Page 51

“The situation has scared me, Cyrus, not you.” She let him put his arm around her, relishing his warmth. “It seems sometimes as if we are two very small dots bouncing around a massively huge circle.”

His low laugh chased away some of the shadows. “A delightful analogy, Lady Maelin.”

“Why thank you, Lord Drake.”

His gaze lingered on her lips. “For now, for tonight, there is no Lord Drake. No Lady of Theryn.” He reached toward her, cupping her face with his hand. “There is only Mae and Cyrus. You and me.”

She could have stopped it right there. Smiled, backed away, he’d have let her, she knew. But then Ysoria Marr’s voice came back to her, clear as a bell.

“Listen to the magic in your heart. It will open doors...”

She nodded. “All right.”

Her arm went around his neck as she closed the remaining distance between them and kissed him.

*~~*~~*

Cyrus’ heart thundered beneath his shirt as Mae slid towards him and onto his chest, willingly offering her mouth and kissing him so tenderly.

Need speared through his body, a sharp pointed flash of desire that made pulling her closer the most natural thing in the world.

His lips met hers, his tongue parted them, and sought hers, relishing the chance to truly taste her, to slide within her mouth and engage in a duel that had no losers.

She moaned, a slight sound that urged him on. She was with him, her breaths quickening as he pulled her directly on top of him.

The couch was large enough, since he’d designed it as a place for him to sleep as well as relax. It wasn’t a full four poster bed, but tonight it was going to be a magic place for the two of them to push the world away.

“Cyrus,” she tore her mouth from his. “Cyrus...I want...”

“As do I,” he groaned. “Let me...” His fingers found her fastenings and in less than a minute her gown parted down her back, loosening the bodice and making her catch her breath.

He ran his fingers up her bare spine. “Your skin. It’s every bit as soft as I’d imagined.”

“I like you touching me,” she whispered. “I want to touch you too.”

She pulled herself away slightly, ignoring the fact that her gown was hanging so loosely it barely covered her breasts. Cyrus couldn’t quite ignore it, but managed to spend a few moments watching her face as she undid his shirt. Then his heart almost stopped at her expression of wonder as she touched his chest and ran her hands over it, learning her way through the dark hairs and around the muscles.

“Lovely,” she hummed. “Warm, firm, lovely...”

He sincerely hoped she would like the other parts of him that could be described the same way at this particular moment.

“Mae,” he murmured, letting his fingers stroke her bare shoulder. “I want you. All of you.”

She met his gaze, her cheeks delicately flushed, her hair tumbling loose, her lips curving into a sensual smile. “Good. Because I want you too. Right here. Right now.”

That was all it took.

Within moments he had her gown and chemise on the floor, along with his shirt. She sprawled on the couch, slipping off her remaining clothes and watching him as he fought with his boots and then tore off his breeches, curious about her reaction to his body.

Her gaze immediately fell to his arousal, standing proud, and once again she surprised him.

“Cyrus, you are so beautiful. All of you.” She held out a hand, a siren luring him to his fate.

And what a fate she was.

He touched, caressed, learned her, running his hands up her thighs to her breasts, then cupping them, teasing them first with his tongue, then nipping her, loving her eager responses to everything he did.

Her hands weren’t still; she ran them up and down his back, stroking then tugging him so that she could find his buttocks and squeeze them. Her legs parted, making room for him, and he settled for a moment or two, returning for deep and exquisite kisses, coupling them with fingertips that toyed with nipples now hard and taut.