Chapter 38
Lor
“That’s the most unbelievable thing I’ve ever read,” I said, looking down at the current chapter of the book Aoife was reading to me.
I had to admit, it had been entertaining thus far. Or maybe it wasn’t the story that was entertaining so much as watching my wife read the story to me, adopting different voices for each of the characters.
She arched a thick black brow. “What’s so unbelievable about it?”
I cleared my throat and licked my thumb before flipping the pages of the chapter, making a show of it because I loved the way it made Aoife’s face light up as she watched. “There.” I pointed to the situation in question.
She read the line and snorted. “What’s so unbelievable about that?”
“You’re telling me this man leaned against a doorway, and that was all it took to make her swoon?”
Aoife gave me a look as if to say, “Yes, and?”
I waved a hand. “That’s nonsense. I understand this werewolf is charming and handsome—”
“Extremely handsome,” she cut in.
“But,” I continued, “this is bordering on ridiculous. It’s not real. It’s entertaining, sure, but it’s sensationalized.”
“I think you’re just intimidated by this werewolf.”
“Intimidated?”
Her eyes flashed with a challenge. “It must be hard knowing there’s men out there who can simply lean on a doorway with their arm flexed and make a woman lose all her senses. Make her go feral for him.” She gave an innocent shrug. “You could never.”
Was she . . . flirting with me? Aoife liked to irk me, argue with me, and lately, talk to me, but flirt with me? This was new entirely. And I fucking loved it. It was also clearly an invitation, one I would gladly accept.
I gestured toward a door behind me. “Should we give it a try, then?”
Aoife smiled broadly like I’d just walked into a trap, and stood.
I took that as a yes, standing as well and striding toward the door. I opened it, revealing a small, dark closet.
Aoife joined me, peering up at me and waiting for my next move.
I thought about the ridiculous scene we’d just read. It had been a long time since I’d flirted with a woman, wooed a woman, but I was more than up to the challenge.
I stepped forward, just like the werewolf had in the book, and Aoife took a step backward, her back pressing against the frame of the door.
She was still smiling, still had that challenge flashing in her eyes as I lifted my arm and braced it over her head.
Her smile faltered, and I didn’t miss the sharp inhale of breath she took as I caged her with my body, tipping my head down as she gazed up at me.
All the challenge had left her eyes, which widened, her perfect plump lips opened in surprise as she gaped at me.
“You know,” I said, “I think I might’ve been wrong. This seems to be very effective, after all.”
She snapped out of her daze, reaching out a hand to push me away, but her palm met my hard chest, and I didn’t budge, too intoxicated by this moment, by her, to move.
“What happens next?” I asked, voice low and rough.
“What?” Aoife blinked.
“In the book? After the werewolf cages her, makes her swoon, what happens?”
“I—well—” She stumbled over her words, and I had to hold back my smile.
This might have been the first time I’d ever seen the warrior queen flustered.
“He kisses her,” she said finally.
“Really?” I said, feigning surprise. I’d read ahead and knew exactly what had happened. “So was it more like this?” I pressed a gentle kiss against Aoife’s lips, quick, chaste, and then I pulled away.
She scowled at me but didn’t move from her position.
“Mm, no, then? I guess I’ll have to try again.”
I cupped Aoife’s jaw, and her breath hitched as I wound my other hand around the back of her neck and tugged her mouth up toward mine.
This time, I was not gentle. Nor was I chaste.
I kissed her hard, kissed her until her body melted right against mine.
I kissed her like a man starved, and that wasn’t far from the truth.
I’d been starved of her for over two years, hadn’t even realized how badly I wanted this until far too late.
I prodded her mouth open with mine, and she whimpered as my tongue slipped inside.
Her hands skimmed up my chest and wound around my neck, our tongues tangling and driving me wild with need.
I pushed her up against the frame while devouring her with my mouth.
I wanted my mouth everywhere on her body.
I wanted to strip her down right here, to fuck her until we were both so tired neither of us could argue about anything.
But it wasn’t the right time. I needed to go slow with Aoife. That would be the only way to ensure she didn’t pull back from me, that she didn’t run from this—whatever this was. I could be a patient man. I could wait for Aoife to realize her own feelings before I admitted mine.
I pulled away, my wife breathless and dazed, her mouth chasing mine. Her fingers floated up to touch her lips, which were red and swollen.
“Was it more like that?” I asked, struggling to force my face into a neutral expression.
She blinked and cleared her throat, hand dropping back to her side. “Yes, something like that.”
“Noted,” I said. “Well, I think that’s enough tutoring for one day. I’ll see you later tonight?”
She nodded, speechless for maybe the first time since I’d met her, and I walked out of the library, a smile on my face.