42. Riggs
RIGGS
When Riggs read Eddie’s note on the bottom of the jar, he had nearly thrown up.
Baby Making Soup—consume with caution.
Riggs' heart pounded like a racehorse as he led Esemeray to the canyon’s swimming well. He needed to get her far away from Killian—needed to fix his fuck-up.
Water always calmed him when he smoked too much. Perhaps it would calm her.
The way Esemeray was staring at him made it hard not to fall into a trap he knew he wouldn’t be able to get himself out of.
Part of the spell—a spell that already went into effect the moment she had kissed him.
He, too, was affected.
His gaze trailed down her legs, studying the smoothness of her skin. Gods help me, I want to strip her bare and kiss every inch of her body. He slapped his hands over his face. She’s under a spell.
Riggs inhaled in a deep breath through his nose. Esemeray was going to devour him whole, and he wasn’t strong enough to stop her, not when he wanted her just as bad.
Fuck.
They approached the swimming pool. “Here we are,” Riggs said, motioning to the waters. The night sky shone bright, glittering the waters like a million stars.
Esemeray admired the calm, quiet as she took it all in. “It’s breathtaking.” Her jaw went slack as she took in the sky. “Riggs…” She said his name as if her heart stopped from the allure alone.
“I know,” he admitted, glancing toward the best part of Starfall Canyon.
The celestial band sparkled, a trillion tiny lights clustered together in a river of stars. Space appeared close in the desert. Galaxies seemed within arm’s reach. If the sun never rose, Riggs could stare at the heavens forever.
His gaze fell on Esemeray, he grazed her chin with his thumb. “Let’s go swimming and play our star game.” He chuckled, spreading his arms wide and walking toward the shore. “I bet Dazzle can’t beat Twinkly tonight.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that…Last time I beat you.”
“Was that a challenge, princess?” Riggs teased, kicking his boots off, then his pants. He played with the buttons on his tunic and jerked his chin toward the water. “You coming?”
Esemeray froze to stare at him—at his cock. An approving smile spread across her face.
Riggs' lips curved into a grin as he removed his tunic. “You know, it’s rude to stare.”
Esemeray’s cheeks turned ruby, her gaze roaming up. She gasped, eyes wide. “Your chest…”
Fixing his gaze on his torn flesh, Riggs shrugged. “She hardly got me, I’m fine.” The salve he smeared on his wounds was already in effect. Numbing any pain that was present, and fighting any possible infection.
Esemeray continued to roam his body, her lips trembling with every step closer. He chuckled. He enjoyed watching her innocent act crumble. He extended his hand and arched a brow. “I promise the water feels amazing. It’s not cold like Razafalls.”
Riggs studied her delicate fingers as she traced the buttons, popping them one by one, careful about the way she slid the shirt off her body, as if she was daring him to grab her and have his way with her.
Riggs closed the space between them, taking in every detail of her as if it were the first time. His eyes skimmed over her nipples, tracing over the part of her he longed to taste again. He wanted her trembling, shattering beneath him, screaming his name like she had a couple nights ago.
He shook his thoughts away, reminding himself once more.
She’s under a spell.
Fuck.
It was an effort to keep his hands to himself as he motioned to the sparkling water. “After you.”
Esemeray shook her head, taking a tentative step back. “You first.”
“Hold on.” He lunged, scooping her into his arms and leapt into the waters.
Esemeray nearly blew his eardrum before the warm water engulfed them, surrounding them with silence.
He opened his eyes and his heart skipped.
Esemeray stared at him, bubbles floating from her lips.
Gods help him, she was alluring, her long hair flowing above her like a sea goddess.
Riggs grabbed her face and pressed his lips on hers.
So, this is what it feels like to kiss underwater.
They both emerged, inhaling oxygen. He wiped his eyes dry, smiling.
She playfully splashed him. “You could have warned me.”
“It’s not too bad.” He shot her a small smirk. “And I kind of did.”
She glared, moving her arms to keep her afloat. “Hold on is not a warning.”
He pouted. “Are you mad at me?”
She said with a shallow breath, “No.” Esemeray floated on her back, taking in the view. “How could I be mad in such a wonderful place?” She side-eyed him. “And with a man as handsome as yourself.”
“You think I’m handsome?” Riggs couldn’t help himself as he slid his arms around her, pulling her flush with his chest. There’s no star game happening. Not with her stare so fierce, not with her desire so wild, not with his cock throbbing for her.
