Page 66 of Enchantment of Silver and Sea
“I do understand that,” I said quietly. Like so many things, The Council didn’t state that outright, but they didn’t exactly hide their intentions either. It’s not like magic was ever talked about in a positive light. “Magic is a threat to humanity. You know that better than anyone, living Outside.”
“Sure,” Kieran agreed. “But we lose just as many people to starvation and untreated illnesses and injuries as we do to magic-related incidents. Don’t think for a second that all of us in Ersa Estates have something against magic. Our problem is not being given a fair shot at survival, magic or no magic.”
A long silence followed. After what he had just said, nothing else felt worth saying. I was imagining he must be feeling the same, when he suddenly spoke again.
“I want you to know that I haven’t been this close to anyone, either.” Then, “I mean, I guess you could say that I’ve been close to women, in a sense…in other ways.”
The reminder that he had had many romantic partners was a physical sting. It was hypocritical, I knew. But I couldn’t help the emotion that swelled in me. Images flashed through my mind of the faceless, nameless women who had come before. Of Xiomara. Of him kissing them. Holding them. Doing things with them that I probably couldn’t even imagine.
“But not like this,” he said sharply. His fingertips grazed my cheek, my chin, my mouth. “I’ve never shared a bed with someone all night, same as you. Or had these kinds of conversations. Toldsomeone about my family beyond what they figured out on their own. Or…everything else. It’s different.”
“Why is that?” I asked softly. “Why are things different with me?”
His stare took on an intensity then that made me wonder if I had asked something I shouldn’t have.
Then he leaned in and touched his lips to mine.
I didn’t hesitate. I kissed him back. And it was like a hunger that had been building in me since the first night we kissed was finally being satisfied. At the same time, a new and different one was forming.
My palm pressed against his bare chest as his hand caught my leg, pulling me further against him. Only moments later, he was on top of me. His lips, hands, body were everywhere at once.
Last time, there had been a sense of urgency, like we couldn’t wait a single second longer to give in to our feelings for each other. But this time it was almost frantic. As if one or both of us were about to disappear into thin air, and we were trying desperately to memorize every single thing about each other.
Just like before, he ran his hands over me, exploring, grinding his hips against mine. And just like before, his name escaped my lips. But this time, he didn’t stop. He ground his hips against me again. And again. Over and over until my body was trembling.
“Maila,” he murmured against my lips. “I really don’t think you understand how sexy you are.”
Before I could even think of what to say to that, his tongue was pressing against mine again, hot and full of that taste that was purely him. Then his tongue found my jaw. My neck. Hismouth continued to travel down, trailing soft licks. It found my breasts over the thin fabric of my nightgown, and I gasped when I felt the graze of his teeth. Then he was trailing kisses across my stomach, leaving heat and gentle tingling in their wake.
Before I knew it, he was crouched in front of me, hands resting on my thighs, fingertips brushing the edge of my nightgown. He was still, looking up at me expectantly from under hooded eyes.
I realized after a beat that he was seeking permission.
I gave him a quick nod.
Then I raised onto my elbows, lifting my arms overhead. In one movement, he had my nightgown off. I heard the soft swish as it sailed through the air and hit the floor.
Another soft sound of fabric hitting the floor. This time it was my underwear.
Then Kieran backed off the bed, standing to remove his boxers.
I marveled for what had to be the millionth time at the structure of his body, the definition in each muscle. But I couldn’t help but wince several times as my eyes landed on his wounds, some bandaged and some too large to be covered fully. Particularly the one on his leg.
“I’m fine,” he said quietly as if reading my thoughts.
Then his boxers slipped past his thighs.
My breath caught in my throat.
With that last barrier gone, I could now confirm that every single inch of him was perfect. And seeing the effect that I had on him, how he was visibly aching for me…it made me ache in turn. With an intensity I had never felt before.
Eventually my gaze drifted back up to his. As our eyes locked, I imagined that the glazed look in his must have been mirrored in my own. He climbed back onto the bed, and I raised up to kiss him. But he resumed the same position, kneeling between my legs. The corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile. Then he lowered his head.
What happened next was something I had fantasized about endlessly but had never experienced. Which probably said a lot about the two men I had chosen to share my body with in the past. But all thoughts of them were long gone at the first touch of Kieran’s lips. His tongue. Touches that consumed every thought, every nerve, every part of me. There was no room in my mind for self-consciousness. There was no room in my mind for anything.
Anything except Kieran.
The waves of sensation came in all different forms—fast and slow, rough and gentle, abrupt and lingering. Meanwhile, his fingertips grazed the outside of my thighs. Gripped my hips. Slid between my legs to caress me in the same way his mouth did.
