Page 51

Her fingers twisted in his hair, holding him as her hips undulated, chasing every flick of his tongue. He had her open, pinned, wrecked—his hand working inside her in time with his mouth.

She tried to stifle a moan. It was embarrassing the sounds he pulled out of her. But he wouldn’t allow her the dignity. He sucked hard, tongue dragging, and her head tipped back with a broken cry.

Her thighs trembled. Her whole body went taut. Then, with one final flick of his tongue, he sent her tumbling into bliss.

Somewhere in the distance, she was pretty sure she made a sound she’d deny until death. Not that she could bring herself to care with his mouth coaxing every last tremor from her body.

When it was done, she leaned against the wall, limp and panting. Only half aware that she still had a body and legs—and that Skye was still kneeling in front of her.

Smugness dripped from him, tangled up with dark amusement and something much hungrier.

He kissed the inside of her knee before placing her foot back on the ground.

He rose. Her hands slid around his neck as he took her in his arms and kissed her gently, sliding his tongue into her mouth so that she could taste herself there.

“You’re all I’ve ever wanted,” he murmured, kissing her again, long and slow. “Every part of me is yours.”

Then he lifted her into his arms, and Taly couldn’t help but giggle as he cradled her to his body. “You know, there’s a perfectly good wall right here.”

She barely managed to turn off the tap before he was out of the shower and then the washroom in a few easy strides. “I’m not taking your maidenhead against a wall.”

“How about a couch then?” she said as he carried her past the common room. “Why are we traveling?”

Skye ignored her, walking with single-minded purpose down the hall and into her room before setting her down on the bed. He began fumbling with the buttons on his pants, the fabric wet and clinging to him.

Taly’s mouth went dry at the sight. Moving to her knees, needing to touch him, she slid a hand beneath the waistband of his trousers. He wasn’t wearing underclothes, so when she reached inside—

Skye cursed, grabbing for her as she gripped him, like he needed her to stay upright.

He was harder than she’d imagined. And hot —she hadn’t expected him to feel like a brand against her palm.

She gave a slow, experimental stroke—like she was testing a theory.

His hand fisted in her hair. “Taly—” It came out half a warning, half a plea.

She smiled and did it again.

Skye swore viciously, hands tightening on her hips. “Any other time,” he rasped, “you’re free to have your way with me. But for now?” He caught her wrist, pulled her hand away, gentle but firm. “For now, I need you to lie down and stop being so damn distracting.”

Then he caught her by the waist and tossed her back on the bed.

He made quick work of the remaining buttons, and when he finally sprang free… Taly’s eyes went wide, momentary panic breaking through the haze of lust.

He was big. So much bigger than just two fingers.

“What… what about the door?” she asked hoarsely, grasping for anything to stall, to buy herself a moment to wrap her head around the sheer size of what she was supposed to accommodate.

“Already locked, warded, and reinforced against interruptions of any kind. Why do you think you beat me to the shower?” He moved over her like he was made to fit there.

“If it hurts, just tell me,” he said, the corner of his mouth twitching as he caught the not-so-subtle edge of panic in her face. “We can go as slow as you need.”

Taly would’ve nodded, but he nudged her. Then he began to push, going slow like he promised. And though there was no tear or pinch, not in the way she expected, she winced at the stretch, the sudden sting that stole her breath away when he was barely halfway seated.

“It hurts.” The words slipped out of her unbidden, and he froze.

“Do you want me to—”

“No. I just…” She tried to shift, find a different angle, hissing when that just made the pain worse.

Skye hissed for an entirely different reason, fingers digging into the sheets as he fought to keep his body still.

“You need to relax,” he gritted out, and she had to fight the urge to laugh. That was easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one being impaled.

He kissed her brow, then the tears from both eyes, smoothing a hand over her hair and gently turning her head to the side.

“Relax, Tink. You’re tight as a fist.” He nipped at her ear, teasing the delicate Fey point. Taly gasped, and he did it again. Sensitive, these Fey ears… so damn sensitive. Her hips twitched against him.

“That’s it.” And then he was moving with her, drawing out a little more with each thrust before plunging back in, going a little deeper.

“That’s it,” he murmured, thrusting deeper and deeper, inch by wicked inch.

His hips flexed as he withdrew almost to the tip. He paused, holding himself over her.

This was it. The final line in the sand. The last barrier between friend and lover, between everything they’d been and everything they were about to become.

“I’m just waiting,” he said, arms shaking with restraint. “Someone’s about to kick the damn door in, I know it.”

Taly only smiled, leaning up to kiss him. With a mighty thrust, he slid home.

