28
LoveHandles
Ashaft of sunlight on her face woke Eva, and she blinked, cracking her eyelids to read the display on the clock. Ten o’clock. A little later than she normally cared to sleep in, but then, last night had been pretty full-on. Honestly, it was amazing she’d woken up at all and not just died of shock.
There was a heavy arm slung over her side, a strong thigh shoved between her legs, and a leathery wing draped over her body. That last one was a bit weird, but it was all part of the package of her demon lover, and she wouldn’t have changed him for the world.
My funny valentine, she thought with a smile.
With that in mind, she rolled onto her other side so she was facing him. He was still sleeping, his handsome face relaxed into a softness she’d never see otherwise. Thick lashes lay against his cheeks, the kind that would make a girl envious, and that hair... It was all over the place. Between their bodies, trapped by his arms, under his head, her head, and spilling all over the pillows. She loved it. It was beautiful. It washim.
“What are you smiling at?” he mumbled without opening his eyes.
“How do you know I’m smiling?”
He cracked one eyelid, revealing a stunning indigo iris. “I can just tell.”
“I was thinking you look handsome when you sleep.”
His other eye opened, lips curving up.
“But you look even better when you’re awake and looking at me like that.”
He rolled, coming over top of her. He moved slowly, still groggy, but there was nothing sleepy about the erection suddenly nudging between her legs. The little nightie she’d gone to bed in was conveniently bunched around her waist, and she hadn’t worn underwear at all.
“I like your wings,” she said, and she did. They didn’t freak her out at all anymore.
He tensed. “I forgot.” He started folding them back like he was going to disappear them, so she quickly reached over his shoulder to stroke the fine boney ridge of one.
“Leave them. I mean it. I like them.”
He searched her face as if looking for signs of untruth, and then slowly, he unfolded them again until they were draped over the edges of the bed. She looked at that guarded expression and realized that if they were going to do this, she’d better make it very clear that she accepted him for who he was. Horrible, dark past included. Wings, horns, and red skin included.
And theyweregoing to do this. Shedidaccept him. She hadn’t been kidding when she told him she loved him, and damn it, she was going to make sure he knew it.
She lifted the hand from his wing and placed it on his cheek. “I want to see the horns too.”
His brows rose slightly, but he didn’t refuse. A moment later, his horns grew out of his skull as if by magic—and she supposed it was—curving down and then swooping up to sharp points. Wow, that was going to take some getting used to.
She had a pretty good idea where to start. Reaching up, she gripped both horns and yanked him down for a kiss. “Love handles,” she murmured against his lips.
“Mm?”
“You can grab me by my love handles, and I can grab you by yours.”
He pulled back a little though she didn’t let go of him. “You don’t have horns.”
She grinned. “No, love handles are the flesh on a woman’s body right here.” She released one horn to grab the skin above her hip. Ash’s eyes darkened as he surveyed.
“I like this term.” He replaced her hand with his own and gripped her tightly, hauling her against him and working his hips against hers nice and slow.
She tipped her head back with a moan, eyes falling shut. God, that felt good.
He continued his ministrations, releasing her hip to slide his fingers through her wetness to stroke her clit until her nerves were singing and she was nearly ready to come already. Just as she hovered on the edge, he slid that hand down and under her thigh, lifting her leg and hooking it over his forearm so she was spread wide for him. He positioned himself at her entrance and then pushed inside, inch by agonizing, glorious inch.
“Condom?” she managed, though it was the hardest thing she’d ever done to focus through the haze of pleasure.
“I can’t get you pregnant, Eva.”
