I took his face in my hands and kissed him hard and open-mouthed, leaving marks on his jaw. Lorcan made a sound in the back of his throat, grabbed my ass and ground me against his erection. I liked that. A lot.
“Painting is fun,” I murmured against his mouth.
“See?” Lorcan fumbled with the side laces on my skirt. I stopped him.
A disturbing thought quelled my ardor. “How often have you done this?”
He shook his head. “Never. It has…” He hesitated, then scooped up a palmful of paint. “Implications.”
The cool press of paint on the backs of my upper thighs made me exhale against his face. We kiss, and kiss again.
“Implications, in what way?” I asked when I could breathe again.
Is this what Raina was trying to warn me about? If so, she didn’t seem overly concerned by whatever they are, or she would’ve tried harder. It seemed kind of like an afterthought. Can’t be that serious.
Lorcan returned his attention to the laces of my skirt, which were biting into my hips as my knees moved farther apart. A current of air wafted between my thighs, and I shivered slightly when it caressed the wet, newly exposed part of me. He got it undone and slid the garment away. I couldn’t decide whether I was more embarrassed or aroused to be naked from knee to sternum. Either way, I kept my eyes on him as heat crawled down my throat and spread over my chest. My nipples were tight points against the butter-soft leather.
Lorcan glanced down. His eyes widened. “Holy fuck, Zosia—”
His cock twitched inside the ridiculous shorts. His clothes weren’t so easy to remove, sadly for me.
“Yes, please,” I whispered, and sank my teeth into his earlobe.
So nervous. Too nervous. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.Why doesn’t he hurry? Please, finally, let’s get this over with.
That wasn’t quite the approach he wanted to take, though. Lorcan wanted to take things slow. I should probably be grateful for that, but I can’t be. I want it done. I want to know what it feels like to have sex. I want the best chance of getting pregnant possible, given the short time we have left together.
If I push for it, though, he’ll suspect, and that will raise questions I don’t want to answer.
So once again, I must temper my enthusiasm andwait.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
There’s a squish of paint as he takes up more. His palms landed on my back and slid messily upward, making me gasp. I inched closer on his lap. He dug his fingers into my buttocks and rocked my newly depilated sex hard against his erection, grinding hard. I exhaled against his neck.Oh, yes.I’ve needed this.
He didn’t ask before untying my top. I didn’t protest. The triangles fall to the floor. I’m grateful for the low light. It’s the first time he’s seen me naked since the fiasco in June. I braced. But instead of recoiling, Lorcan takes me in with hot blue eyes that devour me whole.
I squirmed, wanting him to look yet not wanting to be seen as I am.
“Zosia.” He breathed my name on an exhale. I scooped more paint and traced it along his collar bones, noting the nicks and scars visible in the dimness. Placing a fingerprint at the hollow of his throat where I like to stroke him.Mine.
The wet press of his hands against my ribs made me flinch closer, arching upward. Lorcan took this as an invitation to draw a purple line from the hollow at the base of my throat to the end of my sternum. He bent his head to nip that spot beneath my ear, while circling one nipple with his thumb. I clutched his hair. He moved down, sucking my skin, rolling the other between his thumb and forefinger. My mind blanked out. Good. Minds are useless in these situations anyway. Who needs to think?
Just deflower me already.For a moment, I thought he might. Lorcan shifted, depositing me on the surface of the bed. I scrambled for the furs provided as bedding, feeling shy again. Trying to cover myself before panic set in.
“You okay, Princess?”
I can’t believe he picked up on it so quickly. The feeling eased.
If we stop now, I might not get another opportunity to try with him.
“Yes. Everything’s okay.”
I lay propped on my elbows with a skin draped over me, torn between wanting to continue this and fear that it would all go sideways again. Lorcan settled himself beside me and moved the bowl to where it was less likely to get spilled.
He scooped a thick glop and kept tracing the line of my sternum between the modest rise of my breasts, down to my navel. Painting the hollow. Drawing a sun around it, a reference to the Sun Goddess from whom I am supposedly descended. I’d have rolled my eyes, but he bent lower to press an open-mouthed kiss to my stomach. My insides lurched with each new touch.
I watched with fascination. Being exposed this way wasn’t so terrible. With all the purple paint streaking my body, I don’t feel quite so naked. Which doesn’t make much sense, but then again, neither do I, lately.
