Page 87 of Blackheart

He gave a valiant effort to tame the burning desire in his eyes, and I regretted ever bringing the deed up. It was impossible to imagine a room full of any other men when Riven stood in front of me.

“You should come,” Riven added.

I had two weeks to think about the stupid meeting. I did not have two weeks of Riven standing this close, the heat radiating between us. If he wanted to touch me again, I would let him. Just for tonight. Just this once.

Then never again.

He couldn’t have this power over me. I couldn’t let this need fester.

“Make me.”

His eyes darkened. “Say it again,” he challenged, closing the distance between us, tracing his fingers along my cheek.

I tilted my chin, looking up at him through my lashes. “Make. Me.”

There wasn’t a moment to blink before his mouth crashed into mine.

It was the first time I had ever beentrulykissed in my life.

I ran my hands through the back of his hair as he picked me up, his mouth brushing my jaw, then down my neck.

He knocked the buckets off the table, laying me on my back with his hands firm at my waist, mouth trailing to my chest.

The sun was setting, and hardly any light came through the small window. I wanted to see it all. I wanted this moment burned into my memory. Desperately reaching at my hip, I unclipped my orb and set it beside me on the table. With a slight tap, the room lit up a dim blue.

Riven unbuttoned my pants in a smooth motion before placing warm kisses below my navel. With my back against thetable, he only removed his mouth from my body to pull my pants off, then got on his knees, yanking my hips to the edge.

My heart thundered in anticipation, but only for a moment before his face was between my legs, tongue reaching me, unholy and precise. A soft moan escaped my lips embarrassingly quickly.

He looked up, sinful desire lacing his gaze.

He grabbed the inside of my thigh, giving it a playful squeeze before pushing it up and onto the table. With my knee bent, Riven backed his head away. Lustful eyes locked on mine as his finger slid in. Another followed, and I could hardly catch my breath.

Mortifying.

Business in the tavern would soon pick up, and the door to the backroom wasn’t even locked.

My legs shook as his tongue toyed with me, pushing me to the edge of more than just the table. I tried to keep quiet, but another traitorous moan came out. Riven’s gaze darted up as he circled the spot that had me near release.

“Louder,” he demanded.

“People are going to hea?—”

He stood up, bringing my face to his, silencing me with a kiss. The tender reprieve was brief before he brought me in his arms and turned me around. He sat on the table, yanking my back to his chest just before his hand reached over, finding its place between my legs.

He did not tire, just slid his opposite hand up my shirt and bit at my neck. Each movement was overwhelming, as was each kiss that dragged along my ear and down my nape.

“I love the noises you make,” he murmured, fingers picking up speed.

As if my body answered to him now, and not myself, I shivered—whimpering as I came undone.

“Fuck.”

“Let me hear it.”

He held my body with one arm as the other finished me, my head tilting back and senses surging. Riven showed no mercy, and by the time my voice quieted, every person in the tavern surely knew his name.

I slid next to him on the table, trying to remember how to be normal.