Page 112 of Moonlight Hearts

“Bed.”

“I had to try.”

“You’ve already had me there.Made me come next to your pumpkin.”

He grinned.“You have five seconds.I’ll have you wherever I find you after the time’s up.Go.”

I didn’t hesitate, didn’t question.The only thing I managed was to toss the stuffies and put the ice cream on one of the lower steps.

“Put that in the freezer!”

Whether Soyer heard me or not, I didn’t know.I didn’t hear him behind me at all, and I hadn’t thought to count down the seconds in my head to know when he would come for me.

I pushed it on the last few stairs, then pretty much launched myself onto the neatly made bed face-first, my breathing as fast as my racing heart.

“Well done.”Soyer’s fingers, cool from the cold, tickled the back of my neck.“I was hoping for the stairs for a moment there, but you’re getting your wish tonight, my heart.”

I heard him put something on the bedside table and turned.“Why did you bring the ice cream up here?”

A dark chuckle.“Still as innocent as I found you, my love.Don’t worry.I’ll show you.I’ll show you everything you didn’t know you could desire.”

I was about to argue with him about being innocent.It wasn’t that I couldn’t imagine what one might do with cherry ice cream in bed, it was just that it didn’t seem like something Soyer would enjoy.

“You want to lather me up as if I were your cherry pie?”

His hands roamed over my back.I made a feeble attempt to turn onto my back, but he stopped me.So I stayed where I was, where he wanted me.

“That’s a good way of looking at it, Amory.Perhaps while you have found a well of energy, I’ve been developing a craving that needs to be sated.I got too used to you serving me cherry pie and coffee each night, and now…now I’m missing it.Can I take your clothes off?”

“Yeah.That’s the point.”

His fingers slid under my sweater.“No, the point is… You are the point.To enjoy you.To savor your joy.”

That wasn’t why I’d wanted this.I’d wanted this for him.Then again, Soyer had been right about there being pleasure in seeing someone else enjoy themselves.To know that he wanted me, took so much pleasure in this, settled me.

Still, I wasn’t going to argue with him, especially not when his hands on me were electrifying in the best of ways, when I was already anticipating what was to come.

He peeled my sweater off me, then my shoes.They’d be wet from the snow, and I should’ve left them at the door, but there was no changing that now.He was quick about getting rid of my pants, and once that was done, he got undressed himself, always making sure to keep me where he had me—on my belly, waiting for him.

When he was naked, Soyer got on top of me and coaxed me into the exact position he wanted.

“Should we get under the covers?”

He exhaled against my hip, kissing a spot there before answering.“No.This will be easier.Amory, do you think you’ll be okay staying like this?In the beginning, at least?”

“Whatever you want.”

He chuckled.It tickled the skin just above my butt.“There you go again, pretending to be candy.Before we start, you taste wonderful.I don’t want you to think you don’t.I don’t want you to be ashamed.Still, if it’s too much, you let me know.”

Those words unsettled me.I got that he wanted to eat the ice cream off me, but I was fine with that.After all, it was just ice cream.It couldn’t possibly be more intense than anything we’d done before now.

“Okay,” I said, my voice weak as decaf coffee.

I heard the bag the ice cream was melting in crinkle, then Soyer opened one of the tubs.

“I’m glad he gave you the compostable spoons.”

Before I could answer, something cold plopped down between my shoulder blades.If Soyer hadn’t been there, holding me in place, I’d have bucked up.As it was, he forced me to endure, to savor, before covering the cold spot there with his warm mouth.