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“Bossy,” he chided.

Rissa glared.

With a sigh, Rye repeated after her, “I haven’t failed you.”

She grinned. “Good. Now come. The water’s perfect.”

He kicked his boots off and removed his coat, doublet, and shirt, revealing his sculptural, tanned skin. Next, he lowered his velvet breeches. Unlike the first time she’d watched him undress, he wore nothing underneath. Modesty might dictate that she avert her eyes, but Rissa found that she wasn’t inclined to.

Rydekar was perfection, inch after inch.

She stared as he stalked to the pool, and let himself in.

“By the gods, this is some pool.” He threw his head back and moaned, before looking back to her.

His hair looked almost brown, wet.

“You shouldn’t have shown me. You’ll have to share now.”

“I think I’ll survive you.” Rissa watched him disappear under the surface of the water and trailed his shadow. He reappeared inches away from her.

“I’m not sure I’ll survive you,” he replied, edging forward with a deliberate languor.

She shuddered, breathing out hard.

He kissed her softly, tentatively. Her heart raced, gripped by something not unlike panic, only darker, more urgent. His hands slid up her arms and settled on either side of her, caging her in. “In fact, I know I won’t.”

Rissa blinked. “What?”

She’d never know; the next moment, Rydekar deepened his kiss, his hard chest pressing against her, and she forgot everything, right down to who and what she was. All she knew was that she wanted more.

Desperation. That was what drove her heart to a frenzy; she was desperate for more, terrified that this embrace would ever end.

She wrapped her legs around him and one of his hands moved to support her back. Pressing to him, to the hardness of his shaft, she stifled a moan, grinding against it as their mouths danced together, tongues teasing and clashing. Desire unfurled inside her, wilder than sunfire, stronger than pain, fear, or anything she’d ever felt.

Rye groaned, tearing his head back with reticence. “You need to know—”

“I need to feel.” She pressed her mouth to his, hungrily claiming it back.

His hands trembling, Rydekar fumbled with the ties at the front of her dress, attempting to make sense of its knots. She barked a laugh, because she never would have imagined him fumbling at anything.

“Let me.” She unhooked the top, spilling her breasts free.

Rydekar grunted, bending to take one nipple in his hot mouth. Rissa breathed between clenched teeth, waves of pleasure hitting one after the next.

“By the gods…” She threw her head back to the floor. He was so gifted with his tongue.

Rye slid the rest of her out of the pool, until her hips rested against the hard stone. He spread her legs apart and buried his face between them. Then he sucked, and licked, and teased her with his fingers as she writhed. Rissa screamed herself hoarse, each ministration driving her closer to madness.

“Please!” she begged, like she’d never begged, her body quivering with need. Her fingers threaded through his dark locks of hair, so when he straightened up, she lifted her torso with his, sitting up against him.

Rye slid both hands along her legs and lifted them with her long skirt. “I’m going to take you now, Serissa. When I do, know I am claiming you, body and soul, for the rest of our days.”

Gods, yes, please yes.

She didn’t realize she’d said the words out loud until he laughed. The head of his cock pressed against the apex of her thighs, and though her entire body seemed made of liquid fire, he still felt like steel when his long shaft entered her in one swift, hard thrust. He captured her yelp in a soft kiss, reverent and caring, all the while drawing back to ram back home, hard and fast.

“Mine. You’re mine.” He repeated the word with each punishing thrust and she panted, white-hot pleasure building higher and higher in a maddening crescendo. “Say it!”