Page 107 of Axios

He only peered at me from the corner of his eye and smirked. Not answering.

Knowing he wouldn’t tell me no matter how much I asked, I remained silent and continued strolling with him. We reached the woods and found a path through the trees. I had not come that way often, so I was at a loss for where he intended to take me. Shadows flickered across his golden skin as he led me under the trees and the light that streaked through the leaves.

Shortly after, we came out onto a bank of sand and the sun found us again. The river was up ahead, the rushing of its water creating a soothing sound to fill the air. The mountain was closer and stood to the right, the white of its peaks visible and appearing jagged.

There was not a cloud in the sky as I looked up at it—just an immense span of blue and golden light.

“Why did we come here?” I asked, arching a brow at Eryx.

“I wanted to show this to you,” he said, still holding my hand and leading me to the water’s edge.

He pushed me in.

I gasped as I was immersed in the cool water. After finding my footing on the slippery ground beneath me, I stood and glared at him. The water reached my waist at that depth and dripped from my hair.

It was end of summer, so the heat of the day was intense, and the refreshing dip in the river was actually nice—once I grew accustomed to the shock of it.

Eryx grinned as his eyes scanned my half-submerged body. “You being wet is an improvement. I—”

I leapt up and grabbed his arm before dragging him into the water with me. He spouted off obscenities as the cool river coated his bare skin, and without warning, he grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back under the water.

Our competitive natures got the better of us, and we dunked each other and playfully brawled. He pushed and I returned the action. He grabbed me by my nape to dunk me under, and I twisted and put my legs around his waist, taking him with me.

Since we were weightless within the water, it made for better fun as we tossed each other around. We laughed and voiced light threats as we wrestled.

But soon, our touches shifted from playful to enticing.

Our lips connected as his strong arms came around my waist. I moaned into his mouth as he pushed me back against a large slab of rock jutting from the river and began a slow grind of his body against mine.

His fingers skimmed down my chest and moved even lower to touch my backside, opening me before he took me.

I closed my eyes as his fingers stimulated and rubbed. When I exposed my neck, he kissed down it, still with his hand working my backside. The feeling was indescribable. Need built inside my being, and I was on the verge of combusting.

I gazed upon him again and bit my bottom lip as he grinned with a seductive look.

He stared into my eyes as he filled me, panting through his parted lips and then groaning as my body welcomed more of him.

Eryx was too beautiful for words, even after spending the last sixteen years with him by my side, ten of them with him as my lover. Even after countless kisses and an immeasurable amount of touches, I craved more.

No amount of time with him would ever be enough.

“Do not ever leave me, Ax,” he said, gripping the side of my neck and pressing his forehead to mine, still moving inside of me. “By the gods, I could not bear it. My whole world is right here in my hands. Without you, I am nothing.”

His unexpected proclamation made my eyes water and I held on tighter to his shoulders. It might have been difficult for him to express his emotions, but when he did, it was a thing of beauty and never failed to bring me to tears.

“I shall not leave you,” I responded in a breathy tone, leaning my head back against the rock and gazing at him. My climax was building and trickling down my spine, and I shatter any moment. “I swear it.”

He shuddered and his thrusts faltered, but he clenched his jaw to keep from completely surrendering to the pleasure. He preferred for me to orgasm first. Reaching between our bodies, he took hold of my length and began stroking me under the water.

That was all I needed to hit my peak.

An area inside of me was touched, and I shouted my pleasure as my whole body shook around him.

Eryx kissed along my jaw and neck—still sliding in and out of my body—as I soared to the sky. Then, he groaned and trembled as he joined me there.

***

“He is to be replaced by Polybiades,” Gaius said, referring to Agesipolis. At my questioning look, he shook his head. “He’s a Spartan governor, foolish boy. Are you too simple to understand anything?”