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M arjani drew a deep breath, naked from the waist up except for the fake quartz around her neck. Nervous, but wanting this, her skin buzzing and her heart racing.

Fane stared up at her, a sexy dark scruff covering his cheeks and jaw. Even after being sick for two days and to be honest, kind of smelly, the man was fucking hot.

She’d had two days to think things over. She hadn’t exactly forgiven him for spying on her, but she no longer blamed him. Within the limits of the geas , he’d done what he could. In fact, he’d tried to get her to leave—more than once—but she’d been laser-focused on getting to Corban.

She could even admit he’d been right to drag her out of the tower. If he hadn’t, she’d probably be in a cage right now.

So yeah, she didn’t blame Fane, but that didn’t mean she trusted him. When she left the cavern, she was going alone.

But for the first time in a long time, she wanted a man—and she’d decided to go for it.

Maybe it was a bad idea. There was no way this thing between them could go anywhere. When she chose a mate, she wanted another earth fada, not a human-fae mix. Someone strong, steady—not this sexy, smooth-talking charmer.

So yeah, this would be a one-time thing—but maybe that was exactly why she should go for it.

For once, she was completely free, unhampered with all the expectations that went with being Adric’s second.

No one but her and Fane would know what happened in this cavern—not her clan, not her friends, and certainly not her brother.

Fane rose to his feet and cupped her face. Clear topaz eyes searched hers. “You sure?”

Desire curled through her belly. “Yes.”

His breath sucked in. “Gods, I want you.” His mouth ghosted across hers.

A fada craved touch, more than other species. Her cat stretched and gave a happy little yowl. She curled her fingers against her thighs, wanting to touch him back, and yet cemented in place, need warring with fear.

His lips outlined the curve of her cheek. He nibbled her earlobe, tugged at the gold hoop with his teeth. Pleasure trilled up and down her spine, vibrated in her core.

His clever mouth continued moving, pressing kisses behind her ear and up her skull to the coarse black stubble.

“I should shave,” she muttered. “It’s too rough.” Usually she ran a razor over it every few days, but she’d been running as her cougar for over a week.

“I like it.” He brushed a palm over the back of her head. “Makes you look like a badass. Goes with those knives you love so much.”

She pursed her lips, trying not to laugh—and that was the most wonderful, amazing thing. That she even wanted to laugh right now.

“And that’s good?” she managed to ask.

“Oh, yeah.” He turned her head to the side—and nipped her nape.

Her breath sped up. It was a dominant, very masculine move. She might be a soldier, but she was also a fada female. She liked a man who wasn’t afraid to bite.

He nipped again, harder. “It makes me want to do bad things to you.”

A moan escaped her lips. He kissed the small pain away and trailed a finger down the sensitive slope of her neck and across one shoulder.

Her throat worked.

He smiled. “You like that.”

“Yes,” she rasped.

He traced the arc of her collarbones before continuing to her breasts. He rubbed his thumbs over her aching nipples. “So beautiful,” he breathed, his gaze on the dusky buds.

She was flat-chested and she knew it. But Fane’s heated look made her feel like the sexiest woman alive.

“Mm.” He bent and gave each nipple a hard suck before stepping back and dragging off his sweater. “Why don’t we get into the pool? I could use a bath, frankly.”

She blinked up at him, dazed with desire. Then her face split in a grin. “I sponged you down yesterday. But yeah, you could.”

He stilled in the act of removing his T-shirt. “You should smile more often.”

“Yeah?” She rubbed her stubbled head a little shyly.

“Yeah. You look good as a badass, but when you smile, you’re beautiful.”

He dropped the T-shirt on top of his sweater and reached for the button of his black jeans. He was all hard muscles and tanned skin, his chest sprinkled with dark blond hairs.

Her mouth literally watered. She swallowed noisily, following the trail of those wiry, gold-tipped hairs down to where they disappeared into his waistband.

His lips curved in a wicked smile. She’d removed his shoes the first day to make him more comfortable. Now he slowly and deliberately undid the button of his jeans.

She drew a sluggish breath. The air in the cavern felt heavy, thick.

His smile disappeared. They stared at each other as he slid down his zipper and stepped out of his jeans. His socks followed, and then he stood before her in dark knit boxers tented with an impressive erection.

