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If anything, knowing we’d just barely escaped danger seemed to have lit a new fire within me. This wasn’t the time, and he needed to rest, and yet I couldn’t stop kissing him or touching him, and I knew from the way he moaned against my lips that he was under the same spell—that he had the same need to feel alive after facing death.

His hands cupped my face as he drew me to him, the kiss deepening. I shifted forward, sitting up on my knees to straddle him. He gripped my waist, pulling me in tighter, rocking my hips. He was rock hard beneath me.

I pressed my breasts to his chest, loving how firm he was everywhere I was soft, sucking his tongue into my mouth.

His fingers dug into my hips, and I ground down harder against him, growing slick between my legs, feeling like I was already on edge.

“Gods,” I said, threading my fingers through his hair. “You feel so good.”

He sucked on my bottom lip, giving me a playful bite before trailing his lips, hot and demanding, across my cheek to my neck, sucking and biting and kissing.

He moaned as I pressed down on him, rolling back and forth against his length.

He jerked beneath me, his mouth open, skin flushed, and he stilled.

I kissed his forehead, placing my hands on his face as I tried to catch my breath. “Did you…?” I asked.

“Fuck,” he grunted. “No.” He looked a little embarrassed. “Almost. Gods, I’m so fucking close.” He pressed his forehead to mine, his eyes closing as he caught his breath.

“It’s okay,” I said. “There’s been a lot of strain on you tonight.”

“I’ve been ready to explode since that morning with you. But that’s not it,” he said, voice hoarse and pained and desperate. He swallowed, pulling back just enough to stare into my eyes.

“We can stop,” I said. “We probably should—I doubt this is helping you get your energy back.”

Rhyan’s shoulders were rising and falling with his breaths. His hands ran up my back, and he pressed a soft kiss to my lips. He held me there for a moment, just breathing, calming down. Our eyes met, and he kissed me again, slower this time, his lips moving sensuously and languidly against mine.

When we pulled back for air, his eyes searched mine, and he took my hand, threading our fingers together before placing them over his heart.

“Lyr, I…” He squeezed his eyes shut, like he was in pain.

“What?”

Green eyes bore into mine with an intensity that made me shift on his lap.

Rhyan squeezed my hand. “I know,” he said slowly, “I’m not supposed to, and I tried, I really did. I tried to stop. Tried not to. Because I knew it was wrong. Because I knew it would only complicate things. Because the way I felt…because of what had happened to me, feeling had been…something dangerous. Something awful. And it scared me. But I’ve known for a while. I think I knew when I made the decision to come Bamaria.”

I stilled, wrapping my arms around him as his eyes searched mine.

He swallowed. “I knew I needed refuge. I knew I didn’t want to swear to a new arkasva. And so I’d need family to vouch for me, but because of my father, most wouldn’t. That left me with three options. An aunt and uncle in Hartavia. A cousin in Payunmar, and Sean, here.” He shook his head. “I didn’t even consider who my best choice was, or that it made more sense stay in the north. The moment I decided to leave, I headed south. And I know now, it’s because of you. If I’m being honest, I knew it from our first kiss.” His chest heaved.

“Knew what?” I asked, heart pounding.

“That I’m in love with you. And no matter how wrong, or how much it scares me, there is no oath in Heaven or Lumeria that could stop me. Lyr." He practically breathed my name. "Lyriana, I love you.”

Tears welled behind my eyes, as my heart swelled. “I love you.”

He sniffled and smiled, laughing lightly as he said, “Good.” He leaned his forehead against mine and shook his head. “Otherwise, this could have become very awkward.”

I released a shaky laugh, sniffling at the end.

He laughed, wiping the tears from his eyes, and then mine, before his jaw tightened, his face serious again. “After everything tonight…all that happened, I just…wanted to tell you.”

“I’m glad you did.” I shifted on his lap again, the movement causing me to brush against him in such a way, the heat was instantly rekindling between us.

Carefully watching me with hooded eyes, Rhyan asked, “Are you now?” His voice was laced with desire.

“Very.”