I trail my fingers down her sides, and she bucks beneath my touch, still pushing against her hands.
“Keep them there,” I warn.
Her jaw clenches, but she does as I say, keeping her hands above her head. Slowly, I slide my palms up her thighs and pull her gown up—inch by excruciating inch—until I reach the junction of her legs.
I stroke her, feeling the dampness, hearing her gasp. Her chest heaves, her hips twist as she tries not to move her hands. But I love her hands.
I scoop them free, wrapping her fingers around the iron bars at the headboard before I lift my head. Our eyes lock, desire and something deeper burning in her gaze. I see it all there. Fear, trust, want, and a glimmer of the woman she was before Aleksander tore her down.
She bites her lip, and I swear my heart stops at the sight. My wife. My fierce, beautiful wife.
I want to ravage her. Worship her. Spend the rest of my life making her smile.
I lower my head, trailing kisses along her thigh as I lift her undergarments to the side. She gasps, the sound sending a shot of desire straight to my cock.
She’s more than ready, and the knowledge does something dangerous to my control. I want to take her now, hard and fast, but I force myself to slow down—instead, teasing her, tasting her, torturing her.
Though, I know she can take it.
My Annora’s strong.
I flick my tongue against her, and her back bows off the bed. She gasps, but the sound cuts off as I do it again, swirling my tongue through her wetness and relishing her taste.
The mattress dips as she rocks against my mouth, and her grip on the iron bars tightens. Her breaths come faster, little pants that only spur me on.
She’s close. So close.
I ghost my fingers over her, circling, stroking. Her hands slide from the bars, reaching for my hair, my shoulders, my back—anywhere to anchor herself as I push her closer to the edge.
She wraps her legs around my head, pressing herself closer.
I’ll give her closer. I’ll take her there, but I’m going to take my damn time doing it.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Annora
He glances upat me through his thick, dark lashes, his eyes fiery and hungry. I part my legs wider, shameless in my need.
It’s him. It has always been him.
Even before our paths crossed, the gods had spun our Fates together, knowing he was made for me, and I for him.
He sucks gently before flattening his tongue and swirling it around in slow, maddening circles.
Pleasure explodes inside me, and I clench around his fingers. He continues to work his magic as I squeeze my eyes shut, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
Only when I melt bonelessly against the bed, does he pull away. He trails kisses up my body, and I wrap my legs around his hips, feeling him hard and ready against me.
As he moves against me, a slow burn ignites within me, different from the explosive pleasure that coursed through my veins just moments before. This time, it’s more like embers slowly catching flame, building steadily and growing hotter with each passing second.
He groans my name and thrusts deeper, and I shatter. After a few more thrusts, he collapses on top of me.
We stay tangled together afterward, his weight anchoring me to this moment.
“Thank you,” I say.
He lifts his head. “For what?”
