Page 90 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

He kept his eyes on her as he pressed his lips against hers.

Soft first, but… Merrick groaned as her lips parted for him to reach better.

She even tasted like sunshine.

Like freedom. Like the dreams he’d had when he was younger. The dreams he’d never spoken to anyone about but which included a warm room, a soft voice calling his name, food, and always, always a bed to sleep in.

He couldn’t hold back. Angling her head, he deepened their kiss, a growl building in his chest when she responded immediately, winding her arms around his neck to get closer, to kiss him harder.

His little fighter. Injured, tired, dirty, and devastated, and she still responded to him like this.

He was the luckiest fucking male in the realm.

Guiding her backward as their tongues tangled, Merrick nudged her against the short side of the wooden tub, avoiding the heating stove that crackled on the longer side, so her lower back and legs rested against it.

Merrick moved his hands from her shoulders down to her breasts again, fighting a smile when she yelped as his rough skin brushed over her sensitive nipples as he cupped them.

As he weighed the breasts in his hands, his thumbs grazed the nipples once more, flicking them until she squirmed against him.

“So fucking responsive,” he said hoarsely.

This was torture. Sweet fucking torture to hold back when all he wanted was to drive his cock into her, filling her as he listened to her cry out her own release.

Moving his hands to slide down her back instead—excruciatingly slowly—he replaced his fingers with his tongue as his hands circled her perfect ass.

Merrick slid his tongue over the hardened nipples as he pressed her against him, letting her feel how hard he was for her and nearly going mad for the harsh pants that left her as she realized just what she was doing to him.

“This is all you,” he murmured against her breasts. “You, your perfect fucking body, your soft skin, and your sweet fucking scent drive me insane.”

He sucked a nipple into his mouth and gently settled it between his teeth, pulling on it until she cried out.

“I want to make you come until you cry so loud those fucking gods will wonder what is happening.” He moved to the other nipple, biting down on it until his name fell from her lips.

“I want to fuck you until my name is the only thing you can remember.” His hands moved to her thighs, sliding up to what he was certain was a throbbing warmth between her legs.

When he stopped right beneath it, even as his hands pressed to continue, she actually whined.

“Please,” Lessia begged as she arched against him. “Please, Merrick.”

He fucking loved it when she begged.

He fucking loved her so much.

But having her like this? All vulnerable and wanton and desperate for him? Calling his fucking name?

It was too much.

His cock ached as he angled his head upward, watching her face pinch as she struggled against his hands, her legs seeking release on their own.

Merrick rid himself of his breeches, and his cock sprang free, bouncing against her leg, and she moaned as it left a drop of his come behind.

Her broken hand twitched. Fucking twitched, as if she contemplated touching him, and he quickly dropped to his knees, ensuring she couldn’t reach him.

“Rest your elbows on the tub,” Merrick ordered.

It would have been better if she could hold on, but he wasn’t risking her damned hands getting more injured because of him.

She didn’t argue, and as she shifted down, her elbows rested against the wooden ledge and her scent exploded around him as her beautiful pussy leveled with his face.