37. Chapter 37 #2
The shift in momentum caused me to stumble forward, losing my grip on his waist right when his hands found mine and twirled me onto my feet, forcing my back to hit the wall.
Peiro towered over me, standing firm, and wedged his knee between my legs to lock me in.
Gently he gripped my wrists in one of his hands and pinned them above my head, the little slice of pain igniting the beginnings of desire.
His eyes danced devilishly as his lips found mine; his free hand skirted up my side before kneading the swell of my breast. Instinct drove me to push against his leg to relieve the growing tension in my core.
“You did that on purpose.” I smiled against the fullness of his mouth. “You didn’t need help at all.”
Peiro’s teeth caught my bottom lip and nibbled before releasing it. “Can’t fault a man for trying.” He wound my hair around his fingers and pulled, forcing my head to tilt back. Slowly he grated his teeth up the column of my throat and against my beating pulse before sucking the skin deeply.
“Bath,” I breathed. Giants, I didn’t want this to end, but he needed to slow down. We didn’t know the extent of what had happened, and I didn’t want to push for anything until we knew he was fully well.
“I thought I could wait”—he lapped and pulled against my skin—“but you, my dear, are the drink to quench my thirst.”
Molten heat bloomed between my legs. I wiggled my wrists out of his loose hold and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him in closer.
Peiro’s hands roamed my backside and tugged me harder against his leg, pleading for closeness.
The days of torture from not knowing the state of his health pulled at me as if I were losing a piece of myself.
My fingers traveled to his chest and moved over the smooth patch of skin and hair.
Feeling his racing heart beneath my fingertips only ignited more of my need.
Seemingly reading my mind, Peiro scooped me into a tight embrace, caging me into his hold.
If it were anyone else, I would kick and scream to be let go, but here?
I melted into his arms as his lips crashed into mine again.
Searching. Begging. The evidence of his own desire prodded the soft part of my belly.
My fingers worked their way to his waistband, ready to free him and to fulfill every aching thought that raced through my mind.
He swayed softly, but it was enough for logic to spearhead into my chest and focus on the fact that he needed time to recover.
“Wait,” I panted against his lips. Peiro stilled, hearing the underlying command, and immediately stopped a hair’s breadth from my lips.
“Please tell me you are asking me to wait in order to kick off your boots so I can rip away your trousers and feast. I haven’t had a meal in days…
” He paused, dipping his fingers into the waistband of my pants to find my wet slit, finding me ready for him.
He coated his fingers in my arousal before pulling away.
His eyes were almost black as he looked into mine and sucked his fingers slowly. “And I am ravenous.”
I watched his throat work as he licked his fingers clean. My voice strained while my stupid brain and my stupid heart worked against one another. “We don’t know the state of your injuries,” I finally huffed. “Please, let me take care of you first. It’s the least I can do.”
His eyes were back to their swirls of brown as they narrowed, his brows now at a point. “The least you can do?”
“Please.” I stopped him before he could say anything else. “Just—please.” An array of emotions moved across his face as understanding took place. Gently he released his hold on me and took a hesitant step back with a look that indicated this moment was far from over.
After a bit of convincing, I had him sitting as comfortably as he could, resting his head against a soft towel on the stone edge of the basin.
I was hyperaware of every wince and twitch as he undressed and climbed into the large tub.
I quickly grabbed soap and a fresh cloth to wash away the days past. Citrus hit my senses, mixing with his own scent, ensnaring me on the spot.
Silently I washed his hair and listened to the soft trickle of the water rinsing away the suds.
My eyes stayed heavy on the spot at his chest where a large hole had once been, unmarred like nothing had ever happened. The dusting of hair and the linework of ink had reappeared, just as it had been before.
“How do you feel?” I let my fingers run through his wet strands, gently untangling the knots. Peiro’s eyes closed each time I pulled, a deep groan escaping his throat. And each time I smiled just a little more.
“Hmm,” he began. I sat there in silence as he worked to find the words.
“In a way I cannot begin to explain, this feels different than…before.” In the past, he would wake up within moments, with his eyes returning to their ethereal silvers just a few short days later.
