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“Perhaps.” Einar brushed his lips against my forehead, and there was something about that tender gesture, even after two years together, that made me want to melt into his arms. “But they never would have acknowledged you as queen if you didn’t deserve it, my love. That you pledged yourself to Hearthfyre, dedicated yourself to the future of dragonkind, when you could have become the queen of Ediria, has earned you their undying love and respect all on their own, even without me as your mate.”

The fierce look in his eyes sent heat rushing through me, and I had to look away before I gave in to the urge to kiss him. “Are we going to work on the guest wing today?” I asked him. “Mavlyn and Quye have been asking to come visit.”

“Yes,” Einar said, scooping me up in his arms. Desire pulsed through the bond—both his and mine—and my heartbeat picked up in anticipation as he walked back into the bedroom. “But first, you’re going to let me have my way with you again.”

I squealed as he tossed me onto the bed, and before I knew it, he was on top of me, hands fumbling with the ties on my robe as he kissed the breath out of me. Passion flared between us, fierce and wild as ever, but as he moved down my body, spreading my thighs, a thought occurred to me.

“Einar?” I asked, lifting my head.

“Mmm?” he rumbled against my inner thigh, and the vibrations sent such an intense rush through me, I almost forgot what I was going to say.

I gripped the sheets as I looked down at him. “After we finish the guest wing, there’s an urgent project we need to get started on next.”

He raised his head now, his brow furrowing as he met my gaze. “And what project is that going to be?”

I grinned. “The nursery.”

THE END