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“Hold still, or I’ll stop,” he warned, and she giggled and splashed water back at him.

“I’m never going to do what you tell me to do,” she threatened.

“You will right now,” he replied darkly, dipping his hands under the water to stroke the inside of her thigh. She shivered under his touch, creating ripples on the surface of the water, and he knew he had won.

“That’s my good girl,” he whispered huskily against her ear, his hands moving closer and closer to her center. “My sweet Renya. Hold still and let me love you.”

He moved his fingers to her folds, and she jerked back against his touch. The second she moved, he stopped what he was doing.

“What did I say, Little Fawn?”

She didn’t answer, but he could see the red creep down her neck and he knew it wasn’t the temperature of the water causing her to flush. He continued gently kissing her along her neck, then replaced his fingers.

“Grayden,” she whispered, as he began teasing her again, just enough to make her tremble but nothing more than that.

“Do you need me, my love?”

“Yes,” she whimpered, leaning back farther into his muscular chest.

“I think we need to get clean first,” he said, grabbing a tiny bottle and lathering up his hands. She whined the second he moved his hands away from her flesh, but he just grinned. She’d teased and taunted him enough during their time together, and he was enjoying the erotic game he was playing.

He ran his fingers through her hair, cleaning the strands and humming lightly as he worked the soap through.

“You’re a tease!” she accused.

“It takes one to know one. Now hush. You’re distracting me.” But in truth, he was the one hoping to distract her. He knew tomorrow they would leave the protection of the lodge, and they wouldn’t be able to be together again until it was over. He wanted to give her this one night, these few hours, to relax and try to forget what was coming.

She sighed impatiently, and then he gasped as he felt her fingers circle around him.

“You were saying?” she asked sweetly, and he growled a low growl.

“Keep playing with fire and you’re going to get burned,” he warned.

She slid her hand up and down his length and then turned her face towards him, a defiant smile evident.

“That’s it, you’ve done it now.” He stood up and stepped out of the tub before she could react, and then scooped her up in his arms. He carried her to the bed, dripping wet, while she protested.

“We’re going to ruin the bedding,” she complained.

“I don’t care.” He laid her on the bed, sweeping her wet hair off of her face before kissing her. He joined her on the bed, and rolled on top of her. She reached out to stroke his chest, but he grabbed her hands and held them above her head.

“Now you’re going to pay for not listening to your mate,” he said.

Her eyes flashed with desire, and he was glad. He leaned back in and kissed her, swallowing the smart remark that he was sure she was about to give him. He deepened the kiss, and he felt all the resistance leave her body as she melted into the furs under her.

He gave her one last kiss on her swollen lips before beginning a trail of kisses down her body. He lapped up every drop of water that clung to her skin, and every drop that dripped down on her from his wet hair.

“What have you learned?” he growled.

“Absolutely nothing,” she said, eyes sparkling. He groaned, loving the fire she possessed. She was truly of the Sun Realm. She burned so brightly for him; she was a beacon of hope for everything in his life.

“I love you,” he said, now in the mood for tenderness.

“I love you too. Forever.

“Always,” he agreed.

Chapter Thirty-Three