Page 70 of Starborn Husbands

A body-wide shiver quakes its way through me. Do I like that? Fuck, I do. Taking up your sword for someone is a whole thing. A declaration. It’s the thing you do when someone threatens your beloved.

“I’m not your beloved,” I say, hoping he’ll agree that it’s true and then I brush like crazy, tugging at stubborn knots.

“You’ll be my husband and that’s enough for it to count. Please, Treyu. I could do it anywa—oow! Not so hard.”

“Yah big baby. Serves you right for even suggesting you’d do that without my permission.”

“I don’t want to insult you with this. I want it to be special.”

The brush glides through his long red strands with ease now that I’ve worked through most of the knots. Maybe I should dig the teeth of the brush into his skull? I can’t believe what I’m about to say to him.

“Alright, Centaurus. You can use that big sword of yours to defend my honor or something. That’s riding the Princess Peach line, though.”

“Never. As if you’d ever sit there waiting for me to save your ass. I’ll rarely get the chance.”

“Stop pouting. It doesn’t suit you,” I say, even though it kinda does.

He pounces, and I’m on my back with the big lug on top, straddling my torso. My eyes land on his lips, all plump and biteable. Fuck his stupid kissable lips. I don’t want him to kiss me again. I don’t! Why do his lips have to be so inviting?

They descend on my neck, burning fire into every press against the sensitive flesh. Short, breathy exhales puff from my lungs and there’s a good chance this is going to finish me off. I wrap a leg around him, searching for his mouth.

Finally—fucking finally—we meet in the middle, his lips crushing mine. My fingers dig into his flesh and my heart’s in real danger of stopping. Why does Zhang of all people do this to me? I don’t want this, and I crave it, which doesn’t make any sense. I’m not letting go for anything. He’s going to kiss me all day if I want him to.

“You touched your dick,” he says between punched-out breaths. At least he’s smart enough not to pry his lips from me. I will kill him for that.

“H-How could you know that?” I have no wish to find my breath, only to continue stealing Zhang’s.

“There’s slick on your hand, babe.”

Fucking hell. I’mneverthat sloppy.

I change the angle of our lips, staking my own claim on him with a brutal kiss to penetrate his bones, which is silly. I didn’t want him in the first place, but now that he’s going to be mine forever, he’ll damn well know it.

It happens again without conscious thought, I try to push my starness into him, but this time it feels familiar. Something I’ve done before. There’s a bubble-pop sensation on the inside, and my head swims. This bracelet sucks. All this pent-up light can’t be good for a star.

I rip my lips away and my lungs make it known just how oxygen-deprived they are, forcing me to suck air in too quickly. He rests his forehead on mine, equally out of breath, closing his eyes too. “Gods, I can fuckingsmellyou, Orion. You’re not making this easy.”

“I’ve never made things easy, and I don’t plan on it. What will your father think of all that vulgar language?”

“I’m going to blame you.” He smirks. “Up. Time for a well-deserved ass warming.”

“Oh, c’mon. I deserve a freebie.”

“I’ve given you plenty of freebies. Where did that brush go?”

I knew it. I knew that was getting used on my ass. This is about the time I regret my actions, but in this case, I want to see how he spanks. “Here, Your Royal Highness.”

I’ve been spanked a lot over my many centuries of life. By my father, by Dad, by Atlanta … Uncle Ryan. Fucking Merrick. Everyone spanks differently. They each have a signature. What will Zhang’s be? Fuck, what if I don’t like it? Kissing is nice, and we’re good at that, but spanking is everything.

It’s my love language.

“You’re spinning in your head,” he says. “Have I scared you?”

I punch him in the arm. “No, asshole. I’m not scared of you.”

He rolls his eyes. “Fine. Get up. Pants down.”

That’s different from spanker to spanker. Some like to pull them down for you, some like to start over the pants and work their way to your bare ass. Guess Zhang falls into the other category.