Page 78 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

"Yes, yes, we've established that. What'll it be?" I glance at the position of the stars in the sky. "My patience is wearing thin."

"Double down?" she questions.

"Five minutes," I grin.

"FIVE? But that's way more than double!"

"I did give you ten seconds to come to an agreement, and I think we can both agree it's been a lot longer than that. So now, you must give me a proper kiss for at least five minutes to seal our deal, and in return, I'll tell you why I think you ended up here, and you can share our bed."Please say yes, please say yes.

"And what the hell are you going to do when I throw up in your mouth?"

An unbidden laugh barrels out of my chest.This woman.

"You and I both know the reason you don't want to kiss me is because you're afraid to get carried away." I give her a smug grin. "Tick-tock, five seconds, Morte, or the offer is off the table."

Her face turns a delicious shade of scarlet as she clenches her teeth. "Fine," she grits.

Thank fuck.

We slowly approach one another, not quite touching yet. I delicately brush my fingertips across her cheek, and she gasps softly, her eyes fluttering closed. The sensation of her hot breath on my face sends tingles through my body, and I can feel the intense longing radiating from her.

My lips meet hers, and I take my time, my arms slowly wrapping around her waist. I savor every second, every detail of this moment. I know that this kiss will be the one thing I remember for a very long time.

There's warmth and sweetness in her kiss, and our tongues meet, exploring one another in an obsessive embrace. Every nerve in my body is alive and firing, demanding me to take her and lay claim to her.

Fire ignites in my veins, my shadows unfurling from my body and wrapping around her, bringing her tighter against my form. My feet walk her back until she's pressed against a tree, my shadows cushioning her as I bring her legs up to wrap around my waist.

A gasp escapes her lips as I press my hips against hers, eliciting a shudder from her as I grind against her heat, wishing these scraps of fabric weren't between us. But I can't take her now.

Not yet.

But I can give her a taste of what it'll be like. I drag my hips against hers as her legs tighten around me, her warmth searing through my veins as her hands claw through my hair, desperate to crawl inside of me, if only to sate her hunger.

She wants this as much as I do.

Five minutes has come and gone, so I tear myself away from her mouth and press my lips against her jaw, her neck. "Deal sealed," I breathe against her skin, sending shivers down her spine. "This is only the beginning."

She murmurs something incoherent in response, the sound thick with lust. My chest heaves against hers, and I close my eyes, savoring the feeling of having her in my arms.

Reluctantly, I take a step back, allowing her legs to unwrap from around me. The heat in her eyes shutters as she realizes how carried away we got.

"Why did I die?" she whispers, and it's a rare show of vulnerability in her eyes that causes me to keep the ire out of my voice.

"You're in love with someone in Bedlam, aren't you?" I mask the jealous rage coursing through my body.

She averts her eyes. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"He, or she, was your tether."

"Irid already told me as much!" Her sibilant tone claws at my skin.

"Did he die?"

She stills. "Yes." She furrows her brows, but I see the gears turning in her mind as she mulls over what I'm getting at.

"Your tether severed, then you died." A breeze ruffles her crimson locks, pasting it to her forehead. Before I can brush it back for her, she swipes at her skin until it's tucked behind her.

"But I gave him a feather, so he should've come right back, so why didn't I?"

---