The times where my power had taken a strong hold of the thing inside him and drove it back into a dark corner somewhere within him would earn him a few days of peace.
This time, it had taken much longer for him to awake. Time would only tell if his eyes would revert back soon or if that had changed, too.
“Do you remember what I said the very first time I felt your power? In Zonnagberg?”
I thought back to that day, when caressing my Wielding felt so out of control, knowing that I could hurt him by simply touching my power.
“Ha.” I laughed sarcastically. “Seems like I have a habit of bringing you pain.” The words escaped my lips and drove the knife into my heart.
Peiro shook his head. “I told you I felt alive. And this feels just like it, except…more.”
More? How did he not understand that it was my own hands that threatened him? Were we too lost in this to see what it was?
“Fyom and Paige are close,” I began, striving to change the subject. “He told me when he came to check on you earlier. He won’t admit it, but I think Paige has hurt his ego by how smoothly she’s been able to translate the runes.” I laughed a little.
He lightly laughed as he said, “Good. He needs to be taken down a notch every once in a while. Keeps him young. Have they found out what the runes say?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered. “I wanted to make sure you were okay before I left.”
Peiro smiled at that and beckoned for my hand in his, his lips caressing my knuckles. “I am more than okay, moonlight.” His eyes fluttered closed, seemingly taking in the warm water to soak his muscles. I Wielded it to grow warm again, hoping to soothe away any aches and pains.
“Can I get you anything before I step away?” I asked, rising from my knees and fumbling over a loose string of my tunic.
“Why on earth would you step away?” Peiro opened his eyes, his smile turning saccharine. “Come here,” he commanded lightly. “Bathe with me.”
I looked at him, bewildered. “You need re—”
“Come here.” His eyes became dark again. His finger motioned me toward the large basin.
“I don’t want to hurt—”
“Off,” he said, pointing to my clothes. Heat flared at the command, the butterflies colliding within my stomach.
Without looking away, I fumbled for the hem of my tunic and slowly pulled it over my head, exposing my soft skin beneath.
Peiro’s lips parted as his gaze roamed my body before settling on the fabric at my chest. My breathing quickened as I undid the band across my heavy breasts, freeing them before looping my thumbs under the waistband of my trousers and pulling them to the floor.
“Good girl.” A hoarse whisper escaped Peiro’s throat. “Now come here.” I walked over to the tub, submerging myself in the warm water, pulling my legs in close. “No,” Peiro said. “Here.” He leaned forward and flexed his finger again with the command, ordering me to come closer.
I moved. The fire ignited within me as I shifted over his body and felt his growing arousal. His brown eyes danced in the candlelight with something akin to devotion as I shifted from my knees and straddled his lap, his length at my entrance.
“Like this?” I whispered, my lips a hair from his own.
“Just like this,” he whispered back.
Without breaking our stares, I lowered myself slowly and felt each inch of him fill me.
A gasp escaped my mouth and my cheeks grew warm as my heartbeat fluttered beyond control.
My breath collided with his as my body took a moment to adjust to the fullness.
I gripped the sides of the basin to hold myself steady, my knees digging sharply against the stone.
“Closer.” Peiro gripped the sides of my waist, urging me to move.
His eyes had grown nearly black, all attention on me.
My hands wrapped around the back of his neck as he leaned deeper into the tub, changing our angle, forcing another gasp to escape my throat.
My hips rocked in slow, undulating movements as my skin flushed with wanting. His gaze continued to pour into mine.
Peiro’s hips bucked upward, burying in deeper.
My lips found his, his tongue greeting me sweetly at first before turning desperate.
I didn’t know how it would be possible, but suddenly I needed to be closer.
To know this was real. To know that he was here.
Our lips pressed against each other harder the more my hips rocked.
I was half aware of the water spilling out of the tub, but I couldn’t be bothered.
Peiro’s fingers danced with my bundle of nerves, coaxing my burning flame to grow hotter.
The steady rhythm radiated through me, allowing me to move freely with the tempo he created.
My breath caught as I felt my internal heat climb, reaching for the stars.
He grasped my breast, guiding my nipple to his mouth and rolling his tongue over the sensitive flesh.
His teeth teased it with a pleasurable pain that coaxed me higher.