he hadn’t seen her undress thousands of times.
“I never tire of it.” The deep timbre in his voice sent the heat of desire through her blood.
“The kids?”
“With their parents.” His warm breath brushed her neck, and she felt his fingertips run along the outsides of her arms.
Finally, when she was fully unclothed, she turned to face her mate. He was sitting in a plush chair tucked into a corner across the room from her. Gavril always did like to use the bond in creative ways. Rachel’s lips turned up as she stared at the glowing eyes of her mate. “Shall I pose for you?”
“You do not have to ask what I want, female. Not after all this time together.” The wolf and man’s voice blended together as they fought for dominance.
Instead of moving toward the bed, she walked to him and then climbed onto his lap. One of his arms immediately wrapped around her waist, while his other hand began to slowly travel from her ankle up her calf to her thigh and then back down again. “This isn’t posing,” he said.
“Posing is not what you wanted,” she whispered. “As you pointed out, I do not have to ask what my male needs.”
“And what is that?”
“Me.”
Gavril leaned forward, pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, and then blew his warm breath on her sensitized flesh. “I always need you.”
*****
Lucian laid on the bed and listened to the sounds of his mate taking a shower. She hadn’t been surprised when she’d walked into her room and found him lounging across the comforter. She’d simply said, “Let me wash the shopping funk off of me, then we’ll talk.” Peri didn’t have to take a shower. She could have simply used her power to clean herself, but he’d learned she enjoyed the sensations that came with the human ritual of getting clean, not that he minded. His mate naked with water pouring down her body was not something he’d ever complain about.
When she finally emerged, she was wearing a white, glittering gown that hugged her body in delicious ways. If she thought they would be talking while she wore that, then she was sorely mistaken.
“I didn’t say we had to talk first,” she told him, his thoughts coming through their bond loud and clear.
“And do you really think there will be any talking after I am done with you?” Lucian’s eyes perused his mate’s lovely form.
“If you leave me with enough energy to gripe at you over your possessive obsession of ‘not sharing an inch of my flesh with another living being,’ as you so eloquently put it, then you might as well leave now.”
Lucian couldn’t help the deep chuckle. “You sound frustrated, beloved.”
“I would like to sound satisfied. Do you think you could assist me with that, my wolf?” Her eyes glowed as she walked toward him with the grace the fae were known for.
He patted the bed beside him. “Leave the gown on,” he ordered before she could use her power to make it disappear. Her flesh broke out in goose bumps at his command, and he could hear her heartbeat increase.
She laid next to him on her side, her elbow propping her up. Lucian rolled to face her. He placed a hand on her hip and pulled her to him until their bodies touched from ankle to chest. The hand resting on her hip gathered the material so that it crept up her body, revealing her delicate skin inch after inch. When he’d finally gotten the gown high enough that he could touch her silken flesh, they both moaned.
“I want you to make me a promise.” Lucian’s hand continued to push the gown up further. His female’s eyes fluttered as she tried to focus on his words, but through the bond, he could feel her senses were mostly focused on his touch. “We will never sleep apart again. I don’t care where in the world you are, or I am, or what we’re doing. You have the ability to make sure we’re together. Promise me you will always return to my side when we sleep.” Lucian had exercised much restraint in their relationship when it came to his possessiveness, but after seeing his sister in-law and brother lose their lives, he knew that there were some things he was no longer willing to give up. Holding his mate in his arms while she slept was one of them. No matter how long or how short their time left in this