Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
ARKEN
Islowly woke to the warmth of late-morning sun, a delicious ache beneath my skin, and a shadow darkening the doorway—Kieran’s shirtless, toned frame, leaning casually, a cup of tea in hand.
His pants hung dangerously low on his hips, still unbuttoned, as if he’d paused abruptly in the middle of getting dressed. He must’ve, because the man was most assuredly naked the last time I’d seen him. Gloriously so.
“Gods,” I groaned, the intended dramatic effect lessened by my yawning not even halfway through the thought. “How long have you been standing there, you wraith?”
A sly smirk crept up one side of Kieran’s face. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I glared at him from across the room, resisting the urge to chuck one of his own pillows at his stupidly smug face.
“How. Long?” I demanded, my sleep-addled eyes narrowing.
His expression softened, just a touch. “Long enough to know you were smiling in your sleep.”
I flushed.
“Did you have sweet dreams, then, gorgeous?” Kieran crooned over a sip of his tea, still steaming hot.
I bit my lip, glancing away. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?” Kieran questioned, arching a brow as he took several languid strides toward me now, a hunter on the prowl.
“Perhaps.”
The distance between us continued to shrink.
A low chuckle, dark and rasping, slipped past gleaming white teeth. Too sharp, too tantalizing, and quickly becoming far too familiar.
“Perhaps, she says…” Kieran mused, setting his teacup down on the bedside table. I felt my fingers twitch, and if I had the willpower to tear my eyes away from the man who stood before me, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them glowing again. “Hmmm. You wanna try that again, Little Conduit?”
He was hovering now, towering over where I was lazily lounging in his bed, tangled in his sheets and his scent. He bent himself over at the waist, keeping his mouth mere inches from mine, but still too far above me—intentionally keeping just out of reach. The bastard.
All hopes of my stubborn rebellion were quashed by the idiotic stupor that seemed to take hold of me whenever Kieran Vistarii entered my orbit, his proximity leaving my clever tongue thickened and thirsty. He had an unfair advantage here, and he knew it. I sighed but smiled, despite myself.
“Yes, I had sweet dreams,” I murmured, gazing up at him in earnest, craving the reward I knew an honest answer would earn me.
“Thank you,” Kieran said before dipping down for a single, chaste kiss. He kept it far too brief for my liking, though, and it was an effort not to whine as he pulled away. “You’ll have to tell me all about them on our way out.”
“Out?” I wasn’t aware we had any plans today. He was still off duty, and I didn’t have any lectures, so I had presumed we’d spend the day similar to…Well. The rather enthusiastic activities that left me sated and sore, and apparently, smiling in my sleep.
“Out,” Kieran repeated, giving nothing away as he took a step back. Again, moving himself just out of my reach.
Still, my hungry eyes lingered as he began to get dressed, fumbling with his belt.
“Don’t do that,” he warned, his voice dropping even lower than before—which was hardly discouraging for my tendencies toward bad behavior.
Fucking Hel, I love that rasp.
“Don’t do what, exactly?” I asked innocently, letting my eyes continue to roam down his belly, drifting from the wisps of black hair beneath his navel, lower and lower still.
“Stop staring at my cock, you insatiable creature,” Kieran groaned. “It’s been four days since you last saw the sun, and I’m pretty sure you photosynthesize like a houseplant or some shit, so yes. We’re going out. You need some fresh air.”
Like a houseplant?
“Fine,” I grumbled, stretching out like a contented cat before pushing myself up and leaning back against the headboard. “But I’m not gonna stop staring at your cock. You’re the one who wanted to know what I was dreaming about, Captain.”
Kieran’s smile was wicked, as per usual. “Oh, I know.”
Smug bastard. My touch-starved fingers found lesser purchase on the pillow I’d been clutching against my chest, and shortly thereafter, it made a soft thump upon impact with his stupid, perfect face.
“Did you really just throw a pillow at me, Arken?”
“Maybe.”
“Somebody’s got a new favorite word this morning,” he laughed, tossing the pillow back at my chest.
I bit my tongue, all too tempted to say it again.
“Don’t even start,” Kieran said. “If you want me to fuck you anytime soon, stop giving me maybes and get your pretty ass out of my bed.”
I tried not to salivate as his voice took on a more authoritative tone, the same one he used when we trained together.
“We’ve got some ground to cover, and breakfast to fetch along the way,” Kier continued. “But don’t you fret…I fully intend to have my way with you once we reach our destination.”
“Alternatively,” I crooned. “You could just fuck me right here and now.”
Kieran shook his head. “I could have sworn you once told me that variety was the spice of life,” he mused philosophically, tapping his chin before waltzing back to lean against the door frame again.
“And I could have sworn you said that you’d never get tired of being inside me,” I simpered. “Just last night, even.”
“And who the fuck said I’m getting tired of it?” Kieran snarled, lips curling back just enough to expose the gleaming tips of those feral little godling fangs.
I really needed to stop fixating on those.
Kieran’s eyes darkened, awaiting my response. I simply smirked, shrugged, and proceeded to feign an excessively dramatic yawn, reaching my arms high above my head in a stretch.
Which, of course, subsequently allowed the thin sheet that had been covering my breasts to simply…slip away.