Page 56
His answering growl is positively feral, vibrating against my skin while his hand slides down between my legs. He finds where we’re joined and gently bites my nipple. His fingers stroke and circle, increasing the tension inside me until I writhe beneath him, desperate for release.
I squeeze my eyes shut. “Sterling, yes. Fuck me. Just like that.”
“Such a filthy mouth.” His lips press a lingering kiss to mine. “Look at me. I want to watch those beautiful eyes when you come on my cock.”
I force my eyes open, meeting his gaze as his fingers continue to move. They find that bundle of nerves that shoots electric shocks of pleasure through my entire body. He tracks every pulse, every jerk.
The pressure compounds until finally it breaks, crashing over me in waves that leave me gasping his name into the charged air between us.
Moments later, Sterling follows me over the edge, his rhythm faltering as he buries his face in my neck.
A groan rips from deep in his chest. I hold him tight as he comes inside me, our bodies trembling together in the aftermath of our passion.
We lie tangled together, sweat cooling on our skin, hearts gradually slowing their frantic pace.
His breath tickles my neck as he presses more soft, lingering kisses to my skin. “I will come back to you. Nothing will keep me away for long.”
I tighten my arms around him as if I could physically prevent tomorrow’s dawn from separating us. “I know.” I do my best to ignore the fear still lurking in the corners of my heart. “I know you will.”
Sterling rolls to his side, bringing me with him so we’re facing each other, our legs still intertwined. He traces lazy patterns on my hip as we stare at each other in the dimming light, memorizing features we already know by heart. “We should sleep. Dawn will come too soon.”
I shake my head and scoot closer. “Not just yet. Sleep can wait a little longer.”
His smile is downright sinful as his cock hardens against my belly. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”
Chapter Eighteen
The fire paddock awakens to the soft blush of dawn. Sunlight expands across the sand and crushed stone, illuminating the dust motes swirling in the chilly morning air. Steam rises from the dragons’ scales as they finish their meals and stretch, prepping for a long flight.
Today is not just another sunrise. This is the day Sterling leaves to seek answers from the gods.
Around me, some of the people I love most in this world prepare for their journey. Agnar fidgets with his gear, laughter bubbling just beneath the surface of his stern facade, while Leesa offers him an affectionate eye roll.
My eyes drift back to Sterling, and my heart clenches as I watch him methodically tie the final straps of his armor.
He looks like a knight readying himself for battle. And in a sense, he is. This is a war for our future, and the thought rattles me.
He comes closer, his dark gaze boring into mine as if attempting to hold my spirit in place with willpower alone. “Your Majesty.”
I know he means to distract me with that formal title, but my attempt at a smile falters under the weight of my worry. “Stay safe.”
That’s all I can manage before a knot of emotion clogs my throat and moisture fills my eyes.
He pulls me to him, squeezing me like he’s grasping me for dear life. “I’ll come back, love. We all will. If anything, you might enjoy getting me out of your hair for a while.”
He trails kisses along my neck, my jaw, and the corner of my mouth.
The knot in my throat grows to the size of a boulder, and I can’t even manage a snarky reply.
Sterling must catch the heartache in my eyes because he lowers his head, his lips a breath away from mine. “Hey, none of that. I’m too damn pretty for anything to happen to me. Besides, if death came for me, I’d look him right in the eye and tell him to fuck off. Not a damn thing in this world or any other will keep me from you. I’d find a way to break out of all three hells to return to my rightful place at your side.” His lips graze my temple. “My queen. You are my everything.”
The boulder crumbles, and the dam bursts. Tears stream down my face only to be wiped away by gentle thumbs.
Then his mouth is on mine.
Our kiss is hungry. Raw. Desperate. He cups my cheeks, tilting my head back until he finds the perfect angle. His tongue tangles with mine, and his teeth nip my lower lip. A groan slips from him, the guttural sound echoing my own intense longing.
Much too soon, he pulls back, pressing one last kiss to my swollen lips.
