Page 89 of The Throne Seeker (Vallorian #1)

“I couldn’t get you out of my mind,” he continued, looking away.

“It felt like my entire body was underwater, like a relentless pressure was surrounding me, squeezing the air out of my lungs. I couldn’t take a single breath without feeling like there was a knife lodged in my windpipe.

I’d close my eyes, and all I could see was you.

All I could think about was you. And I’m not talking about a small crush.

” He paused, cupping her face. “I ached for you… Gods, how I ached for you.” He winced as if remembering the painful experience.

He slipped his hand into her hair. “The pressure would disappear around you. You were the only cure for my madness. I had to fight my body every minute of every hour not to go find you. I’d even find myself staring up at the staircase in the middle of the night, debating if I could just…

slip in next to you, if only to sleep for a few hours. But I didn’t want to scare you away.”

Her heart tore in half. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He shifted his gaze like he was trying to guard himself. “I thought I could handle it, that it’d pass with time. I was ashamed of being weak. I hate feeling weak. I’m not accustomed to it. And more so because I wanted it to be your own decision whether or not you wanted me.”

She reprimanded herself for being so oblivious to his pain. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” Her fingers stroked his jaw, but he still wouldn’t meet her gaze.

“I’ve never been needy, and it’s hard for me… I’ve never needed anyone like I need you.”

Her heart swooned as she scooted closer to him. “Be needy with me. Be greedy with me.” She placed herself onto his lap, straddling him as she combed her hands through his hair. “Because you’ll never have to be without me again.”

His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her closer. His perfect golden eyes clouded with tenderness. “You understand you are my entire world, don’t you?”

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding. “I’m beginning to.”

Roman took her chin, making her look at him. His gaze dropped to her lips as he traced his thumb along her bottom lip. The simple touch made her skin burn alongside the fire’s flames. She ached for him. She ached for him more than she had ever ached for anyone in her life.

And what thrilled her more was that she knew he ached for her, too.

She lost her composure when his thumb stroked her lip again. She parted her mouth and took it in, enveloping it down to his lower knuckle. She flicked it with her tongue, then, ever so slowly, she allowed it to slip from her mouth, catching on her bottom lip as it dropped out.

She dared to lift her eyes.

His demeanor had changed from content to lustful in an instant. His hooded eyes fixated on hers with such an intensity that she was both excited and somewhat frightened at the same time. With a firm grip, his large hand encircled the base of her throat, drawing her lips to his.

His mouth tasted like divine life itself—a sweet, addicting taste she’d never be satisfied with. She sucked his lower lip, taking it in between her teeth, tugging at it.

Roman responded by taking her hips into his hands and grinding her against him.

She let a small moan slip into his mouth.

Roman pried his lips away, going straight for her neck, his teeth scraping her skin.

She let out another moan as she arched her neck, asking for more. Always more.

His lips traveled down her neck to her collarbone, moving until the fabric of her dress stopped his path.

He pulled back, his hands going for the back laces of her dress.

She turned, giving him better access. When he finished, he reached for the hem, lifting it off and throwing it to the side.

The heat from the fireplace beat hotter on her bare skin.

She grabbed for his shirt in response, exposing his chest, needing to feel his skin against hers. She took it a step further, going to her chest band, unwrapping it, and exposing her breasts to the cool air.

Roman’s gaze slowly shifted downward, swallowing hard. It was as though he’d seen a feast and he was starving.

Her cheeks burned as he devoured her with his eyes.

“If we keep going… I’ll lose all control,” he breathed in warning, giving her one last chance to back out. “I touch you again, and I won’t be able to let you off that bed, even if you beg me to.” He wanted to make sure she understood.

She held his gaze, fearless. “I understand.” Like she’d ever want him to stop.

As if she’d just released him from a leash, his self-control snapped as he dragged her roughly back into him. His lips crashed onto hers with a new sense of desire as his calloused hand went up to her chest, rolling his thumb over her nipple.

She whimpered, gasping at the absolute pleasure taking over.

His mouth grew into a triumphant smile against her lips.

Two could play that game.

Her hand went down to the waistband of his pants, her fingertips playing with the fabric before slipping her hand in. Her fingers had barely brushed the tip of him when a moan rumbled deep within his throat.

