Chapter 52 #3
A warmth spread through her as she watched him lift his cup, long fingers curling around it, the subtle flex of muscle beneath his skin.
His lips parted as he took a sip, and her gaze lingered on the slow movement of his throat as he swallowed.
The sight sent a ripple through her, coiling low in her belly.
A memory slipped in, unbidden—a quiet thrill at the remembrance of his hands on her skin, his lips against hers, the way his pelvis had fitted perfectly around her backside. She could almost feel it, a touch that sent her senses stirring to life.
As if sensing her thoughts, he turned toward her, gaze locking onto hers. His pupils darkened, wide and fixed on her with an intensity mirroring her own—as if he, too, felt the magnetic pull between them.
“Reiya,” he whispered, her name a soft tremor drawing her attention to his lips.
Flushed, she felt the sudden need to explain. “It’s . . . the Heat. It’s getting closer.”
Suddenly, the air thickened, fragrant with the heady scent of sun-warmed cedar weaving through her senses until she could taste them on her tongue. Heat bloomed across her cheeks, skin prickling as warmth gathered at the nape of her neck.
Her chest tightened, breaths shallow as an ache stirred deep within her belly, a hollow need growing sharper with every second.
Realization flickered in his eyes, and her heart began to race. The warmth that had begun as a low thrum now spread in waves. Her fingers trembled as familiar sensations crowded in, each one heightening her desires.
The world tilted as Kaelen effortlessly lifted her and flipped their position, seating her on his armchair. Her pulse drummed in her ears, fast and unsteady.
He knelt before her, leaning in, his gaze flickering to her lips before returning to her eyes.
“Likely brought on even faster because of strain. You have been carrying a lot,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble. “Allow me to give you some ease.”
Reiya’s pulse quickened as his hand brushed her cheek, his thumb grazing her jawline. There was something unspoken in his touch, in the way his golden eyes searched hers, and before she could second-guess herself, her fingers curled into his tunic, pulling him closer.
His lips found hers in a kiss that was tender at first. But when she responded, tilting her head and pressing into him, the kiss deepened, growing warmer, fiercer.
She felt the heat of him, the solid strength of his hands as they settled on her waist, grounding her even as her thoughts began to spin.
The scent of him—amber and cedar, rich and unmistakably Kaelen—wrapped around her, tugging her deeper into the moment. It was intoxicating, too much and yet not enough. Her body ached to close the distance entirely, to melt into him as if that might quiet the restless fire stirring in her veins.
But it didn’t. Instead, it only made it worse.
“I tried to hold it in,” she confessed, “but I couldn’t.”
He brushed his knuckles along her jaw, his voice gentle. “The other night . . . your time with Alarik helped, didn’t it?”
She nodded.
“He eased you through it?”
Another nod.
His lips found her neck, tracing a slow, damp path from beneath her ear to her collarbone. “Then let me help you this time.”
She cupped his cheek, meeting his earnest golden gaze. “You’re not . . . upset? ”
His smile was soft, his touch even softer as he laced his fingers through hers.
“Why would I be? I trust Alarik. I trust you. Our bond is meant to carry things like this.” His thumb brushed the back of her hand, the tenderness of it tightening something in her chest. “I’m relieved he was there for you when I couldn’t be. But now, let me take care of you.”
Reiya arched a brow, lips curving into a teasing smile. “What ‘care’ are we talking about here? Something inspired by the infamous techniques of the Luminara Isles?”
His brow shot up, his expression both amused and challenged. “Still bold enough to tease me, I see. Good. But I wonder . . .”
He leaned closer, nose inches from hers as his voice dropped to a husky murmur. “Will you still have the strength to tease when I’m finished with you?”
Her breath hitched as his knuckles traced the inside of her thigh, the warmth of his touch seeping through the thin fabric of her skirt, unravelling her composure thread by thread.
“Kaelen,” she moaned.
“You don’t need to think,” he murmured, catching her lips in a brief kiss. “Just let me.”
Her throat was tight with anticipation as she leaned back, her body already yielding to him in ways she couldn’t control. He made her feel it—his Alpha presence, the quiet command in every movement, the way he stripped away her barriers without force.
Kneeling before her, Kaelen slid his hands beneath the hem of her skirt, gathering the fabric at her waist. His palms smoothed a slow, possessive path from her knees to her thighs, the warmth of his touch sinking into her skin.
She gasped, her teasing forgotten in the wake of his touch, her body attuned to him in the ways that made her ache.