Full. That was the only word that made sense. Not just her body—her chest, her throat, her whole Shards-damned soul.

He gritted his teeth, a low sound rumbling in his chest. “You feel... unreal.”

He drew back and pushed in again. She cried out, then felt him pause.

“No,” she gasped. “Good sound. That was a good sound. Keep going.”

She felt his laugh everywhere their bodies connected. Indeed, she felt every inch of him as he withdrew, only to slam back in.

“Finally.” The word was half moan, half sigh of relief. He reangled her hips, and on the next thrust managed to wedge himself even deeper. “Fucking finally...”

He set the rhythm—slow at first, then picking up tempo—and all she could do was hold on. His breath was in her ear, his body moving above and inside her, and soon she was sobbing from the pleasure of it. Begging him to go faster, harder as she ran her hands across his shoulders and down his back.

She’d fantasized about this—about him—but nothing had prepared her for the real thing: his body slick and straining against hers, the rough breath of I love you’s he whispered onto every inch he could reach. The wet slap of flesh was the music they moved to. She never wanted it to end.

Then she felt it—that thread pulling between them. Growing ever stronger, ever brighter, stealing away pieces of her and pieces of him and weaving them together into a bridge.

Her friend through the years and so many dangers.

The man she loved with every part of her body and soul.

And she wanted it. For right now, just this moment, she allowed herself to want that promise of forever. With each pounding stroke, she forgot a little more why she wasn’t supposed to.

She began reaching for him down the bond, reaching and reaching—until she found him on the other side, ready to take her hand.

Heat and light crashed through her as their souls fused.

His body jolted like he’d been struck. “Shards—” His hands gripped her tighter, mouth crashing to hers, thrusts turning wild and erratic.

Nothing had ever felt so good. So right .

This was forever. He was forever. And he was already teetering on that edge, determined to push her ahead of him before allowing himself to fall.

So, she let him. Throwing her arms around him, she let that thread pull her right over the edge.

“Thank fuck,” Skye growled as release tore through her. As she screamed his name, and time bled, and every nerve in her body began to sing.

Desperation seized him—or maybe he just let go. Let go of restraint, let go of reason, let go of everything but her as he pounded into her until—

Bracing a hand on the headboard, he slammed into her one last time, coming with a shout. The bed hit the wall, splintering down the middle with a sharp crack.

Then silence.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. The bond still thrummed between them, alive and electric. And when it settled, she knew she was not the same. The shape of her had changed to make room for him. And somehow, that new piece made the rest of her fit together better.

Skye was the first to shift. Arms shaking, he dragged himself out of her and heaved his body, managing to collapse to the side.

“That was…” he breathed into the pillow. “Taly, I…”

Eyes closed, she smiled lazily. “So, that’s what all the fuss is about.”

Eventually, she figured out how to turn her head, only to find Skye watching her. She took a shaky breath. The depth of love there, the desire, only half-sated, it—

“Well,” he said, sitting up with a stretch, “I got what I wanted.”

And just like that, he may as well have pushed her off a cliff.

He made to leave. “I should probably—”

Taly punched his shoulder, growling as he laughed and tackled her back to the bed. “That’s not funny,” she muttered. “ You’re not funny .”

He kissed her deeply. “As if you don’t already know you own me, body and soul.”

Maybe she knew that. Maybe…

A sigh slipped out of her as he pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses down her throat, her eyes lifting to— “Oh.”

Skye paused, following her stare as they both took stock of the damage.

The headboard was cracked, the living vines that made up her bed split down the center. Skye had managed to rip out a decent chunk that had fallen somewhere on the floor. They’d even dented the wall.

“You broke my bed,” Taly said.

Skye grimaced. “Sorry. Usually, I’m a bit better at controlling my magic during… you know.”

Leaning up, she kissed his neck. “Another achievement.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Lifting a hand, she reminded him of the utility of her magic, reversing time and smoothing away the damage.

His brows lifted, admiration flickering through his gaze—right before it turned downright sinful. “Nice.”

And then she found herself flipped over, lying face down on the bed.

“Again,” he said and bit her shoulder. “I need you again.”

“But I thought…” Taly had to grab the headboard to brace herself when he slid a hand between her legs from behind. His fingers dabbed the wetness there before moving to circle her nub. “That is, don’t men, you know, need to recharge?”

Aether sparked against her sex, and her entire body bowed off the bed, hips lifting for him.

Skye gave a dark chuckle, already hard against her backside, as he used a knee to nudge her legs wider. “Allow me to demonstrate just one of the many reasons shadow mages are such highly sought-after lovers.”

And for the rest of the night, that’s exactly what he did.