“Now you.” He stepped closer to undo her cargo pants. Dropping to one knee, he helped her out of each leg in turn, leaving her naked except for her black briefs. He caught her hips and nuzzled her belly, rubbing his night beard over the tender skin.

She inhaled in pleasure, taking in his arousal, a hot, salty spice overlaying the grassy green. He pressed a kiss to her mound—and then blew warm, moist air against the material over her clit.

Heat licked up her spine. She grabbed his shoulders and made a low sound, half cat, half human. He nipped and sucked at her sex through the cotton, stoking the heat, getting her good and wet for him.

He gave her a last kiss and lifted his head. “Bath first.”

She blinked down at him. “No…”

“Yes. Believe me, you don’t want me close to you right now.”

And despite her grumbling that she’d been “close” to him for two days, he helped her out of the briefs and rose to his feet.

His gaze tracked down her body in one searing look, and then he dragged her into his arms. “If you knew how fucking much I want you…”

“Same,” she managed to say before his mouth covered hers.

It was a deep kiss, involving tongues and teeth. A kiss that demanded she meet him halfway. He’d stopped being careful with her, and she loved it.

She twined her arms around his neck and rubbed her breasts against his bare chest, reveling in the feel of his wiry hair against her nipples.

His erection pressed against her belly through the knit boxers.

He palmed her bottom and squeezed, muttering hot, sexy things about how he’d wanted to see her naked since the very first day in the pub, how he’d fantasized about her ass.

This time, it was Marjani who broke the kiss.

She walked the few steps to the pool. “Coming?”

His gaze swept over her body again. She had time to see his eyes darken and then she did a shallow dive into the pool, coming up at the opposite end. She swiped the water out of her eyes and watched as he shucked his knit boxers.

His cock was long and hard. He wrapped his hand around himself and looked down at her as he stroked himself.

She moistened her lips, enjoying the view—and then gulped.

Something about the way he stood above her, legs apart, playing with himself…and the bad memories coated the back of her throat, sending fear skittering like a spider up her spine. She set a hand over her jumping heart.

“Jani.” He released himself. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t think.” He stepped into the pool and gave her a lopsided grin. “Thinking is way overrated. Ah…that feels good.” He sank down on a ledge, the steamy water up to his chest, and stretched his long arms out along the edge of the pool.

She swallowed hard. Gradually, her heart slowed as she realized he was waiting for her to come to him. No coercion here, just a beautiful man who wanted her as much as she wanted him. She let out a breath and removed her hand from over her heart.

You got this, Jani.

If she stopped now, no one would judge her, not even Fane. She’d survived a gang rape. Fane might not know the details, but she knew he had a pretty good idea of what had happened.

But she didn’t want to live the rest of her life celibate. Sex was good, a pleasure she refused to let Corban and those warped, feral river fada steal from her.

Fane rested his head against the ledge. His eyes drifted shut.

She frowned. How the fuck could he be so relaxed? Then she shook her head at how ridiculous she was being, and somehow she was moving, crossing the pool in a few strokes to take a seat on the ledge beside him.

She tipped her head back and let the hot water do its magic on her muscles. Fane touched the back of her head, and when she murmured in pleasure, began stroking it. Her tension eased. She moved her head against his palm, seeking more.

He massaged her nape, his fingers gentle, knowing. Something pinched in her chest.

It had been so long…

She turned her head to look at Fane. His eyelashes were a dark crescent on his lean cheeks, and his corn silk hair floated around his face.

“You may be right,” she told him.

”About what?”

“That thinking is overrated.”

His smile had a self-mocking edge. “Some would say I live my life by that principle.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“You don’t know me very well.”

“I know you well enough. If you couldn’t think several steps ahead, you wouldn’t have lasted long in a fae court. Especially this one.”

“Are you saying I’m as devious as they are?”

“Yeah.” Her mouth quirked. “I think I am.”

He threw back his head and laughed aloud. Then he sobered. “Gods. It’s been so long since I talked to someone like you.”

“Like me?”

“Someone who tells me exactly what she thinks of me. I’m so bloody tired of all the doublespeak. If only I’d met you before I―” He shook his head.

She moistened her lips, equal parts flattered and sad for him. “I wasn’t even alive when you signed the contract with the king.”

“No.” He let his eyes drift shut again. “You weren’t, were you?”

She studied his sculpted features, the pointed ear peeking through his wet blond hair. How in Hades had she ended up here, naked in a pool with this man?