Page 156 of Crimson Promises
As I pushed in just a little bit, her entire body flushed.
“You astound me,” I kissed her shoulder blade. Physical distance of any sort impossible.
“How?”
“For not choosing vengeance and pain. For continuing to hope and so many more reasons. I could list the ways, but I’d rather just show you.” I gave her a wicked grin. My grin dissolved into a strained grunt as I began to move quicker.
There was no going back for me after this. I was all in. Heaven, Hell, they could both go fuck themselves. A relationship between us was forbidden. I was never one to take the easy way out. I fought for what I believed in. I don’t think there was anything or anyone that I believed in more than Aurora. She was going to change the world, and it would be my absolute honor to stand witness to it all. If Michael let me live long enough to see it.
Mistakes were best left in the past. Aurora was my present and future. Somehow, it felt like everything I had ever been through led me here to this moment with Aurora. Only who I was mattered to her, not what I was.
Even my agreement with Michael was made out of hurting those who had hurt me. That still wasn’t a path I was completely ready to abandon. But I realized I didn’t have to do so in isolation or sacrifice my happiness. I was worthy of it. For so long, my life was dictated by misery, but I had made decisions and taken paths that only reinforced a lonely and angry life.
Being with Aurora was my choice.
Aurora circled her legs around my back, changing the angle. Everything felt delicious, deeper, each thrust more desperate. Muscles low in my stomach tightened.
I caught her lips in a searing kiss before she threw her head back, demanding I move harder and faster. The only sound in the room was the panting of our breaths mingled together and our bodies colliding together.
I moved my hand underneath Aurora’s neck and curled my fingers around the column of her throat. I wanted to feel the rhythm of her heartbeat while I was inside her.
Aurora released one of her arms around my neck and gripped my hip. She began to arch herself underneath me. I kept one of her hips hitched over me while laying the other down. I picked up my pace, my mouth searching until it finally met hers. I brought my thumb to her core, moving it in small circles in time with each thrust.
She clawed at my back as she rode wave after wave of pleasure. I matched my pace to hers, and when she opened her eyes, her cheeks were tinged with pink.
“Don’t go getting all shy on me now,” I teased.
She ran the pad of her fingers over some marks she had left right above where I had concealed my wings. She gave me an impish grin.
My dick stirred. I was even harder after watching her release.
Aurora moved her hands low down my back until she palmed my rear and squeezed at the same time she circled her hips.
She whispered my name, and I lost all the pieces of control I had been hanging on to.
I pounded into her so hard I seemed to have moved us up the bed each time. My jaw was clenched, my palms grasped her waist, and my muscles flexed until the tension exploded. Pleasure ripped through me, more intense than I had ever experienced.
When every ounce of my energy was depleted, I dropped my head to hers, kissing her brow.
Aurora threaded her fingers through my hair, massaging the base of my skull while our breaths slowed.
We lay there for I don’t know how long until I slowly, regretfully pulled out and cleaned off myself and her. She settled into my arms, briefly touching my jaw until she relaxed against me, her body falling into a settling rhythm of sleep.
In the darkness of that room, she gutted me with three words that I would treasure for the rest of time: “I love you.” For years, I had watched over Aurora. She had always spoken random phrases in her sleep. They often disturbed my rest, but it was adorable and innocent. It was one of the rare times I could catch her thoughts unguarded.
I gathered her in my arms and held her the entire night. Believing for the first time, maybe ever, that we had both earned our own slice of happiness.
* * *
Over the few weeks, Aurora and I settled into a pattern of mortal domesticity. We woke up together and headed to Sully’s for a quick workout. Then we’d grab a coffee. Aurora seemed to get into a blustery mood every time Meg was working. She gave her a tight-lipped smile and a short wave. Usually, Aurora would greet the others by name, and they’d catch up on the day-to-day things in their lives. For someone who always thought they thrived on the outside looking in, she was cultivating her own community here at Arch Cape. It wasn’t at the level that she wanted, but she seemed settled and happier here. Those around her were tuning in to it.
After our coffee, she’d drag me for a run and told me it was payback for the ‘grueling’ defensive maneuvers I showed her—even though she was the one who had asked for it. We’d head to our respective classes after that. The days we had Dr. Spencer were always the ones I looked forward to. Since the first day I had walked into that third-floor alcove, it somehow managed to remain solely ours. We sat together now, my arm around hers while she took notes. Throughout the lecture, Aurora would swing her head towards me more often than not to ask if what Dr. Spencer was saying was correct. Existing for millennia had the odd benefit to it. Dr. Spencer was accurate and careful with his findings. There were rarely facts he explained to the class that I had secretly disagreed with. Despite what Aurora thought, I didn’t know everything. But the knowledge I did have at least got me out of having to take notes.
Aurora worked often. I walked her to and from work but waited outside until I snuck into my familiar turret. Or I’d spend time with Sully and Connor. I began to grow a life with people I cared about. Aurora always left Canmore happy and fulfilled. She worshipped Jean and spoke nonstop about her academic brilliance and British quips. Jean recommended Aurora consider postgraduate studies in the UK. She said she would talk to some of her connections at Cambridge and Oxford. Sometimes, we would picnic in front of Ol’ Eleanor. We would cook together, and most nights, we would wrap up the day at Hug Point, honing and practicing Aurora’s magic, and end the day with flying.
She was addicted, and nothing made me happier than sharing the one thing that gave me the most peace with her.
We existed in this makeshift bubble of happiness. We both knew it wasn’t permanent. But, it was enough for now.
