Page 242 of Halfblood Deceived

“May I?” he asked.

“Please,” she murmured.

A second later, the lock clicked, and the door opened. He didn’t say a spell or even move a finger.

As soon as they were inside and the door was locked, Aella pulled him close by the lapels of his jacket and merged their mouths together. They both lost a sound of relief. Aella’s heart hammered harder, her hands took on a life of their own, tangling in Zeydan’s hair, urging him closer. He pulled back for just a second to rid them both of their masks and then kissed Aella deeply.

Yes, yes, yes; she drunkenly thought.

It felt so right. His lips on her, his tongue entwined with hers, the heat of his body. It was perfect.

Zeydan maneuvered them further inside the room, between the wall and the bed.

Some corner of Aella’s mind was aware that, as usual, he was giving her the choice. But a fuzzy need was taking over, and she was barely aware of guiding Zeydan backward until he was against the wall.

He trailed hot kisses from the corner of her mouth to her jaw. He tucked her hair behind her ear, and then his lips were right over her pulse point.

Aella arched her neck, giving him more access, holding onto his shoulders for balance. The tip of Zeydan’s hot tongue brushed a short line over her vein.

Aella moaned, her back arching and her pulse roaring in silent invitation. She imagined his fangs in her vein. A baser side of hers that had awoken recently wanted Zeydan to take her blood. But part of her was still slightly wary of the possibility of pain, so she kissed him again.

Zeydan bit her lip and sucked it into his mouth, licking it. A low sound of satisfaction rumbled in his chest. “You taste like strawberries and chocolate.” He murmured against her lips. “I want to devour you.”

A small whimper escaped her. “I think I’d let you.”

Zeydan smiled. His pupils were wholly vertical and dilated. “Would you?”

Aella pulled him closer and claimed his mouth in lieu of a response. Zeydan kissed her back with delicious intensity. One of his hands settled on the small of her back, and the other was over her ribcage. His thumb traced lazy caresses under her breast.

Aella shuddered. The need between her legs increased and expanded to her whole body. She wanted to feel Zeydan’s touch on her bare skin. She wanted his fingers on her most delicate part. She was made of want.

Zeydan sucked her tongue in a way he hadn’t before, and Aella’s knees weakened further. She all but melted against him. He broke the kiss to let her breathe and explored her neck again. Aella took a gulp of his scent—cypress-tangerines-bamboo-light musk—and gathered her wits enough to flip their positions, placing her back against the wall.

Zeydan lifted his head, giving her a delighted smile. “What do you want, Amazon?”

Aella bit her lip, sliding her hands under his jacket, feeling the heat of his skin and the solid muscle under the silk of his shirt. Zeydan removed his jacket and tie, tossing them on the foot of the bed without looking away from Aella.

Aella opened two buttons of his shirt with trembling fingers. “I want you to touch me,” she finally whispered.

“Where?” Zeydan asked.

“Everywhere.”

A low approving sound vibrated in his throat. He gave her a light, teasing kiss, and placed his hands on her hips. “Shall I touch you over that beautiful dress, or take it off?” One of his legs slid between hers. Aella bucked against the firm press of his thigh, barely swallowing down a whimper. Zeydan growled low. “We might ruin it if I don’t take it off.”

Aella’s cheeks heated as she realized what he meant. Her satin underwear was damp already. If she kept rocking her hips against his thigh, her dress would be ruined indeed.

“You don’t want me to ruin the dress, do you?” Zeydan asked. The curl in his voice had the counterproductive effect of making Aella push harder against his thigh.

“No, I don’t want to ruin it,” she breathed out.

Zeydan smiled, removing his thigh from between her legs.

Aella almost protested, but Zeydan unclasped the delicate chain that separated both parts of her dress.

Reality crashed into Aella. Zeydan was about to see her naked. All he had to do was open two short zippers, and she’d be practically bare to him.

Her pulse ratcheted, and her stomach jumped. Aella wanted him to see her just as much as she feared to find disapproval on his face. What if he didn’t like what he saw? What if he found the delicate curve of her belly ugly? She wasn’t skinny and probably would never be—

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