Chapter 26 Duncan
DUNCAN
Early morning light slips between the curtains of my primary studio as I organize my workstation.
The brushes are now soaked in hot, soapy water. The new solvents are being arranged in their correct order, one by one. I wipe the dust from the tray next to my workstation. Put the spatulas, scalpels, and knives back, making sure to keep my white T-shirt and loose jeans clean.
The cotton balls and bone folder come last. A soft smile settles on my lips as I place them at the bottom of the tray.
They aren’t the ones I used on Elowyn, but they remind me of them. I have hers locked away in the gallery’s safe as they still carry her scent.
Some nights, when Elowyn is asleep, I get the sick urge to lift them to my nose and inhale her scent. To swipe my tongue along the bone folder.
I don’t ignore it. Ever.
Unsanitary, yes.
Fucked up, very much so.
But I’m possessed.
No, there’s no cure for what I have. And no, I won’t even look for one, in case it’s out there.
Loving Elowyn is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
She’s all I’ve ever wanted.
The heated glances she scalds me with. The sting from having her fingers yank on my hair when I eat her out.
There isn’t a second I’m not hard for her.
Then there’s that sweet side to her, to us. Having Elowyn tangled between the sheets, at my mercy, laughing as I tickle her, it’s everything.
And I’m lucky enough to both appreciate that love and keep it safe. After I visited Barclay, it seems I scared him off. He hasn’t made a peep the entire week.
A rap on the door steals my attention. Heat swarms through my body when I sense who’s there.
My soul recognizes hers instantly.
“Little moon.” I turn to Elowyn, finding the most beautiful creature standing in the doorway.
My eyes devour the curves of her bare legs before sliding up her body. My cock jerks as I appreciate the way she’s wrapped in one of my shirts. How right it looks on her.
When I reach her face… Fuck me. The sight steals my breath, same as always.
Her eyes and lips are a little puffy. Cheeks still flushed from the night. Her hair is mussed, long blonde locks draping over her shoulders. My hand itches to wrap around them, to hold and pull.
Then my heart warms as I take in the bigger picture.
This whole scene is domestic. Perfect. Ours.
An ache twists inside me the longer I look at her. I want more mornings like this. A lifetime of them. But…
What if tomorrow all of this disappears?
Nonsense. I shove the thought aside. Elowyn isn’t going anywhere, and neither am I.
That’s a guarantee.
“You weren’t in bed when I woke up.” She eviscerates the last of my doubts with that sultry voice. The devious sway of her hips as she walks up to me. “I missed you.”
My sweet, shy, and no-longer-virginal Elowyn is seducing me.
It’s working.
My cock thickens in my jeans. A furious pulse drums between my legs.
By the time she’s there, less than a foot away, I’m not myself anymore.
With a hand curled around her throat, I yank Elowyn in for a rough kiss. I nip at her lip, my tongue spearing into that mouth I can’t get enough of.
She tastes like mint. Like mine.
The moan she can’t stop completely unravels me. Growling, I grab a round ass cheek beneath her shirt and mold it in my hand.
At the sound of another moan, I bury my fingers even deeper into her flesh.
Starved for more of her, my mouth travels south, over the delicate line of her jaw. Her neck. I slide my hand to that soft hair, wind it in my fist, and tug.
This way, more of her neck is offered up to me. I don’t waste a second, suck on her sensitive skin, lingering at the crook, drawing shivers from Elowyn.
Biting her coaxes a guttural sound, need mixed with pain.
That, too, belongs to me.
“Why didn’t you wake me?” she asks, breathless.
Talking will have to wait. My blood roaring between my ears. My heart hammers against my rib cage.
My breath is hoarse, ragged with need.
She yelps when I flip us both and haul her onto the desk.
“Baby,” is the only thing I say before planting both my hands on her knees.
“What?” She watches me spread her thighs.
Her eyes widen by a fraction when I pull her close to me. Pupils blown.
The air crackles for the split second when I just hold her there. Marvel in her desire.
Then—
Jesus.
Thrusting my hips forward, where her panties are soaked through, feels good. So good.
My hand is on my zipper, my dick aching for relief only she can give. If someone comes knocking, they—fuck. Let them wait.
I need her.
“Duncan.” Elowyn pushes against my chest. “Wait.”
At that, I stop altogether.
My muscles strain. My most base, feral instincts are locked on the woman I have trapped on my desk.
But I’m not going to force her. Never again.
“What’s going on?” While searching her gray eyes, I cup her cheeks. She stays silent. “Elowyn, talk to me.”
“I’m okay,” she breathes, slipping her hands up, stroking my neck. “It’s you I’m worried about.”
