I watched her intently, my fondness for her growing stronger as she swept away the last of our would-be assassin’s ashes. She wasn’t using her persuasive magic, yet she exuded calmness and confidence as if battling demons and cleaning up the mess were everyday occurrences. Perhaps in her realm they were.
“What are you grinning about?” She closed the door and returned the broom to the closet.
“You are unlike any woman I have ever met.”
She pulled a questioning face. “Thanks? Or was that not a compliment?”
“It was indeed a compliment. You never cease to amaze me.” My chest tightened, the idea of keeping Cinder as my soul bride taking root deep within my heart.
She laughed. “Well, then. For my next trick, I guess I’ll figure out a way to hide your sigil so I can go into town and buy supplies.”
She rummaged through her bag, removing the jars of herbs and spells she’d taken from the seer’s abode and setting them on the table. “If Seraphine hadn’t decided to suck the life out of me, I could have grabbed my grimoire. It had a good masking spell in it that would have hidden your mark perfectly.”
She sank into a chair and examined her loot. “Let me see if I can throw something together.”
“There is an easier way.” I unbuttoned my shirt and slipped it off before offering it to her. “Here. Save your vim and wear long sleeves.”
She accepted the garment and rose to her feet, her gaze wandering down my chest before she looked into my eyes. Her tongue slipped out to moisten her lips, and my stomach tightened. She felt the attraction, the heat building between us. I was sure of it. Her pupils dilated, and her pheromones flared to life as she slipped her arms into the sleeves.
“Thank you.” She fastened the top three buttons and gathered the rest of my shirt into her hands, tying it into a knot at her navel.
Blood rushed to my groin. Something about my clothing wrapped around her stirred a deep, primal need inside me. I fisted my hands lest I give in to the urge to wrap myself around her.
She cleared her throat and took the ashmarks I had laid out. “Ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred, right?”
“Correct.” I breathed slowly and deeply, willing myself to maintain control despite every fiber of my being insisting we consummate our union.
“Clothes, food, weapons if I can find them. I don’t suppose there are any swordsmiths in this tourist trap?” She shoved the money into one pocket, the room key into the other.
“I’m afraid not.”
“All right. See you soon.” She hesitated, her gaze sweeping over me, caressing me, before she walked out the door.
As it clicked shut behind her, I let out a long, slow breath. Lucifer, have mercy. That woman would either be my salvation or my undoing. As long as she was mine, I didn’t care which.
I locked the door and kicked off my shoes, laying my clothing on the back of a chair before heading to the bathroom. If I had opted for a higher-end hotel, the faucet would have come with a chiller. Beelzebub knew I needed a cold shower after seeing her reaction to my body.
But I had chosen this place both for its secluded location and its discretion, rather than its amenities. Scalding hot would have to do.
I stepped beneath the stream, allowing the water to soak my hair and roll down my face. I closed my eyes, hoping to enjoy the sensation while focusing on a plan, but my thoughts drifted to the pink-haired beauty who fought like a warrior and negotiated like a royal.
Cinder was smart, quick-witted, confident, and strong. Even without our blood bond, I couldn’t deny her qualities. The more I got to know her, the more beautiful she became, and I doubted I could have denied the attraction, whether we were bound or not.
I washed my hair and lathered my body, imagining my hands were Cinder’s as I ran them across my chest and down my stomach. Her fingers would feel as soft as velvet against my skin, and the scent of her desire would enrapture me.
My dick throbbed as an image formed in my mind. Her supple curves pressed against me, her hair spilling around me as she gazed into my eyes. I groaned and grasped my cock, stroking it with a soapy hand and imagining Cinder sitting atop me, her center wrapped around me, squeezing me as she moved her hips.
Tightening my grip, I moved my hand faster, stroking from base to tip until my core tightened, winding like a coil, every muscle in my body tensing and then releasing in a rush of ecstasy.
I leaned a hand against the wall, letting the water pelt my flesh as my breathing slowed. When I recovered, I shut off the water and dried myself before wrapping the towel around my waist.
Cinder returned sometime later, her arms full of bags from her shopping adventure. “No one seemed to recognize me, so I guess that’s good.”
I took one from her and set it on the table. She unloaded the rest before finally looking at me. She sucked in a small gasp, her lips parting slightly and remaining that way as she took in my state of undress.
I chuckled. “Do you like what you see?”
She blinked three times and shook her head. “That’s irrelevant. Here.”
