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Her eyelids slid lower as she stared at his mouth. “Are we sure that’s a good idea?”

“It’s probably a terrible idea,” he admitted. “Ifyou decide to stay, your elders will certainly have…other suitors in mind.”

“I thought so.”

Neither of them moved, and his thumb was still on her lips.

“I think I’d like for you to kiss me anyway,” she whispered.

Heat rose like an inferno inside of him. In fact, some of his power slipped out, and the embers in the hearth caught flame. He dipped his head a little lower so that the tip of his nose brushed hers. “Youthink.”

Their breaths were a hot cloud between them.

She tilted her nose up, brushing his in return, bringing her lips closer. “Alder.”

Hearing his name on her lips, spoken so breathily—well, it was all he could do to hold on to his self-control. Truthfully, he deserved an award for it. “Have you decided?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, you’ve decided, or yes, you would like me to?—”

Alder never got to finish, because Josephine pulled his thumb away and kissed him. Alder chuckled against her mouth, but then she abruptly pulled back. Her face pinched with indignation, and a bit of mortification, while that wild and beautiful hair curled out from her flushed cheeks, and her neckline had—once again—slipped from one shoulder, leaving it bare. All in all, Alder thought she looked like a veritable goddess.

A goddess who’d completely misread his reaction and was quickly shielding herself in a posture of defense.

Alder grabbed her face in his hands before she could shield herself more, and she fell still, gazing at him while her rounded bosom rose and fell quickly. Alder looked over her face, at her full lips, and then he dipped his head and kissed her properly.

By the Fates, her lips were even softer than he’d imagined, and he had imagined them plenty. They were very timid too, hesitant but clinging, almost as if she were still uncertain, and though Alder felt a sharp and sudden stab of hunger, he didn’t move her along any faster. He captured her lips with his, giving her time in case she changed her mind. If this was all she wanted from him, he swore to Demas, he would learn to be content with that.

It might kill him.

He could think of worse ways to die.

But then she slid her arms around his neck and started playing with his hair, and that was all the permission Alder needed.

His next kiss wasn’t soft at all. Actually, it might have been a little aggressive, but Holy Father of kith, he hadn’t realized how much he’d been holding himself back, and now he felt as though he were slowly drowning. Clinging to her mouth, taking her in his arms as though she alone might hold him afloat, and she melted right into him. All that muscular warmth that was soft in all the right places. He’d thought too much about her shape when she’d been riding on his back, with her strong legs wrapped around him, and he’d wondered how they might feel…well, in a setting more like this.

The groan that escaped her lips slid right into his body and set every part of him aflame. His hands moved greedily over her waist and magnificent curves, though he was careful with her injury. He tangled his hands into her thick mane of hair and coaxed her lips open with his own, pushing his way into her mouth with his tongue. She tasted like honey and heat and everything that was right in the world, and the more he kissed her, the bolderherkisses became. Her tongue pushed right back, and her body pressed against his. It was how their relationship had been since the day he’d met her, Alder thought with a smile. This exquisite woman constantly pushing back against his will.

Pushing her way into his life and right into his heart.

Alder was done for.

They were a tangle of heady kisses and grasping hands and heavy breaths. Alder could feel every ounce of her perfect little body through that thin nightdress, and he was about to feel every ounce of her withoutthat nightdress if he didn’t stop right now.

“Josephine,” he said on her lips. He squeezed up her arms to grab her hands, which were locked around his neck. “My darling.”

She pulled back just a little, breathing hard, and the swell of her lips and the look in her eyes nearly incinerated his resolve.

Alder swallowed hard and kissed her left cheek, then her right. “I need to leave.”

Seph heaved, staring at him, and her heart felt as though it were going to pound its way right out of her chest. She didn’t understand why he had to leave—now? That had been the greatest kiss of her life, and she didn’t remember giving him any indication that she was finished. Quite the opposite, in fact. Honestly, she was a little surprised at herself.

“Why do you need to leavenow?” she asked.

He closed his eyes, dropped his forehead to hers, and brought her hands to his chest. His heart pounded as hard and fast as Seph’s own.

“Because I won’t be able to if I keep kissing you like this,” he said a little roughly.