even further. He moved faster and faster, and Kelly sensed he was driving toward his own climax now.
Their bodies were in perfect sync, hers rocking against his as he slammed into her hard and fast. She moaned and cried out every time he hit the end of her. Her cries mingled with his until they were making a crescendo that could surely be heard throughout the house.
Now that they were in tandem, she could feel him getting thicker on every stroke. There was a moment of anxiety as he stretched her so far that she thought she really couldn’t take him fully, but the moment passed as he let out an incredibly loud cry that signaled his own body finally crossing the finish line.
As he pulsed inside her, another orgasm streaked through her in rocking, mind-bending waves. Even though she’d had many over the course of their lovemaking, this one was the most intense because she felt his own at the exact same time.
A loud boom echoed into the room from outside and from the corner of her eye—and the edge of consciousness—Kelly managed to identify the swirling sparks outside her window as fireworks. They continued as the lovers collapsed in a sweaty, panting heap. Good grief, the house couldn't even let her have this moment without butting in!
Curling herself into Ronun's embrace, she looked up at him with an openness she'd never offered anyone else before. To her delight, he looked right back, inviting her into his soul. As they lay together, softly touching each other, the sky was patterned with silver, gold, and neon green.
Kelly had forgotten how to move and speak after such an intense encounter, but luckily, she didn’t have to. Ronun drew her against his chest and kissed her forehead, and Kelly realized that nothing needed to be said. She was home. That was all that mattered.
Nineteen
The morning was so bright it was almost crisp, even as it started its slow turn toward afternoon. Kelly hurried along the sidewalk, every mundane thing she passed appearing more fantastical, impossibly beautiful, and so very, very much more precious than she remembered.
This had been going on since her night with Ronun, not that she wanted it to stop. She never knew she could feel so alive. The world felt like some kind of fairy tale and her only regret was that her lover could not share this feeling at the moment, because he was still made of stone.
The thought made her heart plummet, but only a little. Even knowing that Ronun was still cursed didn’t dampen her mood for long. He was hers and she was his. She didn’t mind being owned by a cursed gargoyle, not when his human shape was so incredibly gorgeous.
Not just his body, she thought idly, as she looked up into the clouds where her spirit soared. His mind. His heart. His capacity for love, and his protection of me.
Security in a relationship was something Kelly had never thought about and certainly never expected, and she was surprised by how it made her feel. That very morning, on the way out of the house, she'd stroked Ronun’s head and felt her heart beating just for him. He served her simply to keep her from harm, and she knew he would do so even if she didn't return his affection.
His love was unconditional. No matter what she became or did, he would still protect her. That only fueled her desire to be the best version of herself—loyal, loving, and true. He inspired her outside of the relationship as well. Since meeting him, she'd learned to temper her flippant side and really listen to people. To work hard at her magic and at her job, simply for the satisfaction of doing well. She couldn’t believe it as she glanced at her phone, but she was even on time for her brunch date!
“Over here!” Sara yelled, waving from an outside table at the café.
Kelly’s smile grew and she trotted the last few steps to be wrapped in the hugs of her friends, Trinity, Sara, and Hazel. For a few minutes, the air was full of greetings and flailing arms as the girls went into a flurry of welcome. They sat down, still all talking at once at such a pace it was impossible for them to hear one another.
“I’ve missed you guys so much!” Kelly practically wailed. “I didn’t even realize how much until now!”
“We’ve missed you too,” Trinity said, reaching out to grab Kelly’s hand