Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 92476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
But I didn’t want to think of them. I pushed the thought of my cruel cousins out of my head and felt myself melting against my new husband as he kissed me, showing me things I had never thought could be.
I felt the tip of his tongue probing gently at the seam of my lips and I parted for him instinctively. His tongue darted in, tasting me lightly, and then he was leading my own tongue back to his mouth.
Daring greatly, I slipped my tongue between his lips and he sucked it gently. His mouth tasted hot and sweet and slightly spicy and his big, warm hands were rubbing up and down my bare body, sliding over my back and hips and bottom. He gripped my ass hard and brought me against him, pressing against me until I felt the ridge of his shaft rubbing against my naked sex, parting the outer lips to rub against the forbidden button again.
I gasped in pleasure and writhed against him and then his hands traveled back up to cup and squeeze my breasts and tease my nipples until I moaned restlessly.
“So fucking beautiful,” I heard his magical voice growling in my head again. How was he doing this? I had never heard of magic that allowed one to transfer thoughts.
“There’s a lot you haven’t heard of, little bird,” Liath murmured. “And I’m going to teach you all of it…but that’s enough for tonight.”
And he broke the kiss, pulling back from me.
By this time I was panting, filling to overflowing with the unfamiliar sensations. I felt as though part of me had been asleep all my life and my new husband had somehow awakened it. I didn’t have a name for it yet—this new part of me—but it was hungry. And it wanted more.
“More!” I whispered, half-ashamed of begging, but unable to help myself.
But Liath shook his head, a slight smile curving the corners of his sensuous mouth.
“These things can’t be rushed, little bird. Besides, we need to save something for your lessons.”
“My lessons?” I asked, frowning uncertainly. “What lessons?”
“Your magic lessons.” Liath smiled mysteriously. “Don’t worry—you’ll see. We’ll start tomorrow.”
“But…I don’t have magic,” I protested.
“You do. And I’ll prove it to you tomorrow,” he promised. “Now put your gown back on—you’re too damn temping all naked and hot like that.”
I looked down at myself and realized all over again that I was completely nude and that I had been pressing myself against him wantonly as he kissed me. What was wrong with me? Why had I done that—acted like that? It must have been his magic working on me, I thought—making me do things I wouldn’t normally do.
Liath rose from his seat on the end of the bed and headed towards the bathing chamber.
“Where are you going?” I asked. “I mean, why are you leaving?”
“Because as I said—you’re too damn tempting,” he growled. His bronze eyes flashed. “Got to take care of myself before I can trust myself to sleep beside you—especially if you’re going to sleep naked, like that.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “Which might be dangerous—better put back on the gown, like I said.”
Blushing, I found my gown on the floor and scrambled to get back into it. By the time I finished, Liath was in the bathing chamber with the door closed.
I got into bed and slid under the covers, filled with confusion and unfulfilled tension and longing. But what was I longing for—for Liath to take me? Of course not! The very thought filled me with horror…didn’t it?
Actually, it didn’t anymore. If anything, I felt intrigued by the idea. The image of him on top of me, spreading my legs, filling me with himself, flashed across my mind’s eye again. It had shocked and horrified me before…now I felt a warm flush of desire as I considered it.
Stop it—what’s wrong with you? I scolded myself. He killed Quill!
But had he? He had said he wasn’t my brother’s killer and now that I thought of it, Asfaloth was the only one who claimed to have seen the killing. Who did I trust more—my cruel cousin or my new husband, whom I barely knew?
I couldn’t honestly tell. I felt that I wanted to trust Liath—but I wasn’t sure I could. He was Unseelie—the enemy of my people. All my life I had been warned against the unnatural monsters and creatures that inhabited the Winter Court.
And now I inhabited it too—what did that make me?
I didn’t know anymore—I didn’t know anything. Maybe I would find out tomorrow…
I settled down in the bed, with the warm, dark blue comforter pulled up to my chin. The pillow I pressed my face to had Liath’s scent on it—warm and spicy. It smelled a little like leather and a bit like smoke. I also detected notes of fresh cut cedar and snow, which had been unfamiliar to me before, but was distinctive. And under all that was a masculine musk that was at once and entirely Liath.