“Have I ever told you about the way your eyes sparkle when you look at me?” he asked.
I huffed in annoyance at his self-importance, though he was technically right. I did enjoy the sight of him.
“No? Well have I told you about the way your head falls back when you laugh? Or the indecent sway of your hips as you walk?”
I was not sure what he was doing, but his comments made me feel lighter somehow. As if the words, mixed with the soothing and tantalizing sound of his voice, grounded me. I shook my head, keeping my eyes closed tightly.
“Huh, I really thought I would have mentioned that at some point. I know I must have described in great detail the way your thighs feel when I lift you in my arms, how my hands mold around them as if they are a lifeline. Or the delicious way your breasts rub against my chest. Now, that I had to have mentioned.”
I chuckled at his tone but refused to open my eyes for fear of his scrutinizing gaze.
“Or this, right here,” he said, the sound of a brush scraping the canvas causing my jaw to clench. “The spot just below your belly button. I love this spot. The way you writhe beneath me when I kiss here, how you moan in pleasure. It’s addictive.”
Tension seeped from my body, flowing out of me like the water of a river rushing past a broken dam.
My eyes opened.
He loved it.
My stomach. The same part of me that the castle seamstress had loathed, had complained about making accommodations in my clothing for. The part of me that Mia feared Sterling would hate.
Bellamy loved it.
Our gazes met, my gray staring into his blue, neither of us daring to so much as blink. Bellamy was the first to break eye contact, licking his lips as he turned to the canvas.
We continued that way, him sharing every detail of my body that he adored and me staring at him, until he announced we needed a water break. Ever the wicked demon, he gave me a sultry kiss, forced me to drink, and then left me once more to continue his work.
He announced the completion of the painting by loudly moaning at it as he leaned back, looking quite pleased with himself. I noted how hard he was once again, how he casually stroked himself as he admired his work. It made my cheeks heat and my mind go blank.
I had no idea how long had passed, but based on the ache of my body, it must have been hours. I sat up fully, moving to get a look at the finished art—which only made me vaguely uneasy now that I saw just how much he liked looking at it.
“What do you think you are doing?” he asked.
I startled at his words, falling back onto the bed with my brows furrowed.
“I want to see what all the fuss is about. It better be exquisite,” I responded.
“No, that is not how this is going to work, Princess. My brush painted the canvas, and while that dries, my tongue will paint you.”
There was no time to hesitate or argue because Bellamy appeared before me in a cloud of black, scooping me from the bed. We portaled again, the pain becoming far less noticeable the more we did so.
I burst into laughter as we landed in a full tub, water flying over the sides and splashing onto the floor. It was ice cold, but the demon instantly began warming it, his body heating quickly. I laughed again at his antics as well as the cold.
Bellamy devoured my amusement, his tongue beginning the slow and glorious torment of painting me. He tasted his way down my throat, paying expert attention to the place where my neck met my shoulder. I groaned, my head falling back as his teeth grazed just above my collarbone. I wanted to bottle this feeling and save it for when I would one day be starved of him.
“I thought you could not portal in Dunamis,” I breathed out the words, my mind trying to fight against the storm of lust that was invading it. Bellamy’s chuckle rumbled against my ribs before he peeked up at me through his thick lashes.
“No, I said that we could not portal into Dunamis, but once we are past the wards we can portal within the territory and out of it. Honestly though, I would have found a way to stall us even if we could have portaled straight to the castle. Anything to have even a moment more of your time before the world falls apart, beautiful creature.” I meant to speak, to say something snarky in return, but then his mouth taunted me once more.
True to his word, that wicked tongue of his brushed teasing strokes over every inch of my skin. When he bit down on that area just below my belly button, I did exactly what he said I would. I writhed below him, moaning out his name.
He lifted me onto a ledge that connected the comically large white tub to the wall opposite the many windows, where the light blue curtains were drawn open to reveal the day.
They sure did enjoy sunlight and scenic views in this castle. And there was no denying that the sight was beautiful. The ocean was a stunning teal color, the sky above clear of clouds. More vines poked through the windows, letting in a chilly breeze.
I hummed at the feel of his lips as he kissed his way up my leg, the water below him growing warmer the higher he got. I felt something slide across my shoulder and looked down to see a vine slowly creeping up my arm. When it wrapped around my neck, I gasped, the pressure causing heat to travel down to my core.
With perfect timing, Bellamy’s mouth found my center. His first lick was slow and agonizing, like he wanted to draw out my pleasure for as long as he possibly could. So I lifted my hips, pressing myself further into his face. A growl erupted from his chest, then he was bringing my legs over his shoulders and hooking his arms around my thighs, utterly consuming me.
