Page 22 of Up In Flames
“Tell me about your letter,” he said. “Did he declare his love for you?”
I smiled against Taroc's chest. “No. He said he saw me and he wanted me to see him. It was . . . beautiful and a bit sad.”
“And his sadness, his longing, calls to you.”
“Yes.” I lifted my head. “I'm sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because I don't want you to feel bad.”
“I don't, Ember. I know how romantic longing for someone can be. I imagine you have felt that way before, and so this man's desire feels familiar even though he hasn't revealed who he is. And that's key, isn't it? If he had signed that letter, it wouldn't have been half as romantic.”
I chuckled and laid my head on his arm to stare up at his bed canopy. “No, I guess it wouldn't have. So, maybe this guyisplaying a game with me.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. He could simply be feeling things for you that he wants to express without his identity getting in the way. It can be hard to gain your attention these days.”
“Why?”
“You are more in demand than other lords. You were recruiting, you help with Fress, the children, and then you have us to keep happy. You do a lot for others, Ember. And yet, it's hard for others to reach you.”
I snuggled back in against him. “Will you be mad if I start dating someone else?”
Taroc sighed. “I will be hurt, but I will get through it. I knew what this would be when I fell in love with you.” He kissedmy forehead. “But I know you will look after me as much as I look after you. Me and my beast. So, I will try to cage it.”
“Don't ever put yourself in a cage for me.” I turned my face up and grabbed the back of his head to pull him into a kiss.
It was tender, an expression of all I felt for Taroc, all he was bringing out of me at that moment. And that was a lot. I stroked his chest, enjoying the rumblings under my hand, and felt the answering rumble in my heart. The man who wrote that letter could be anyone, but the man in my arms wasn't hiding. He was solid, steady, brave, and mine. Not a fantasy. Reality. And the reality was so much better.
My hand drifted down between Taroc's legs to cup him.
Taroc pulled out of our kiss with a growl. “Ember.”
“I don't want to fuck you, Daddy,” I said as I straddled his waist. “I want to make love to Taroc.”
Taroc's expression softened into something more romantic than any letter. “I want that too.” He pulled me back down to his lips.
For once, he didn't take control. Taroc moved slowly with me, following my lead, letting me set the pace of our love. We undressed each other with long kisses between each piece. And yet, I wasn't panting in need by the time we were naked. I was comfortable. Aroused but hedonistically so. I could have lain there with him all day, just stroking his bare skin.
But our kisses eventually wandered. I worshiped my way across Taroc's broad chest, then down his belly. Instead of rushing through oral sex, I took my time kissing his length and rubbing my cheek along it before licking the tip. When I finallydrew him into my mouth, Taroc was writhing. I looked up, across the expanse of his muscular chest, to find him gazing at me with perfect love. No demands, even then, just a yearning for more.
And this was one yearning I could satisfy.
I crawled up his body and straddled his hips. Reaching out, I drew the bottle of oil on the bedside table—the one always there for times like this—to me with Air Magic. Then, slowly, I poured some into my hand. Taroc's jewel-gaze followed my motions as I rose onto my knees and stroked his cock, coating it. He groaned, his eyes closing briefly as his hands clenched on my hips. I rubbed the remainder over my opening, then guided him home.
Soft sighs sliding from both of us, we came together. I eased down upon him, then ground into the motion until I rocked back and forth. Deeper and deeper he went. At last, he was fully sheathed, and I felt whole. I sat there for a few long moments, just holding him in me as I held his stare. And Taroc let me, happy just to stroke my chest.
But when I began to move, Taroc grunted. His hand slid down to take my cock. Moving in time with my undulations, he pumped me. I moaned, running my hands over my chest and then down his arms and to his pectorals. I latched on, thumbs swirling over his nipples, and sped up.
“Ember,” Taroc said.
I met his stare and together, we said, “I love you.”
Chapter Eleven
I made up with Xae and Rath, but things were tense between us. Oddly enough, I was all right with that. They needed to work through their issues. I had told them before to let me walk away, that I might say things I would regret if I didn't. But Rath didn't truly understand until now. Oh, yeah, now he understood. I was a vicious bitch in a fight—physical or verbal.
But I wouldn't feel bad. Taroc wouldn't let me. And that made all the difference. You'd think it would have strained my relationship with Xae and Rath, but it didn't. It turned out that not feeling bad was the right response. If I had taken the full blame for what had happened, they would have forgiven me but also seen what I'd done as inappropriate. Wrong. When it wasn't. I had tried to walk away, but Rath wouldn't let me. Yes, I'd said horrible things, but if they knew me as they should, they would know that I didn't mean them. I was venting. I mean, that whole alpha wolf shit that I said I was sick of? I loved it. Xae knew that. But they needed to understand their part in our argument—take responsibility along with me.
