back down to lie in his arms and hugged her. “Next week…next week I’m going to have to kill some people. I don’t want to, but I have to. Some senators are working behind my back to have me assassinated. I’m going to need to put them on stakes in the center of the forum and burn them alive.”
She went tense and let out a rush of air in a long sigh and rested her forehead against his neck.
He kept talking. “If you’re going to say what I think you are, then…I want to hear it. I want to hear it so badly. I want to put a ring on your finger and make you mine, so I shouldn’t hide what I do from you. I had half a mind to leave you here for the week without me, so you didn’t have to see me murder someone again.”
One…two…
“Fuck.” He growled. “You know what I mean.”
She laughed and tilted her head to kiss his throat. “I know. And I agree. I should be there. If I’m going to be on board your train, then…I should be all in before I commit to anything. I want to be in the room when you do it. I might not be able to literally watch—but I need to experience it.”
“Fates, I love you.” He pulled her up higher on him and met her lips with his, kissing her hard. “So damn rational. All the time. I can’t lie…the idea of you being there while I light someone on fire turns me on in a way it really, really shouldn’t. Are you sure I can’t convince you to let me have you right here and now? Please? It’s dark. We’re really far away. Nobody’s paying attention. Pretty please?”
“What do I get out of it?”
He moaned and pressed his hips up to her at the mere suggestion that she was entertaining the idea. Was she? What is he doing to me? He was a bad influence. A bad, wicked, sinful influence. Hera, forgive me. I’m enjoying this too much. I never had the chance to desire anything in my life. And now I can’t find the strength to fight what I want. She let her hand wander down between them and began to undo the fly of his pants. He was already straining for freedom. “What’ll you give me in exchange?”
“Naughty girl…oh, name your price.”
She hummed thoughtfully. “I’m not sure. Come up with something creative.”
“I’ll wear a blindfold all night for you. You can tie me to the bedposts and do naughty things to me.”
“Is that supposed to be a favor for me, or you?” She teased him and nipped at his neck.
“Both? I vote both.”
She laughed and ran her tongue along his neck, pausing here and there to nip him. He growled and whined in the same breath. She loved teasing him, and he loved being teased. As much as he complained about it, nothing got him going faster than being denied and tormented.
Maybe it would be fun to drive him crazy for a night. “Deal.” She slipped her hand into his pants and began to stroke the part of him that so badly wanted attention all the time. “I do this for you, and you’re mine to do whatever I want with when we get back to the villa.”
“Deal…anything you want. Oh, gods, Hope—” He growled and rested his head back as she slid down his body, kissing her way over his shirt and freeing him from the confines of his pants.
Someone might see.
Someone might come up to them.
There was an odd thrill that came with the danger of being caught, she had to admit.
She reached him, throbbing and burning hot with his need. She ran her tongue along his length. He dug his fingers into her hair and growled as she took him into her mouth. She broke off a few moments later. “Keep your voice down,” she scolded.
“Can’t. Don’t wanna. Don’t you dare stop—” he growled down at her and yanked her head back to the task at hand. She let out a quiet moan as she let him take charge.
They had a wonderful back and forth relationship. She reveled in both the surrender and the taking of power. She let him grasp her hair hard in both hands, fisting it almost painfully as he worked himself against her tongue. Never too hard, never too rough, never too fast. But always just right on that line.
He had taught her over the