Page 76 of Knight's End
"Me more than you. I'm the one who’s gonna be compared to every other man here."
I grabbed his hand and intertwined our fingers. "What about me? You come from a land where a woman could grant your every wish. How can I compete with that?"
He laughed, and the warm rich sound wrapped around me like a hug. "Somehow, you picture the women of my country as very selfless. Very few people use their wishes for others where I come from. Most wishes are like that song—made and granted for personal gain, not happiness."
That admission made me reach up on my tiptoes and lean into him once again. “Not you," I whispered. Blue had given me exactly what I wished for. Even knowing that I might hurt him, he brought my husbands back.
My lips latched onto his. This time, I didn’t simply brush my lips over his. This time I pressed hard, as I devoured his mouth. I squeezed his fingers tightly as we held hands and my tongue danced with his. My other hand gradually snaked up around his neck. I grabbed his brown hair in my hands and pulled back, nipping his lips and then his neck.
A blush rose on Blue’s cheeks and I couldn't help myself as I leaned up to touch it. That only seemed to make him blush harder and he ducked his head to hide it.
"What made you give away a wish so selflessly?"
He shrugged one shoulder and stared down at his boots. He took a while to answer me. "You chose mercy. And then your wish was made for love. Not power." His eyes met mine and the intensity in them nearly knocked me over. His hand covered mine on his cheek, and he slowly lowered my hand staring down and tracing the seams of my palm as if he were reading, trying to find the direction of his thoughts in my skin.
If my heart was a bell, it would have rung—like the bells that young girls wove into their hair during the planting celebrations each spring; tiny silver bells that tinkled with a sound more pure than laughter as they danced. I felt the truth of his words vibrate through every bit of me. It was exactly how I'd felt at mother's court. I been surrounded by charlatans, and schemers.
"We have a saying in my country … when you walk through the desert, do not forget the sea." Blue glanced up at me with a shy smile. "I had forgotten the sea. Until I met you. I’d forgotten that life doesn’t have to be harsh and empty. You made me remember that there’s always life and goodness and beauty somewhere. Sometimes we just have to search a bit to find it."
My heart swelled and I floated up onto my knees until my face was level with his. I studied his deep brown eyes, the stripes of chocolate so warm and inviting.
His thoughts were both longing and unsure.
It made my heart pound faster as I leaned closer. I noted his sharp intake of breath as energy crackled between us. I didn't close my eyes as I let my lips touch his. It was just supposed to be a simple closed-mouth kiss, an acknowledgment of a truth we both shared—life at court was full of cruelty and lies. But emotion cracked like a whip, surged through me so strong that it was almost painful. And I found myself pressing into Blue, molding my body against his, taking his shoulder-length hair in my hands and pulling hard.
Once I realized what I had done, I pulled back, my hand flying to my mouth. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to yank your—"
Blue grinned. “I have that effect on women. They can’t help themselves.”
But I could see the fist-pumping, whooping dance going on in his head. It completely undermined the arrogant teasing of his words.
I smiled and smacked his shoulder.
His face grew serious for a moment, and I worried that something was wrong. “What?”
Then Blue rolled his eyes.Ryan told Quinn to tell you that he can walk again, he’s limping, but the city mage did a great job. And … I’m supposed to tell you that you’re not allowed back in their sight until you make a true knight outta me.
My heart soared and then smacked into a window and went sliding down the windowpane. “What?” My knights were trying to coerce us into … sex? Shocked did not begin to cover the way that I felt. Horrified embarrassment was more like it.
Blue’s hands covered his face.I know. But Quinn threatened to show you—
Quinn’s voice popped into both our heads.Presenting Blue’s initiation rituals as a soldier—a vision of naked Blue running through the barracks appeared in my head.
Blue grabbed my shoulders and kissed me. This time he pressed against me.
The vision of Blue in the barracks faded as my thoughts became clouded with lust.
He pressed me into him, yanked on my hips until I moved to straddle him.
His mouth moved to my neck and he ground up into me, as he apologized.I’m sorry, but Quinn’s gonna show you everything if I don’t—
I laughed and reached for his ragged shirt. I helped him pull it off. And for the first time, I got to trace his intricate tattoos. Tattoos that had drawn my eyes to his very cut, defined body the moment I’d seen him. My fingers swiveled over his pecs and across his nipples. He moaned in response.
“I don’t want Quinn to ruin anything for you. So, I’m happy to play along.” I winked.
His hands traced up my ribcage.
I wasn’t certain if Blue realized his thoughts were leaking into my head. But I received every single thought he had as he pulled down my dress. My mind saw how rosy my nipples looked to him, how he felt his breath hitch, how he yearned to lean down and latch onto them, to make them stand up hard and at attention. He didn’t reach for them—though I heard his internal struggle—the voice in his head that wanted to see all of me won out.