“Worried I’m going to stop needing you like that someday?” I grab her wrist, shoving her hand down to the bulge in my jeans. A growl rumbles in my chest when she gasps. “Yeah, that’s never going to happen.”
“I know.” She recovers fast, squeezing my cock. “I also know I would’ve woken with you buried inside me if everything were fine. But I didn’t.”
She sees right through me, my clever woman.
She’s right; something did happen.
I have a surprise for her that’s supposed to arrive later today. Two nights ago, I snuck out of bed, drove into town, woke a few people up, and handpicked the surprise myself.
Ever since, I’ve been restless.
In an effort to distract myself—and because I want Elowyn all the fucking time—I’ve been eating her out every chance I got. I put her on her knees to suck me dry. Have her on all fours or bound to our bed.
However I can take her, really.
This morning, I couldn’t do that. Couldn’t bring myself to wake her at dawn for any reason. She doesn’t get enough sleep.
That’s how I ended up here. I had to move. To clean. To put order in chaos. Other than wrapping myself in Elowyn, that’s the only thing that ever quiets the storm in my head.
For the time being, I can’t tell her that. It would ruin the surprise.
Instead, I do something else to distract her.
A kiss to her cheek. The corner of her lips. Her mouth, I take it for one long moment, then pull back.
“Well?” She raises an eyebrow. “We said no lies. What’s going on?”
“I kept you up too late.” Not a lie.
“Sleep is overrated.” She flashes me a teasing grin before schooling her expression into a curious one. “Seriously, though, wake me up next time. I love being with you more than I love sleeping.”
“Okay.”
That one word immediately rewards me with her touch. She strokes my neck at a slow, soothing rhythm that disarms me. Her deep, loving gaze is equally lethal.
I almost blurt out what I got for us. Just to keep her looking at me like I hung the moon. Just to have more of her affection, her love.
Almost.
Years ago, I couldn’t give Elowyn anything. I was a broke high school kid, then an orphan.
Now, I’m able to give her freely. To choose the timing. To make the reveal as meaningful as the gift itself.
So what I have planned will stay hidden a bit longer.
I lean in, capturing her lips, smiling softly at her quiet moan.
Then she’s pouting when I grab her waist and lower her feet to the floor. Fucking adorable.
“I don’t like this orgasm denial game.” Elowyn isn’t scolding me. It’s like she’s hopeful.
Like maybe she does like it.
Dirty girl. There’ll be time to play. Later.
I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. “That’s not what this is.”
“Then?”
“I have a feeling Mary’s going to be here soon.” Strange, I know. I’ve never had feelings or premonitions. But I can practically sense my surprise getting closer. “I’m waiting for a delivery.”
“What delivery? Art supplies?” Her eyes light up. “You have a new project? Is that why you couldn’t sleep?”
“Patience.” My hands glide up the slope of her waist, my mouth brushing her ear as I speak. “I’ll make it up to you later. Promise.”
“Duncan.” Her shudders, I love those. “But I want you now.”
“Trust me, you’re going to love this…delivery.” I push her shirt up a little higher, exposing smooth skin and bitable curves. “It’ll be worth the wait.”
At that, she pulls back. The faint line forming between her brows is sexy as hell. “Tell me this isn’t Barclay’s head.”
“It isn’t. He’s alive because he saved you, but…” I grind my teeth, thinking of all the times he hurt her. “Like I said the other day. One word, and he’s gone.”
She gasps, lips parting and snapping shut.
I can’t take the silence another second. “What?”
A smile cracks. A wide one, followed by an incredulous laugh.
It’s my turn to scowl. “Talk to me.”
“Oh my God.” She’s never blushed as hard before. “No, no. I can’t say it.”
Confusion settles in as she ducks her head, presses her forehead to my chest, and hugs me tight.
“Okay, now you have to tell me.” I cup the back of her head, stroking the silky locks.
“No.”
“Either you do, or you can forget about orgasms for the next month.” Yeah, right.
“You’re the worst,” she whispers, adding, “I was embarrassed because I, um, it gives me butterflies. When you offer to kill someone for me, even Barclay. The answer is no; I don’t want Barclay dead. But you’re hot.”
“Ah.” I try to suppress the smirk tugging at my lips. Fail. Even when she’s evil, she’s adorable. “You want your knight in shining armor to slay your enemies as a concept.”
“Not my knight.” She tips her chin up, and I meet her dark gaze. Get lost in it. “My king.”
I could stay here forever. Joke, laugh, and watch Elowyn blush from her neck up to her cheeks.
I probably would, after I say what she needs to hear. To know.