Chapter 20 #4
“You asked.” Tavian grinned up at me, his fingers spreading securely over my hips.
“I absolutely did not ask to be flipped.” I planted both hands against Tavian’s chest and felt his purr vibrating beneath my palms.
“You questioned whether I was having fun.” Tavian reminded me, looking far too satisfied with his interpretation of the conversation.
“That was not a request.” I told Tavian as I shifted carefully over him, the movement making both of us suck in a breath and briefly wiping the smugness from his face.
“Felt like one.” Tavian shrugged beneath me, although the tightness around his jaw made it obvious he was considerably less casual about the way I was sitting on him.
I started laughing, but Tavian rocked his hips upward and the laugh broke into a gasp as the new angle sent a sharp rush of pleasure through me.
“Better?” Tavian asked, satisfaction returning as his hands tightened around my hips to steady me.
“You’re obnoxious.” I told Tavian as I looked down at him, catching my breath while his purr continued beneath my palms.
“Show me how much that bothers you.” Tavian challenged as he settled his hands around my hips and deliberately stopped directing my movement.
I moved, and the position let me choose the pace while Tavian seemed perfectly happy to lie back and let me use it.
His hands traveled over my thighs, hips, waist, and breasts, rarely staying in one place for long.
Each time I sank fully onto him, his eyes darkened and another rough sound escaped him.
His knot still hadn’t begun to form, which was exactly what I wanted, so I braced both hands against his chest and moved faster, his purr vibrating beneath my palms until the sensation made me clench around him.
“Evie.” Tavian groaned as his head tipped back against the blanket, his fingers digging more firmly into my hips while his chest rose quickly beneath my hands.
I tightened around him again deliberately, and Tavian swore as his hips lifted beneath me.
“Who’s too pleased now?” I asked Tavian, enjoying the brief loss of his usual composure.
“You.” Tavian answered immediately, his amber eyes fixed on me while his hands remained tight around my hips.
“Correct.” I told Tavian with a small smile, rolling my hips again just to make his breath catch.
Tavian sat up suddenly, one arm wrapping securely around my waist until I ended up chest to chest with him.
The movement changed the angle inside me and pulled a gasp from my throat before his mouth covered mine.
His other hand slipped between us, fingers finding the pressure I needed while I kept moving over him, each pass driving me closer.
“Tavian.” I breathed his name when his mouth gave me enough space, my forehead falling briefly against his while my rhythm became less steady.
“I know.” Tavian murmured against my lips, his purr vibrating through my chest as his fingers continued moving between us.
The combination built quickly—his hand between my legs, his mouth against my throat, and his hips rising to meet every downward movement.
My second climax hit with Tavian’s name against his shoulder, my body tightening hard around him as pleasure swept through me.
Tavian growled and locked his arm more securely around my back, holding me close through the strongest waves while I buried my face against his neck.
He gave me several breaths to recover before rolling us again and settling over me with my legs still wrapped around his waist. His control was beginning to fray.
I could hear it in his breathing and feel it in the harder rhythm of his hips.
The first pressure of his knot started to build, adding more fullness each time he moved, and my breath caught when I recognized the change.
“Want me slower?” Tavian asked as he eased his pace, one hand steadying my hip while his eyes searched my face instead of relying only on scent.
“No.” I caught the back of Tavian’s neck and pulled him closer, breathing through the growing pressure while I held his gaze. “Don’t start treating me like glass now.”
Tavian’s amber eyes darkened, and his fingers flexed once against my hip.
“You really want to tell me that right now?” Tavian asked, a rough growl running beneath the words.
“I just did.” I answered Tavian as I tightened my legs around him, making my choice clear without explaining it any further.
His next thrust drove deeper, and Tavian’s remaining control slipped.
He moved harder as his knot continued swelling, his hands keeping me steady even as his breathing grew rougher.
I held onto his shoulders and let my body adjust to the increasing pressure.
“Tavian.” I gasped his name when the stretch peaked, my fingers tightening against the muscles beneath my hands.
“Right here, Evie.” Tavian murmured as he pushed deep and stayed there, one arm locking securely around my waist while the humor vanished from his voice.
