“Okay, now you’re just showing off,” I told the jungle, but I wasn’t about to refuse breakfast in bed. Well, breakfast in pond.
I munched on the sweet-tart fruits as I finished bathing, feeling strangely at home despite the utter alienness of my surroundings. The water sluiced away the sweat and stickiness from last night, though nothing could wash away the memory ofLor’s hands on my skin, his mouth between my thighs, the way he’d filled me so completely I thought I might shatter.
I dunked myself in the water, scrubbing clean until I felt human again. I even managed to rinse out my crunchy Earth clothes and pull them back on, though they were a little stiff. Still—progress.
By the time I returned to the shelter, Lor had reappeared from the trees, all golden eyes and quiet power. He watched me with that unreadable expression that somehow said everything.
“You look pleased,” he said, voice low and warm.
“I feel like a Disney princess, if Disney princesses were really into jungle-themed cryptid sex dreams and sentient vines.” I paused. “The jungle gave me fruit.”
He arched a brow. “Queen of the wild.”
I grinned. “You mean Jungle Royalty.”
“Queen of my territory,” he replied, deadpan.
I blinked at him.
Then I caught the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Oh, he was half-joking. Maybe less than half. His eyes tracked over me, lingering on the damp spots where my clothes clung to still-wet skin. The hunger in his gaze was unmistakable, sending a fresh wave of heat pooling between my thighs.
I could ask him where he’d been, but that would involve him evading my questions or growling something cryptic about “securing the perimeter.” And honestly, I was hungry for more than just answers.
“Want to eat something?” I asked, holding up the remaining fruits I’d brought back from the pond.
His eyes darkened, pupils expanding until only a thin ring of gold remained. The tip of his tail flicked once, twice—a tell I was learning to read as interest. Intense interest.
“Yes,” he rumbled, but the way his gaze dropped to my lips, then lower, made it abundantly clear he wasn’t talking about fruit. “I would enjoy eating very much.”
Well then. Breakfast was apparently going to be interesting.
Lor didn’t even tryto pretend he’d meant actual food. Before I could make another smart remark, he was on me, golden eyes blazing with hunger that had nothing to do with breakfast and everything to do with devouring me whole. His mouth claimed mine in a kiss that stole my breath and liquefied my spine, his powerful hands gripping my hips to pull me flush against him.
“I’ve been thinking about tasting you again since I left,” he growled against my lips, his voice rough with need. “Your flavor haunts me.”
Well, how was a girl supposed to respond to that except by melting into a puddle of arousal? I pressed closer, feeling the hard length of him already straining against the confines of whatever material made up his minimal clothing.
“You had me for hours last night,” I murmured, even as my traitorous body arched against his. “Aren’t you tired of the menu yet?”
His answering growl vibrated through my entire body. “I could feast on you for centuries and never grow tired of your taste.”
With one fluid motion, he lifted me and carried me to our moss bed, laying me down with surprising gentleness before prowling over me. His eyes never left mine as he slowly peeled away my freshly washed clothes, exposing my skin to the humid jungle air.
“Already wet for me,” he observed, nostrils flaring as he scented my arousal. “So responsive.”
I should have been embarrassed at how quickly he could bring me to this state, but embarrassment seemed ridiculous when faced with such primal desire. Instead, I spread my thighs wider in invitation.
“You promised me eating,” I reminded him, my voice huskier than intended. “I’m still waiting.”
His lips curved in that rare, devastating smile. “Impatient kassari,” he murmured, but he was already moving down my body, pressing open-mouthed kisses to my collarbone, my breasts, my stomach.
When he finally settled between my thighs, I held my breath in anticipation. The first broad stroke of his tongue against my core sent electricity shooting up my spine. I gasped, hips bucking instinctively, but his strong hands held me firmly in place.
“Fuck,” I whimpered as he continued his leisurely exploration, that textured tongue mapping every fold, every sensitive spot with devastating precision.
“I love how you taste here,” he growled against me, the vibration adding another layer to the sensation. “So sweet. So perfect.”
