Chapter 12
Ara
The door wasn’t even closedbefore we started tearing at each other’s clothes. I gripped Ryvin tightly, digging my fingers into his strong arms while I desperately clung to him. His kiss was hot and fiery and everything I needed.
We were moving, my legs wrapping around his waist as I refused to take my mouth from his. He held me tight, his hands sprawled on my back, supporting me as he carried me toward the bed.
His trousers were undone, but still around his hips. I pushed them down, then pulled him on top of me. Words weren’t needed; this was pure desperation. I knew if we spoke, we’d have to address the possibility that this was goodbye. I pushed the thought from my mind and focused on the feel of Ryvin’s skin under my fingertips, the taste of his kiss, the feel of the stubble rubbing on my cheeks, the ache of my swollen lips, the growing need low in my belly… So many sensations, so many distractions.
He nuzzled into my neck, kissing down to my shoulder, then up again until his nose was against my ear. His mouth returned to mine and this time, our kiss was heartbreakingly gentle.
It was the type of kiss I could never share with anyone but him. I could feel everything between us in that kiss. The obsession, passion, and adoration I knew he carried with him since the day he met me. My tongue darted into his mouth and he massaged it with his own. The kiss deepened, growing so intense I had to break away.
Staring at him with wide eyes, I reached for his face, pressing my palm against his cheek. “This isn’t goodbye.”
He kissed my forehead and when he looked at me again, I could see the pain in the depth of his swirling gray eyes.
“Don’t do that,” I warned.
“I don’t want you to go,” he confessed.
“You don’t get to make that choice,” I replied.
“I know,” he said.
“You know I have to do this.” I reached for his other cheek with my free hand, holding his face between my palms. He was stunningly handsome. His face was carved for me in my dreams, I was certain of it.
He dipped his head, resting his forehead on mine. “I love you, Asteri.”
My throat was tight, making the words difficult to say without crying, but I managed to get them out, my heart nearly shattering as I said them, “I love you, too.”
All I wanted was the time to love him and be loved by him, but the gods themselves were working against us.
He sat on his knees, then stared down at me, his brow furrowed. I propped myself up on my elbows. “What is it?”
“I want you to know something.”
My pulse raced and my mouth went dry. I couldn’t speak, so I waited.
“I once told you that Athos meant nothing to me. That I didn’t care what happened to the humans who lived there—let me finish—” He forced a smile, and I closed my mouth. “But it matters to you. Which means, it matters to me.”
I smiled and sat up more and reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“That means that if something happens to you, I will not abandon Athos. I will fight for your sisters, and your home, as if it were my own.”
I didn’t think it was possible to love him any more than I already did, but my heart felt like it was going to explode. Tears rolled down my face and I threw my arms around him. He caught me, pulling me into an impossibly tight embrace.
He eased up, then wiped the tears from my cheeks. “So you go and you focus on staying alive. I promise you; I will do everything in my power to save your home. You don’t spend even a single second worrying about us here, you got that?”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
He kissed me softly, his thumbs brushing against my cheekbones as he moved his hands behind my head. We held each other, living in the moment of the sweetest kiss.
Gently, he guided me to my back. His hand slid between my breasts, skimming my stomach until it reached lower. I parted for him and he adjusted so he could dip between my thighs. I gasped as his fingers began to tease.
The fear of what morning brought faded until all I could think about was the way I felt under his expert touch.
He moved in slow circles, making heat build in my lower belly until I was lifting my hips in encouragement. I needed more. His lips grazed over my hip bones, then he kissed my stomach while continuing the slow progress. Everything felt so good, but it was so slow and steady, I started to whine, “More.”
He hummed along my lower stomach, the vibrations making my breath hitch. “Was that begging I heard? It’s been a while since I had you begging me.”
“I’m not begging,” I told him. “I’m demanding.”
He laughed and I leaned up and reached for him. He adjusted and our lips crashed together. I pulled him on top of me, his hips settling between my thighs. I needed him as close to me as possible. I needed to feel all of him, taste all of him, breathe him in until I wasn’t sure where he started and I began.
Our tongues clashed and his hands were in my hair, then sliding down my neck to my breasts. His palms were rough, but I arched to meet him, encouraging more. His lips moved to my chin, then my jaw, then my neck. I moaned as I leaned my head back, reveling in every sensation.
I could feel his hardness at my entrance, sliding and teasing. My hips rose and fell, impatient for him to be inside me. When his mouth found my nipples, I gasped. His tongue flicked and swirled while his hands caressed and squeezed. Moving from one breast to the other, he increased his cadence. I ran my hands along his back and when I reached his hips, I pulled him closer as I wrapped my legs around his waist.
He took the invitation and thrust into me in one quick moment without slowing the sensations with his mouth. I cried out, arching my back in response to the sudden increase in pleasure.
I kissed every part of skin I could reach, pressing my mouth to his shoulders before drawing his head back to me, recapturing his lips. He moved slowly inside me, the sensations intense and euphoric. I knew I’d never get enough of him.
His kiss was intense and claiming; there was a desperation there that I’d not felt before. I returned it ferociously, using my body to reassure him. He responded, meeting me with the same force as he increased the speed of his thrusts. I gasped for breath, and my hips moved in time with him, struggling for air as pleasure built in a crescendo. I had to pull away, my head tilting back, eyes closed as I moaned. Gripping the sheets, I gave in, letting the ecstasy wash over me as I climaxed.
Catching my breath, I opened my eyes, then cupped Ryvin’s cheek. He’d stopped moving and was looking down at me with a pleased smile on his lips. “You’re so fucking beautiful when you come undone.”
If my cheeks weren’t already so hot, I might feel a flush creep in. “Your turn.”
He laughed. “I’m not done with you yet.” He wrapped his arms around me, lifting me as he sat up, taking me with him. My legs were around his hips and I was sitting on his lap with him still inside me. I inhaled sharply, my eyes widening at the sensation of the new position. He smirked.
He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me so close our chests were pressed together. Moving so my knees were on the bed, I began to ride him and this time, I got to watch as his eyes widened. He moaned, his eyes closing as I increased speed.
After a few moments, he wove his fingers into my hair and pulled my head to him. Our lips collided and we devoured each other. His hands moved over my skin, caressing and kneading my breasts, moving down to grasp my ass, ghosting over my back. His touch left a trail of tingles wherever he went, making all the sensations even more intense.
I dug my fingers into his back as I held on, struggling to stay focused on my movements while all the sensations collided. I was quickly reaching my limit, desperate to continue until I could give Ryvin a release of his own.
His breathing was rapid, and I could sense that he was just as close as I was. I broke from our kiss, moving my mouth to his neck. I licked and sucked and brushed my lips against his skin, tasting the salt of his sweat. He leaned his head back and his hands stilled, sprawled out on my lower back for a moment before he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me even closer. The sensation of losing myself in his embrace pushed me over the edge. My back arched and I let out a series of cries as release coursed through me, emptying my mind of all but pleasure as oblivion overtook me. Ryvin’s fingers dug into my back and he groaned, finding his own release.
I leaned my head on his chest, breathing him in as I caught my breath. He leaned down, his cheek against the top of my head. We stayed that way for a long while, so close that we were almost one person.
Then, he turned with me still in his arms, until my back was on the bed. He glistened with sweat, but he had a relaxed, calm smile on his lips. “I’m not finished yet.”
I lifted a brow in silent challenge before grabbing him and pulling him to me. After a few more rounds, I fell asleep wrapped in his arms. I dreamed that I was walking through fields of wildflowers on a cliffside overlooking the sea. It was the first time in a long time that I slept soundly and dreamed of something beautiful.