Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Owain was talking to Chrys in the parlor when a knock sounded at the door.
The previous evening, after the meeting with the Edamish lords, Chrys took Owain sparring to take his mind off Orla and the tasks he had to complete.
When that inevitably didn’t work, the two went riding through the palace grounds before returning to Owain’s rooms and making their way through several bottles of whiskey.
Yet he still felt on edge. The timing of the assassination of King Mikki had been decided, and now he needed to make sure he could protect Orla from the fallout of what he had to do.
He opened the door and relief flooded over him. There she was, dressed in her riding dress and pants, smiling up at him like he hung the moon.
In an instant, he had her wrapped in his arms, bringing her into a deep fervent kiss. He felt her smile against his mouth.
“That’s one hell of a hello,” she said, breaking their kiss.
“I missed you,” he replied.
A cough from the other side of the parlor sounded, and Orla startled after realizing they weren’t alone.
“Get out.” Even though Owain didn’t take his eyes off her, Orla didn’t move. She knew he wasn’t talking to her.
Rolling his eyes, Chrys heaved a sigh. “We have a meeting with the king in an hour.”
“Out,” Owain repeated loudly.
When Chrys left the room, he continued their kiss, pulling Orla’s body flush with his. She broke their kiss to look him in the eyes.
“Somethings wrong.” Her gaze searched his as if she could see through whatever he was holding back.
“Nothing’s wrong,” he lied. Truthfully, there were a lot of things wrong. Him trying to keep her safe from his plans for one, the coup that he was growing increasingly disquieted by, and the full truth of his role in Fontina were all weighing on him.
“Then there is something you’re not saying.”
Hells, he loved her directness, the way she said what was on her mind without hesitation or preamble. Though, he knew he couldn’t offer her that same courtesy in return. At least not yet.
“I just—” He pulled away, running his hands through his hair.
He could give her this truth. He wanted to tell her everything, but everything would have to wait.
This, he could at least share. “I thought after our night together that you were no longer interested in me. That you spent the night in the city to avoid me.”
He had never been an insecure male. At least not when it came to lovers, but something about Orla made him feel vulnerable.
A small unacknowledged part of him knew how much she was growing to mean to him, and that scared him.
Especially since he wasn’t sharing so many truths with her.
Truths that could end this as quickly as it began.
“You made me come four times and didn’t even take your own pleasure.
I’d have to be a fool not to be interested in more of that,” she teased.
He smiled at that, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“And it’s not just about the sex, Owain.
Though I would like to do that with you too.
I like you very much, and I am very much interested in you. ”
He sighed in relief, crushing her to his chest once more. “Let me take care of you, Orla. Let me worship you.”
How could anyone say no to that?
Worship looked like Owain taking Orla into the washroom and drawing her a warm bath.
In the time she was gone, he had gathered a few of her favorite herbs from her room and now sprinkled them into the tub.
Slowly, he helped her undress. He was obsessed with her body and couldn’t help worshiping her mouth, her neck, her breasts, before she stepped into the bathtub.
He sat on a stool next to the tub where he grabbed a washcloth and gently washed her body from head to toe, massaging her arms and legs as he went.
When he finished cleaning her, he moved the stool, so he was positioned behind the tub, where he began massaging her shoulders and gently nipping at her ears. She moaned in response.
“Gods, that feels good,” she sighed, relaxing further into his touch.
“I can think of other things to do to you that would feel good, goddess.”
She chuckled at the innuendo. “We have to meet the king. I don’t want to face King Mikki’s wrath if we’re late.”
“Hmm, I’d rather take my time with you. But I can be quick too.” He said it as he trailed his hands from his shoulders to massage her breasts. She arched into his touch, nipples hardening under his ministrations.
“Let me touch you, Orla.”
“Hmm. Yes, touch me.”
He reached down, stroking his fingers over her entrance.
“So wet and ready for me,” he murmured more to himself than to her. Just as he had before he touched and teased her clit, building her up towards a delicious release.
“You denied me the pleasure of worshiping this perfect body last night,” he said, nipping her ear. She moaned as he increased the pressure on her clit.
“How would you worship me?” Her voice came out breathy. Owain loved how he affected her.
She was getting closer; he could feel it building as he slipped a finger inside her.
Sweet abyss, she was perfect.
“Keep you coming until you can’t take it anymore.”
“Is that worship?” She chuckled.
He grinned as he kissed her neck. “It could be, my goddess, four orgasms had you sobbing. What do you think you’d do if I kept going?
’ His voice was deep and low from imagining it.
“If I didn’t stop until you were so wrung out that you couldn’t tell the difference between pain and pleasure?
Until you were so desperate that you wanted to beg me to stop, but in your heart, you knew you’d do anything for me to keep going.
” Owain felt her pulse speed up in response to his words.
He slipped another finger inside her, pumping in and out as he circled her clit faster.
Orla clenched around his fingers as she came, crying out his name.
The bath suddenly filled with wildflowers, conjured from her magic.
Rising from the stool, he stood over her, eyes raking over her wet, naked body.
She reached her hand up to stroke his clothed erection.
As she stroked him, Owain released a groan, tipping his head back, slowly thrusting into her hand, momentarily losing himself in the pleasure of her touch.
When Orla started to unbutton his trousers he took a step back.
Hells, he wanted her. But he couldn’t have her. Not yet.
“You will take me soon enough, I’m sure. But we don’t want to be late for our meeting with the king.” He winked as he helped her out of the bath.