Page 173 of The Moon's Fury
Four minutes.
She met his eyes with her wide, panicked ones, pointing to the surface. She moved to stand, but he tugged her back down and melded his lips to hers. Her eyes fluttered shut, but he kept his fixed on her radiant face.
He coaxed her lips open with his and exhaled deeply, filling her lungs with his remaining air, her chest expanding against him. They broke apart, and her eyes had lost that panicked edge. She smiled, soft and filled with pure adoration, looking at him through her eyelashes, and
he
fucking
melted.
Moons, this woman.
Fuck his air, he’d siphon the blood from his veins, carve his heart from his chest, rent his soul in two, as long as she kept smiling at him as if he painted the stars in the sky.
Five minutes.
His chest ached.
He rose and brought her along with him. His lungs burned—typically, he could hold his breath for nearly eight minutes, but he’d given away the last of his air. He tapped her hip three times, and they crouched together, his arm wrapped around her waist, then pushed off the sandy sea floor. He kicked with his legs, and Layna copied his movements, albeit stiffly, and soon they broke through the surface.
He trapped her between the rock ledge and his body as they both sucked in large, gasping lungfuls of air. Droplets of water cascaded down her face, dripping onto the bare skin of her collarbone, her dark hair flat against her head, molten brown eyes shining.
She was a fucking goddess.
It wasn’t lost on him that, despite her fear of the water, his brave woman dived down withhim.
Trustedhim.
Believed, without a whisper of a doubt, that he’d protect her.
Despite all he’d done, Layna lovedhim.
Some primal instinct surged in his veins, roaring in his ears, and stirred the desire that was always simmering whenever he was near her.
He captured her lips in a furious kiss, knocking their teeth together. His tongue swept into her mouth, claiming her as his and stealing the breath she had just taken. His free hand dipped below the water and searched between them for the edge of her clothing. He hooked his fingers in the side and—
Layna stopped him with a hand on his chest. He froze, breaking the kiss and pressing his forehead to hers, a question in his gaze.
“Could we go back to the villa first?” she asked, her voice hoarse. He didn’t miss the way her wary eyes scanned the water.
He inhaled deeply, reining in his lust-addled mind, brushing a kiss against her forehead.
“Of course, love.”
A kiss to her nose.
“I got carried away.”
He pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, “But one day soon, I am going to have you. Right. Here.”
They walked back to the villa, the breeze refreshingly cool against her damp skin. “I can see why no one found thesihrrockbefore.”
Zarian hummed, his hand skating along her back. “Marwon was swimming in the cove. He would never have noticed it if he hadn’t seen that faint glow in Valtisaan.”
They maneuvered around a large bush on the trail. Layna worried her lower lip between her teeth, glancing at Zarian, then back to the path.
“Ask your question, love. It’s all right,” he said softly.