His knot swelled fully inside me. I pressed my face against Tavian’s shoulder as the pressure became intense enough to steal my breath for several seconds, my muscles tightening before gradually relaxing around him.
Malek’s knot had stretched me more, but Tavian still left me achingly full once we were locked together.
He went completely still, the bright purr from earlier settling into something deeper and steadier while one hand moved slowly between my shoulder blades.
“Breathe for me.” Tavian murmured beside my ear, rubbing another slow path down my back while keeping his hips completely still.
“I am.” I answered Tavian, though the uneven breath against his shoulder weakened the argument considerably.
“More than that.” Tavian encouraged me quietly, his palm continuing over my back while he waited for the tension in my body to ease.
“You are very bossy for someone who spent the morning giving me rocks.” I muttered against Tavian’s shoulder, attempting a laugh that immediately proved to be a mistake when the movement shifted his knot and turned the sound into a startled gasp.
“You okay?” Tavian asked at once, every trace of teasing disappearing as his body went still beneath my arms.
“Yes.” I tightened my hold around Tavian and breathed through the sudden pressure until it settled again. “Apparently laughing was a bad decision.”
“That seems difficult for you.” Tavian murmured after he felt me relax, amusement returning carefully as his hand resumed its slow movement across my back.
“You are not helping.” I warned Tavian, although my own amusement ruined most of the threat.
“I can be quiet.” Tavian promised with exaggerated sincerity while his very loud purr continued rumbling against my chest. I lifted my head and stared at him, and Tavian managed an innocent face for about half a second before his mouth twitched. I decided not to risk laughing again.
Once my body relaxed more fully around his knot, Tavian shifted us carefully onto our sides without breaking the lock.
He moved far more slowly than he usually did anything, watching me through each adjustment until he was settled behind me with one arm curled around my waist and his chest warm along my back.
“What?” Tavian asked when he caught me glancing over my shoulder, his face half buried against my hair while his thumb moved lazily over my stomach.
“You’re cuddling.” I told Tavian as I glanced pointedly toward the arm wrapped securely around my middle, unable to keep the amusement from my voice.
“Yes.” Tavian answered without hesitation and tucked himself closer, his chest pressing against my back while his purr vibrated through both of us.
“You.” I emphasized to Tavian, turning my head enough to catch part of his face from the corner of my eye.
“Yes, Evie. Me.” Tavian murmured against my shoulder, his mouth twitching before he pressed a lazy kiss against my skin.
“The man who spent half the morning climbing things that did not need to be climbed.” I reminded Tavian as I settled more comfortably against his chest, resting my hand over the forearm curled around my waist.
“I can climb and cuddle.” Tavian informed me as he nuzzled against the back of my shoulder, sounding faintly offended that I would consider the two skills incompatible.
“That combination feels dangerous.” I told Tavian as I traced my thumb along the warm skin of his forearm.
“You’ll survive.” Tavian assured me, tightening his arm enough to pull me closer while satisfaction returned to his voice.
I smiled and relaxed into him. Tavian’s hand moved lazily over my stomach while every few minutes his mouth brushed the back of my shoulder or the side of my neck.
Beyond the sheltering root, the waterfall continued its steady rush, and cooler mist occasionally drifted through the ferns to touch skin still warm from him.
“You okay?” I asked Tavian after a while, reaching back until my fingers found his hair as I remembered the conversation that had brought us here.
“Yeah.” Tavian answered quietly against my shoulder, his fingers slowing over my stomach while he actually considered the question.
“Believe me now?” I asked Tavian as I gently worked my fingers through the hair near his temple, keeping the question light even though I meant it.
“More than I did an hour ago.” Tavian admitted, his voice softer as his arm tightened around me.
“I’ll take it.” I told Tavian, rubbing my thumb once over his hand before settling more fully against his chest.
“You really know how to make it difficult for a man to have a perfectly good insecurity.” Tavian muttered into my shoulder, the returning humor in his voice making me smile.
“I’m talented.” I told Tavian as I squeezed the hand resting against my stomach.