The Kingdom's Crown (Inheritance of Hunger #3) - Kathryn Moon Page 0,32
slow smirk growing over his lips. "But enjoy yourselves in the meantime."
Bryony snorted, and Aric swung the door shut.
I didn't wait another moment. The bed was only a few feet away, and I crossed the space with two steps. I didn't know what color the walls were, what pattern the tiles made on the floor. I didn't care about the fire or the furniture, although the massive mirror hanging on the wall opposite me was worth noting. All I could really see was the woman in my arms, smiling up at me with perfect understanding in her eyes.
"If I'd thought an assassination attempt would break your restraint, I would've—"
I stopped her teasing with my mouth over hers, feasting on the lips I'd been denying myself for weeks, sucking on the wicked tongue that taunted and tempted me. Bryony moaned and arched beneath me, her arms circling around my shoulders, hips bucking into the air and searching for mine. My arms still cradled her, pushing her across the bed, my knees bracketing her hips as I followed above her.
I pulled away as she began to whine, fighting my grin as she gasped for breath. The fire made her golden and bright, and now I saw that the bed was blue velvet, a dark contrast for all her gleaming shades.
"You won't change your mind?" Bryony asked, a little narrow line appearing on her brow.
She was probably right to ask. I hadn't objected to becoming one of her Chosen lightly. I wanted to be the one responsible for Bryony's safety because she was the most precious piece of my life now. As her guard, she'd been mine in a way she didn't belong to any of the others. My responsibility. My princess. My duty.
I wasn't sure I would be able to entirely surrender that role to someone else, but Piper had proven that my focus was already too close to Bryony to guard her properly. I'd gladly put myself on the sharp end of a knife again, one hundred times, regardless of Bryony's objections. But just in case she couldn't save me next time, I was going to make sure I died knowing the full force of Bryony's love, and sure that she knew mine.
"I'm your Chosen, my princess," I said, slipping one hand out from under her to smooth the line on her forehead. I dipped and caught her lips, gentling the kiss, settling my weight on top of hers to pin her to the bed. Bryony's sigh was sweet in my mouth, her legs trying to part beneath me, still trapped by my knees on either side.
I knew a torturous amount of detail about Bryony's sex life for always placing myself outside of it, and I knew how impatient she was with her Chosen. I'd heard her demands and pleas, her cries of pleasure and triumph. I knew exactly how often and quickly she got her way.
So I ignored her urgent wiggling, kissing her in languid strokes and sucks until she trembled for breath, savoring her whimpers as I followed the muscle of her throat with my teeth and tongue.
"Cresswell, please!"
She huffed as I returned to her lips, growled into the kiss, thrashing a little beneath me and then slowly melting again.
"Interrogations take hours, Your Highness," I said before sucking on the corner of her jaw. "We might as well too."
"Don't you dare," Bryony gasped.
I stroked my hand up her side, cupping her breast through the fabric of her dress, squeezing it roughly, and grinning at the long groan that fell from her lips. I would make her repeat every wicked sound I'd ever heard through a wall.
"I can't stand your patience."
"You are spoiled," I answered, pushing myself up on my elbows, pleased to see her laugh.
"Maybe a little." She reached between us, unfastening the buttons of my uniform, frowning at the shirt she found beneath. "Can't you be terrible without our clothes on?"
I had a feeling I would be a great deal less able to resist Bryony's demands if our skin was touching everywhere, but it was hard to argue the suggestion when I wanted to unwrap her and feel her writhing against me.
"Undress me then," I said.
Bryony's huff was irritated, and she sat up, pushing roughly against me until I rolled on the bed, still sitting up and now with her over my lap. Her hands were eager, lips pursed with concentration as she wrestled me out of my coat.