into his shoulders. The sound of her broken cries of pleasure finally pushed him over. He couldn’t hold back any longer. The climax ravaged his body before it released him.
Then they were still. An absolute and rare peace like no other.
But the peace didn’t last. Yan Ling kissed his shoulder once, then grew serious. ‘What are we going to do, Fei Long?’
‘Fall asleep.’ He slid down beside her and pulled the blanket around both of them.
Her lips pressed tight as she bit back her protest. He was relieved. He’d already placed too much of a burden on Yan Ling and it had been wrong of him to do so. He’d find a solution—he didn’t know what, but he would. She didn’t need to worry about it.
Yan came to him, resting her head in the crook of his neck. Her hand drew a lazy pattern over his chest. Eventually she began to drift. Her soft weight grew heavy in sleep. He stayed awake a while longer to watch her.
All Yan Ling needed to know was that he’d take care of her. She didn’t need to sacrifice herself for his sake. From the beginning, he was the one who should have been prepared to give up everything.
* * *
Yan Ling opened her eyes. The chirp of birdsong outside told her morning was near, though it was still dark. For a moment she floated, still soaked in sleep, until memories of the night came back to her. She was in Fei Long’s chamber. In Fei Long’s bed.
She faced outwards from the alcove. The dimness washed the colour from everything, leaving the room in shapes and shadows. She could feel the cradle of Fei Long’s body nestled securely behind her.
‘Are you awake?’ He ran a soothing hand from her arm up her shoulder.
She nodded, making a sound of acknowledgement even as she closed her eyes again. She didn’t want to wake yet. It would mean she’d have to get up. She’d have to set foot outside this chamber and face what they were both afraid to admit. What they had couldn’t exist outside these closed doors.
‘Do you know how many times I agonised over this part of your neck or this one ear?’ His mouth brushed over her neck before he took her earlobe between his lips, sucking gently. A shiver ran down her spine, making her breath catch and her toes curl restlessly. ‘You would gather your hair with your hands and sweep it over your shoulder to keep it out of the way before you’d begin to write. And I’d watch you, barely able to breathe.’
She squirmed against him, pleased. ‘I never knew.’
He ran his hand between her breasts and down over the flat of her stomach. His voice was low and sensual in her ear. ‘The sight of your wrists would make me ache. You once brushed your bare forearm over mine while we were looking at a map.’
So many little moments. She remembered them, too. She’d held them close to her breast as secret memories that only she held dear. But she’d been mistaken.
Fei Long’s hand had reached her leg. He ran the flat of his palm over her in a broad, soothing motion before gently parting her thighs.
‘Are you still sore?’
His voice was heavy with desire and her pulse quickened. Her body grew damp even before he touched her. His fingers stroked lightly. She whimpered and arched her back into him. He drew out her desire, touching her until her body became liquid and heat beneath his fingertips.
‘Can it be done this way?’ she murmured in surprise as he positioned her with his hands so her back was to him and she felt the blunt tip of him intimately parting her.
She couldn’t see his face. All she knew of him was through tension and touch. His hand cradled her breast and his body shifted against hers, his legs curving against the back of her thighs.
‘Yes,’ he said, low and enticing against her ear. He slid into her in a slow, consuming penetration that stole her breath. ‘There must be a thousand ways to make love.’
He withdrew slightly before sliding back in. Small, slow movements. He took her with just the shifting of his hips. His hand dipped to slide over the small bud of her sex, adding more pleasure while all she could do was writhe against him. The position left her open and vulnerable, helpless to do anything but accept and feel.