Page 28 of Shadows and Runes

He laughs, a hearty chuckle pouring from his chest, wrinkles forming on the sides of his eyes.

“Yourwords, remember.” He beams, a small twinkle in his eyes as he makes his way closer to me, his hands up in the air in a playful manner.

“I knowI’dwant a woman who can handle…anything.” He wiggles his eyebrows, a mischievous smirk forming on his handsome face.

I shake my head, a small smile spreading as I bite my bottom lip to stop a chuckle from escaping them. His eyes dilate with the movement, trailing to my lips before meeting my eyes again, a heat growing in them.

His tongue darts out, wetting his own lips. As my eyes slowly trace it, his stare grows darker toward me. My breathing hitches with the look, a small tremor working its way down my back and to my lower stomach.

Jace was no average-looking guy. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t attracted to him. His strong athletic build, sun-kissed skin, and deep amber eyes could have any woman swoon. Also, adding shifter strength and stamina to that mix, he could have his pick of them.

The heat in his eyes grows, trailing a path down my body, slowly tracing every curve and dip.

I bite down on my lip harder, trying to dissuade the feeling unfurling in my lower stomach, my heartbeat picking up as I try to focus on something else.

I turn around, looking back at the task before me, trying to stop the growing heat between my legs from building any further.

Find the Prismaloct piece.Focus on the task at hand.

I pick up anything in front of me and try to focus on it, quickly noticing a spelled package with Isaiah’s name on it.I open it, and there sits a small crystal fragment with intricate gold wiring up its sides, almost the shape of a flower bud inside. It looks so delicate. I check the letter attached to the package, only a sender's name on it.‘Barius.’

This must be the Prismaloct piece.

“Jace, I think I found—” Suddenly, I feel heat on my back. He stands directly behind me, his chest pressed up against me, as his hand reaches for the small letter in front of me.

He places a hand on the paper I'm holding, his scent wafting around me, the musky, woody scent that's all Jace. I feel the heat from his body on my back, his heartbeat picking up pace, matching my own.His hand slides on top of mine, encasing the hand holding the small letter in his own.

I feel his breath on my neck. It sends a shiver down my spine and to my lower stomach. I feel him stiffen behind me, the gentle intake of breath before he calls me.

“Rhys.”

I tilt my head to the side to look behind me and at him just as he bends closer to me, our lips slightly brushing each other with the sudden movement.

We both freeze. I feel his breath on my face as his hand slowly reaches for my cheek. He brushes down to my jaw and leans further in, tilting my head with his hand to meet his lips, placing a gentle kiss on them. I open my mouth as he slowly deepens the kiss.His tongue languidly caresses my own, taking my bottom lip into his mouth and gently teasing it with his teeth, the small scrape sending a jolt to my core. A twinkle in his warm eyes as he slowly continues to stroke my tongue with his own.Time slows to a halt as we taste each other.

I’m completely surrounded by his scent, his touch, and his taste on my lips as he intertwines his tongue with mine, consuming me fully with every twirl and stroke. I arch into him, my body wanting more…wanting everything he can give me and then some.

An answering growl rings out as he pushes further into me, taking the package from my hands and placing it onto the table, and pushing the cases to the side, never leaving the spot behind me.

“Rhys…” His voice is more husky and breathy as he places his lips closer to my neck, lightly brushing along my runes and the sensitive skin there. It sends a jolt straight to my core, my nipples pebbling instantly.

My breathing comes out in slow gasps as I feel him press further into me from behind, heat beginning to unfurl between my thighs.

I push myself back into him, angling my body slightly to get the best position.He grunts, pushing me forward and further into the desk in front of us.I moan, wishing I was unclothed and bare, so I could properly feel his thick length against my skin.

He caresses my hands with his own, intertwining our fingers before taking my hands and placing them on the table in front of us, pinning them to the desk.

“Relax, Rhys.” His voice a deep rumble in my ear as he slides his hands back up my arms and down to my hips. Slowly he bends me further into the table, angling me where he wants me.He spreads my legs, placing himself in between them, his thick length pushing up against my heated core.

“I could smell Cole over you earlier.” He growls.“It drove me mad.”

His hands tighten on my hips as he slowly grinds his hard dick against me, a small gasp escaping my lips as he kneads harder into me.

I arch back into him, his breathing becoming ragged as I roll my hips back to meet him.He grunts, and a small gratifying smile builds on my lips as I feel his dick twitch against me.

He slides his hands up to my waist and, reaching up the outside of my shirt, cups my breasts in both his hands. He growls, irked by the fabric covering them.

Grabbing the hem of my shirt, he pulls it over me, tossing it aside before he jerks one hand under my bra and rips it off completely.He cups my bare breasts again, a content rumble vibrating from his chest on my back, my nipples pebbling instantly against his large hands.

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