Chapter 9 #2
The rustling of the sheets made my heart race faster. I thought he was going to tuck me in and leave—even though a traitorous voice in the back of my mind wished for him to stay longer. But then the bed did dip behind me with his full weight.
He wasn’t leaving. He was getting into bed with me.
Eyes widening, my mind whirled with every reservation in the world. Alarm bells rang in my ears.
It would be absolute madness if I let him sleep with me tonight.
He was the Wicked King. Even if I had known him once, I barely knew him anymore.
I was technically his prisoner. If I fell completely under his spell, there was no telling if I would be able to return to myself ever again.
Given my already weakened convictions, the probability of losing myself in him was terrifyingly high.
I couldn’t let him take over what little I had left. This was a line we couldn’t cross.
Couldn’t? Shouldn’t?
I clenched my jaw in determination. No. It was absolutely not a good idea for us to sleep together tonight—not ever. “I…I don’t think—”
“Mmm…” Looping his arm around my waist, he tugged me back against him, his firm body cradling my entire length.
I gasped again when the curve of my rear pressed against him—against that unmistakable indication of his need. My heart pounded loudly in my ears. I tried to rationalize. Maybe he was just tired too? Maybe he simply couldn’t be bothered going back to his quarters?
Then suddenly, it hit me.
Was the king lonely?
Despite his grandiose claims of courtiers frequenting his bed, or his many conquests these past months, perhaps none of them could provide the intimacy he still craved. I could even imagine that, given his reputation, possibly half of these companions would have been scared to death of him.
He had been living here in this dark castle in isolation for months.
All alone.
I was slowly processing this stark realization, comforted somewhat by the notion that perhaps he merely wanted to embrace me. But then his hand caressed down my hip.
I jerked in a startle, unable to help the breathiness in my voice. “Wait, I think—”
“Allie…” The whisper against my ear was deliciously sinful. “I only mean to touch you.”
His fingers moved to trace along my thigh, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.
Oh god. I squeezed my eyes shut as torturous heat pooled in my core.
I let out a shaky breath. My logic warred with the intensity of the sensations already overwhelming my body. I could sense the truth in his words. There was no denying I missed his touch. He wasn’t going to hurt me. Despite every good sense in my head, I knew that much. If it were only this…
“Yes?” he rumbled.
Eyelids heavy, I melted against his chest.
Oh dear god, yes.
His chuckle was warm against my neck, lips nuzzling beneath my ear. His hand stroked up, slipping beneath the hem of my shift to caress bare skin. “So soft,” he murmured. “Always so soft…”
“Rabb…” His name slipping past my lips triggered a shiver in his own body.
The fabric of my shift felt like nothing against the heat of his hand holding my torso still as his other hand slipped between my legs. Continuous mumbling in my ear in that deep, velvety voice had me aching. “So hot.”
Another gasp escaped my lips as his fingers pressed into me.
Oh god…
Another deep chuckle rumbled in his chest, sending thrills up and down my body. Teeth scraped the skin at the side of my throat. “So perfect…”
He cupped my breast with his other hand as his fingers expertly plunged deep inside me. Every confident, possessive stroke was searing fire. I was utterly and completely consumed. That coil of pleasure wound tight in my belly. I wasn’t going to last long at all.
“Has anyone else touched you since me?” he rasped against my neck.
I couldn’t answer.
There was no way he couldn’t guess the answer.
I could only gasp against his touch as his fingers moved rougher, faster.
Of course not.
Of course nobody else had touched me since him.
Even when I touched myself in the past eight months, all I could ever think about was him.
I was already teetering on the edge of a dangerous precipice. In complete surrender. I shouldn’t let him do this. But at the same time, he was the only man I ever wanted to let do this.
“Allie…” He nipped lightly on my ear—and I was gone.
I stifled a loud, broken moan upon reaching my pinnacle.
Oh—my ever-loving god.
Bursting waves of sudden, intense, electric pleasure radiated through every inch of my body.
I sucked heavy, deep breaths in and out through my release. And it kept rolling and rolling—god, how long was it going to go on? I struggled to blink out the spots in my eyes. I seriously needed to catch my breath.
There was yet another chuckle from deep in his chest, rumbling against me. Then just as suddenly, cold air washed across my back as he got up, got off the bed, took across the room, and left, closing the door shut with not even a single word.
My panting was the only thing that broke the silence that remained in the room.
Goddammit, Rabb.
Turning, I pressed my face against the pillow to muffle my frustrated scream.
For once, I didn’t stay awake all night pondering possibilities, escape attempts, theories, and circular thoughts about the past, the present, or anything else.
Exhausted, physically sated, I fell asleep in an instant.