She’d found a new goal: make him make that sound over and over again.

He laid her down on the blanket as she reached for him, aching for his body weight to be on hers.

“You are mine,” he claimed with a rasp, trailing feathered kisses along her stomach. “Rosalie Versalles… you are mine… and I’m never… letting you go,” he muttered between kisses, trailing higher and higher.

She squirmed under him, her breaths shallow and weak.

His lips reached her breast, just the place she was hoping for. But he didn’t give in to her desire so easily, teasing her as he kissed everywhere but the tip.

She let out a small, irritated whine.

His eyes flicked up to hers, a smile playing on his lips.

She glared at his cruelty. “Please,” she begged, hating how weak she sounded.

He returned to kiss her lips before pulling back to hover over her. “Please, what?”

“Take them.”

He returned his lips to her chest, offering a few more kisses before finally taking the peak into his mouth.

She gasped, her back arching off the floor, her body writhing beneath his as he lavished her with all the attention she craved. He switched sides, refusing to neglect the other—just as he’d promised.

Her moans grew uncontrollable. She needed more. She gripped his hovering hips and ushered them closer, grinding her pelvis against him as her legs fell open.

He hissed at the sudden thrust, feeling his hard cock pressing against her as she moaned louder.

Desperate for more, he pushed himself off her, wasting no time before he tugged her underwear down. He slid them off her legs and added them to the growing pile of clothing next to them.

He stilled as his eyes worshiped her, licking his lips in a way that sent her into a different dimension.

She reached for his pants, eager to see all of him. He allowed it, not objecting as she unbuckled his belt and slid it off. Next, her fingers undid his trousers, pulling the them down as he helped her free them from his legs.

She sat back, examining him with greedy eyes.

He was a perfect specimen, his muscles even more prominent in the shadows, rain hammering against the window behind him.

She couldn’t contain herself any longer. She leaned forward.

“No,” he denied with an unmerciful smile. “I’m not finished with you yet.”

She laid back, giving him an impatient grunt.

His lips tugged upward into a crooked grin.

He moved down toward her legs, his warm lips brushing her inner thigh lightly, leaving trails of kisses and bites, rising dangerously close to the ache between her legs.

She thought she’d reached her wit’s end. She put her hands above her head to restrain them, grabbing a handful of the blanket, muffling a moan.

He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and without warning, he slid a finger inside her.

She practically cried out, biting her lip as her back arched again. He hooked his finger, gliding against her ribbed wall. She rocked herself against him shamelessly.

His free hand went back up to play with her breast again. She writhed in pleasure, aching to reach her peak.

As if he knew, he withdrew.

She moaned in protest, her eyes opening to meet his again.

He lifted the finger to his mouth to taste her, his eyes never leaving hers as he licked it clean.

More liquid trickled between her legs.

“Roman,” she breathed, hating how desperate she sounded. “I need you.”

“And to the gods, I need you,” he groaned. His gaze shifted between her legs, then back to her. “But I haven’t even had the main course yet.” A wicked smile swept in like the wind as he gripped her thighs, dragging her towards him.

She held her breath, the area between her legs throbbing for what he was about to do.

He gently bent her knees so she was displayed like a feast. His eyes became feral as he let out a low moaning sound before kissing the sensitive skin at her core.

She’d never forget the first stroke of his tongue.

Her body reacted immediately. Every muscle tensed from the pleasure as she gasped.

“Roman,” she moaned, grabbing a fistful of his soft hair as he had his way with her, his tongue flicking and sucking as he pleased, his deep moans vibrating her most sensitive parts.

Her back lifted again as he shoved his tongue inside her.

His free hands slid up to her chest, reaching for her heaving breasts, playing with them lazily.

She whimpered, the pleasure inside her threatening to burst. “Ro… Roman,” she warned, about to reach her peak.

He didn’t move, moaning into her.

The vibration of his lips sent her over.

She cried out. Loudly. So loudly. Luckily, the rain would drown out her cry from being heard from downstairs. She clutched his hair in fistfuls as her hips bucked, shaking uncontrollably, her climax shattering through her in beautiful waves.

As she came back down, she waited for him to release her, but instead, he continued, his hands pinning her thighs so she would stay just where she was.

He pushed her over the edge again.