Polaris Rising - Jessie Mihalik Page 0,148

okay?” Loch asked, expression guarded.

“Yes,” I said slowly, “are you?”

He paced the short length of the room. “You lost everything because of my stupidity. You should’ve left me,” he said.

It took me a second to follow his thoughts. Anger sparked, chasing away the fatigue, but I took a deep breath and swallowed the furious words that wanted to escape. We both had issues we needed to work through and this was one of his.

“Marcus,” I said quietly, “I’m never going to leave you to die if I can do something about it. Just the thought of you dying hurts.”

“I’m not worth your life,” he said.

“No, you’re worth so much more. I don’t regret my choice tonight and I would make it a thousand times over. I don’t want to fight about this, but I will if you force me. This is a battle you cannot win. You will never convince me that you’re not worth it.”

I caught his wrist and drew him close. I gazed up at his gorgeous face. Once I had his attention, I said, “I want you beside me. Please stay with me, Marcus.”

I glanced away and continued, “I mean, I understand if you don’t want me or my drama anymore. I am troublesome and I don’t see that changing. But please don’t leave because you think you’ll save me from yourself. You’ll break my heart.”

A gentle hand tipped my face back up to his. His eyes glowed. “I want you,” he said, “more than I’ve ever wanted anything. Never doubt that. You’re so damn loyal and kind and cunning. Watching you slay your foes with that arrogant little tilt of your head makes me hard as a rock. I may not deserve you, but if you stay with me, I’m keeping you.”

My smile had to be blinding, but I didn’t care. “You’re mine,” I said. I pulled his head down to mine and brushed a featherlight kiss across his lips. “And I’m yours.”

He groaned and his mouth crashed into mine. I licked his bottom lip then slipped my tongue into his mouth. He sucked on my tongue, sending a bolt of lust straight through my body. I moaned and hooked a leg over his hip, trying to climb him before I remembered he was injured.

I tried to pull back, but he was already picking me up. “Your shoulder,” I protested between kisses, but I still wrapped my legs around his waist.

“Is fine,” he said. “You don’t get to escape me twice in one day while wearing my dress.”

He backed me into the wall and held me in place with his hips. The hard length of him pressed against me, a tease of what was to come. I tightened my legs and undulated against him, but he pinned me more firmly to the wall, stopping my movement.

“What are you wearing under this?” he asked. My nipples pebbled from the heat in his gaze. “I’ve been imagining it all night.”

“Why don’t you find out for yourself?” I challenged.

His right hand slid under my dress and caressed my thigh, then slipped higher to the edge of my underwear. I thanked the stars that I’d worn something sexy for once. His eyes burned hotter as he traced the lacy design with a fingertip. His palm branded my low belly as his fingers dipped under the waistband of my underwear. I tilted my hips in invitation and moaned softly.

He kissed me slow and deep as his fingers slipped a fraction lower. I whined when he stopped just short of where I wanted him. “I will take care of you,” he promised, his voice rough.

“Now,” I demanded.

“Always,” he said. His hand slid down until his fingers glided through the slick heat of my desire. I claimed his mouth in a scorching kiss as he touched me. Desperate to feel his skin, I pulled his shirt up as far as I could and ran my hands over the hard planes of his stomach. His fingers moved faster and I gasped into his mouth, teetering on the brink.

Wanting to bring him with me, I stroked him through his pants. He hissed out a breath. “Take them off,” he ordered.

I fumbled the button twice before I got it open. He pulled back enough for me to free him, then he pressed me back into the wall. I could feel his length nudging me through my underwear, even as his fingers continued their maddening circles.

“How much do you like this underwear?” he asked.

“I’ll buy more,” I said.

“Good answer,” he growled. He gripped the delicate lace and pulled it in half. I moaned at the loss of his fingers. I was so close. Then he tilted my hips and buried himself in me.

The world exploded.

He worked me through it, then kept going. Languid delight gave way to building desire. He kissed and licked and petted until I once again hovered at the edge of orgasm. When he hit the place that made me see stars, I was determined to take him with me. I pulled his head down for a kiss and clenched around his length. He tensed and his smooth thrusts became erratic as he, too, tipped over into bliss.

He braced a hand on the wall, breathing hard. “You’ll pay for that,” he said without an ounce of threat. “I had plans for you.” He walked backward to the bed, still buried inside of me. He fell back and took me with him.

I nestled against his chest, sated and content. “Well, I plan to have my wicked way with you just as soon as I can feel my legs,” I told him. “So you’ll just have to wait.”

He smoothed his hands down my back and I sighed in contentment. We basked in the afterglow for a few minutes, then Loch rolled onto his side and met my eyes. “What will you do in Sedition?” he asked.

“After we figure out how to save my siblings from war, I thought we might see if Rhys needed a business partner,” I said, subtly emphasizing the we. “Unless you have something else in mind. I wasn’t kidding when I said I had plenty of money for both of us, but I can’t just sit around. I need something to keep me busy or I’ll drive us both crazy.”

“I’ve been on the run for so long that I don’t even remember how to be normal,” Loch said.

“Normal is overrated. If we go into business with Rhys, you would make a kickass smuggler,” I said. “Or you would be a fantastic mercenary, though I don’t recommend that route so much.” I caressed his cheek. “I don’t care what we do,” I said, “as long as we’re doing it together.”

Loch pulled me close and tucked me against his chest, under his chin. “I’m afraid you’re not getting rid of me now, darling,” he said. “You’re mine. And I’m all yours.”

“Good,” I said around a jaw-cracking yawn. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Sleep, Ada. I’ve got you,” he said.

As I snuggled safely in Loch’s arms, exhaustion crept up on soft feet. Tomorrow I would endeavor to win a war I wanted no part of, but for right now, in this one perfect moment, I was exactly where I wanted to be.

Acknowledgments

A story only requires an author, but a book requires a team. I’d like to thank the following people who helped turn my story into a book.

Thanks to my agent, Sarah E. Younger, who believed in Ada and Loch’s story when it was just a blurb and a beginning. Thanks for your tireless work and for patiently answering a million newbie questions!

I am deeply grateful to my editor, Tessa Woodward, for her expert guidance and editorial advice. Thank you for helping me deliver the best story possible! I’d also like to thank assistant editor Elle Keck and the rest of the team at Harper Voyager for their help.

Thanks to Lisa Silverman, the copyeditor responsible for eradicating the pesky typos I missed.

My heartfelt gratitude to Ilona and Andrew Gordon for their invaluable help and advice as I navigate the strange new world of being a published author.

Thanks to Whitney Bates, Patrick Ferguson, and Tracy Smith for reading the early drafts of the story, offering feedback, and generally listening to me whine.

And finally, my deepest love and appreciation to my husband, Dustin, who encouraged me to pursue my dream of writing even when I didn’t always believe in myself. You have no idea how much your support means to me. I love you!

Announcement

Bianca and Ian’s epic adventure is coming Fall 2019.

Be prepared.