Page 348 of Halfblood Deceived

She kissed him again. He tasted like cocoa, peppermint, and home. The brush of his tongue against hers was right and she all but melted against him. The kiss started gentle, a silent declaration of shared love, but turned heated in less than a minute.

The memory of their first kiss burned in the back of her mind. She’d thought of it as a disaster once, but not again. It had led them here, after all. But she wouldn’t cower from her own desires this time. She would not let her past shadow this bright moment in her present.

Zeydan is here. He’s real. He wants me as much as I want him. Nothing else matters.

That hunger in the pit of Aella’s stomach stirred again with full force. A deep craving for Zeydan’s body, his blood, everything.

He slid his hand to her thighs, urging them up. She wrapped them around him at once, gripping a fistful of his hair and deepening the kiss. He licked her tongue and glided his hands to her backside, pressing her closer, making her feel his hard, impressive length through their clothes.

Aella moaned in his mouth and rolled her hips, chasing the tempting pressure that was by far not enough. She was slick with desire already.

Zeydan trailed kisses down her neck. “What do you want?”

“You,” she said, her voice breathy to her own ears. “Now.”

Zeydan smiled, taking a step toward the bed.

Aella gripped his shoulders harder, her body tensing.

He immediately stopped and searched her eyes.

She gulped. “I, uh, like the chaise?”

Zeydan grinned. “Great minds.” He padded toward the chaise, and sat on it with Aella astride him. His hands slipped under her thin sweater.

Aella pulled her arms up and he removed the garment. An appreciative, rumbly sound came from his chest as his eyes fell on her half-naked torso. She was wearing a white lace bra. He cupped her breasts, rubbing circular patterns over her hard nipples as he kissed down her sternum. She moaned, arching her neck, offering herself up to him, desperate to feel his mouth on her bare skin.

Zeydan easily unclasped her bra and planted open-mouthed, hot kisses on the tops of her breasts.

Aella groaned, placing one hand on the nape of his neck to lead him right where she wanted him. Zeydan took her nipple into his mouth and sucked gently, swirling his tongue.

“Oh, goddess,” Aella breathed out. “More.”

She felt his lips tilt up right before he obliged, sucking harder, teasing her other nipple with his fingers. He switched sides, gently pulling, and she lost a low cry. Her hips rolled, seeking friction.

“I need you,” she whispered.

“You have me,” Zeydan said, removing the hair band from the end of her braid and undoing it with just one hand.

“You know what I mean,” Aella said, opening her legs wider and pushing against him. His hardness brushed against her most sensitive spot through too many layers of clothes again. A breath escaped her.

Zeydan let out a low growl, gripping one of her hips. “I do, but I want to make sure you’re ready.”

“I am,” Aella said. And she was. She’d never been more certain in her life.

He smiled. “I’m glad, but I meant physically.”

Aella blinked. “Oh.”

She wasn’t… inexperienced, but that was just the thing. According to what she read and spoke with Kamilla, there could be discomfort if she wasn’t ready mentally and physically. Because of her less-than-ideal previous experiences. And she didn’t want that. And Zeydan was aware of that, too. Which was… not surprising. Not really. But…

Aella gave herself a mental shake. Her past didn’t belong here. She wouldn’t dwell on it. She refused to feel ashamed at this moment. This was her and Zeydan’s moment.

“What—um, were you planning?” Aella asked.

Zeydan smiled. “Well, this chaise looks so comfortable. I’d like to see you laying back on it like the work of art you are while I kiss every inch of you. How does that sound?”

Aella bit her lip. “Perfect. What—what else?” She had a pretty good idea thanks to all the books she’d read, her research using an almost untraceable browser in incognito mode, and that afternoon in her room. But she wanted to hear him say it.

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