Page 111 of Journey to the Elderoak
He leaned in, his forearm resting on the wall above her head and whispered in her ear. “Backing you against a wall? Yes.”
Her breath quickened as she looked up at him. The way he was looking at her…like a man starved. As if preparing to devour her.
“I’m still irritated with you,” she whispered, voice coming out hoarse.
“It’s sexy when you’re mad,” he said as he leaned in and kissed the tender spot below her ear.
“You didn’t tell me,” she said.
His lips moved lower along her neck. “I’m sorry.”
She sighed. “It’s okay.”
He removed his arm from the wall and tilted her chin, pulling her into a kiss. She put her hands on his chest, wanting more but afraid of hurting him.
“Cas.” She stopped him and he paused, looking down at her, his hand cupping her face.
“Hmm?” he asked as his thumb stroked her cheek
“I…I want the bond.”
He went still. “Are you sure?”
She brushed his hair out of his face. “I’m positive.”
“You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that.” He kissed her forehead.
“What now?” she asked. “Do we like…do something?”
“Not tonight. We won’t have time.”
“When?”
He leaned in, their foreheads pressed together. “After the ball. We cut our palms, join them together and say a prayer to The Mother.”
“That’s it? Do we need to have a ceremony or something?”
“Only if you want to. But most people prefer to do it in private because…”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Because what?”
“Let’s just say after the bond is blessed by The Mother it gets…intense. Very intense.”
“Intense how,” she whispered, heart in her throat.
He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers.
“I think you can imagine.” He kissed her hard, tongue exploring her mouth as he moved his hand to her hip and yanked her closer.
Casimir’s body pressed against hers as he deepened the kiss. His hand slid from her hip, under her shirt and palmed her breast. She let out a sigh against his soft lips, the smell of him surrounding her. The hint of cedar and sage. It had been a comfort the moment she first smelled it. That night when he offered his tent for her to sleep in. The faint scent on thebedroll had wrapped her in a safe embrace, lulling her to sleep when she’d been so lost and scared.
And now they were here. Their souls yearning to be bound.
She ran her hands along his chest, avoiding his shoulder and pulled away momentarily. “You’re too injured. You only have one good hand.”
“I can do a lot with one hand,” he said as he squeezed her breast again and kissed her once more, harder and more feverishly, pinching her nipple.
He placed gentle kisses along her neck, starting under her ear and making his way to her collarbone, whispering about how soft her skin felt, how perfect she was. His hand left her chest and worked its way down her stomach, then between her legs over her pants.
