muttered.
“I love you,” I repeated, kissing her without restraint as I forced her over that barrier into unhinged pleasure.