Riggs leaned against the smooth rock, sitting on a shelf of the natural wall. He guided her legs to wrap around him, drawing her closer. Esemeray radiated, her cheeks illuminating. Riggs' voice lowered. “You are even more captivating at night.”
She twisted her lip. “How so?”
Riggs inhaled deeply, scanning her features, and traced her jawline.
“Just as a shooting star.” He hovered his mouth over her neck.
“A beauty so rare—” He pressed a soft kiss just below her ear.
“You can’t stop watching in fear that, even if you merely blink, it will be gone.
” Another gentle kiss, this time to the center of her throat.
“I never want to take my eyes off you.” He leaned back and met her watery gaze, then pressed a fragile kiss to her lips.
But it seemed as if she didn’t want to be fragile, not as her arms slid around his neck, her lips crashing into him like waves.
She ground her hips against him in a way that made his mind melt into lava.
Gripping the back of her hair, he slid his tongue in, flicking the roof of her mouth and savoring the taste of her.
“Fuck, Esemeray,” he whispered, moving his tongue with hers in tandem.
She was heat and moonlight and another second longer in the pool beneath the stars would test his control.
He wouldn’t be able to hold back. Not with the way she moaned.
Not with the sounds of her gasps between each kiss.
Not with the way she trembled against him.
He lost control as her slick folds brushed against his cock, thrusting against her core.
Fuck.
Pulling back, he searched her lustful eyes. “Esemeray?—”
She silenced him with another untamed kiss. She’s more than moonlight. She’s the whole fucking sky. I need to warn her about the soup. Needed to, but she was already moving.
Esemeray’s hand slid down his chest, sinking lower. Riggs trembled as her hand halted right on his cock. “Can I…” She paused, smirking. “Touch you?”
Riggs cracked a faint smile. “You already…” She wrapped her hand around him, gripping him, pumping him. “A-are,” he whimpered.
That damn soup.
He fought the words out, “Esemeray, we shouldn’t do this.”
She pulled in her lower lip, stroking him. “Shouldn’t do what?” She slid up again, grazing her thumb against his sensitive tip. “This?”
Riggs nodded, slamming his eyes shut.
He had never felt a woman’s touch like this before—not from a woman he cared about at least.
He twitched as she swirled her thumb around the top. He growled, “Esemeray, keep doing that and I swear…”
His pulse quickened as she smiled so savagely, so perfectly. Her face was glowing, and gods help him, he was going to come.
“Is this…” she rasped, her hands tightening around his shaft “What you do when no one is looking?”
“Fuck.” He blushed. “Yes, yes, I do.” He quivered as she fisted him in long, hard strokes, applying the perfect amount of pressure.
His heart rate increased, his muscles tightening in his core, and he couldn’t hold back, not as his cock pulsated, his seed spilling.
Heat crept along his neck, spreading across his face.
He hadn’t meant to come so fast.
She retracted her hand as Riggs stared down at the water, gathering his thoughts and breath before he looked at her. Overwhelmed with a mix of pleasure and shame, he tossed her a sideways grin. “Where did you learn to do that?”
She was the first girl to make him come with a hand.
Her breathing uneven, she shrugged. “I used my imagination.”
“All that reading paid off.” He chuckled, caressing her back and breathing in her scent. Riggs' voice was a low rasp, his body shuddering with restraint. “Let me take care of you, princess.” He knew she needed it. Spell or not. He couldn’t imagine what she was experiencing.
He’d give her a release.
Esemeray nodded, ever so slightly spreading her legs for him.
Slowly, he slid his hand up her thigh, never taking his eyes off hers.
He wanted to watch every facial expression, wanted to hear every breath escaping her sweet lips.
Her silky-smooth skin made him hard all over again.
Riggs didn’t miss her eyes dipping down or her lips curving.
She teased, “Already?”
Riggs bit his lip as his thumb rolled gently on her swollen bud. He slid down, savoring every feeling of her, every flinch closer. Riggs swallowed, wishing he could taste her instead. He glided his fingers further down, circling her tight entrance.
Esemeray closed her eyes and moaned so softly, so beautifully, a sound he longed to hear again.
“Riggs, I want you,” she panted, trembling against him.
His mouth went dry with her words.
Not here.
Not with Killian hidden in the shadows nearby.
Not with her under Eddie’s spell.
He circled longer, deeper strokes, sliding his fingers up and down her creases. He inched inside her, giving her what she asked for. Seeing her lips pull back and her eyes watering, he withdrew his finger. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
He brushed the side of his hand along where he knew felt good, resting his forehead against hers. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.” She swallowed hard. “You aren’t.”