He glanced up, his golden eyes dark.
“You’re trembling,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “You feel the pull, don’t you? The way your body already knows who it belongs to.”
Reiya shuddered at his words, thighs pressing together instinctively, but Kaelen’s hands kept them apart.
She nodded, unable to speak .
His lips curved, slow and knowing. “Good.”
His knuckles grazed the soft curve of her hip before trailing lower, deliberately brushing just shy of where she needed him most. Anticipation wound tight in her belly as his hands smoothed down her thighs, coaxing her knees to bend.
He pushed them up, spreading her open beneath him, her soles pressing against the seat.
A wicked smirk tugged at his lips as he unapologetically surveyed her—open, slick, dripping, and utterly his.
“Gods, look at you,” he murmured, dragging the backs of his knuckles down her trembling thigh. “A sight worthy of a king. Or in this case . . . two.”
Then, with maddening patience, his fingers slipped between her folds, stroking with deliberate precision.
Reiya gasped, her hips jerking instinctively, and Kaelen chuckled against her throat. “Easy, love,” he murmured, his voice thick with amusement. “I’m just getting my bearings.”
His touch circled lazily, teasing, testing, until?—
“There it is,” he murmured, pressing just right. “I’ve found it. The ‘Pearl of Aethonia.’”
She choked on a moan, mortified, her entire body flaming. “Kaelen?—”
But his teasing gaze was relentless, wicked delight dancing in his golden eyes. “What? It’s a national treasure, isn’t it?”
Her protest dissolved into a sharp gasp as he pinched it between his thumb and forefinger, sending a bolt of pleasure shooting through her limbs.
“Gods,” she cried out, pressing her burning face into his shoulder, and he only laughed—low, satisfied, entirely unrepentant.
She refused to let him have the last word. With a breathless growl, she fisted his tunic and yanked him down, capturing his smirk with her lips. The laughter faded instantly, swallowed by a deep, needy kiss—one that stole the very air from his lungs.
He groaned against her mouth, his amusement melting into hunger as he pressed closer, his hand sliding up to cup the curve of her waist, his fingers splaying possessively. The teasing edge was gone now, replaced by something darker, more demanding .
She arched into him, a soft gasp catching in her throat as her fingers sank into his hair. She felt the last flicker of smugness unravel in him—lost to the way she moved against him, to the way she opened to him so easily, as though there had never been a doubt.
His lips trailed from her mouth to her jaw, then lower, his breath hot against her skin. “Alright, love,” he murmured, his voice rough with restraint, “no more teasing.”
He bent down. The first touch of his mouth on her core sent a jolt of pure sensation through her. She gasped, hands flying to his hair, tangling in the golden strands as he tasted her with a slow, deliberate stroke of his tongue.
His tongue flicked and circled her sensitive bud, dragging down to explore the length of her seam, learning her, savouring her. His movements were precise, not hurried. He was taking his time, mapping her responses—every moan, every tremor, every gasp.
“Kaelen . . .” Her voice was no more than a plea, her fingers tightening in his hair as her hips tilted toward him.
He growled softly, the vibration sending another sharp shudder through her. His hands gripped her thighs, keeping her open as he deepened his kiss, tongue and lips working her with devastating precision.
“You’re so responsive,” he praised, his breath hot against her. “What a treasure you are.”
Reiya whimpered, desire coiling tight as he closed his lips on her swollen bud and sucked, the sensation exquisite, unbearable. She tried to move, to undulate her hips and chase the pleasure, but his firm grip kept her in place.
“Patience,” he chided, though amusement laced his voice. “Let me guide you.”
She shivered at the words, her entire body quivering as he alternated between slow, languid strokes and firmer, more insistent pressure, keeping her right at the edge—until she thought she’d go mad from it.
Then, he slid a finger inside her.
She cried out, her back arching as the sudden stretch sent fire licking up her spine. He exhaled a soft, satisfied sound as he pressed deeper, curling his finger until her breath came in ragged gasps.
“That’s it,” he coaxed. “ Squeeze . Let me feel you.”
Her body clenched helplessly around him, her thighs trembling as he added another finger, scissoring inside her, stretching her carefully. His tongue never faltered, flicking over her bud, the pace of his thrust unrelenting as he drove her higher, closer.
“Kaelen, please?—”
His gaze flicked up, locking onto hers as he slowed, pulling her back just before she tipped over the edge. A dark, knowing smile curved his lips.