Embrace the Magic (The Blood Rose #2)(23)
Author: Caris Roane

“Samantha,” he whispered, his voice hoarse and deep.

“If we did this, it changes nothing, right?”

He nodded, brisk hopeful jerks of his head. “Right. Nothing. Just mutual enjoyment, fulfillment of need.”

Her turn to nod. She cleared her throat. “But you need to get back to the patrols.”

“Yes. I’ll be home at dawn.”

Sunrise seemed about a million hours away when what she wanted was right in front of her.

“Ethan?” The Guardsman, Finn, called out, heading in their direction.

Ethan’s nostrils flared and a look of irritation then amusement crossed his face. To her, he said, “I’ll get you home then meet you later?”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Ethan turned to Finn just as he touched down a few feet away. “I have to get Samantha home.”

“Let one of the Guard do it.”

Though she was looking at Ethan’s back, she felt his sudden tension like multiple waves beating at her chest all at once. “No, Finn. I have to do this.”

Samantha stepped around Ethan and inclined her head to Finn. He returned the gesture but he was scowling. He seemed to disapprove, but she wasn’t sure why. He said nothing more, but turned and flew back in the direction of the woodland, his leather coat flapping behind him. “What was that about?”

“What was what?”

“Why didn’t you let one of the other Guardsmen see me home? I mean, maybe Finn felt you would be more valuable here.”

Ethan looked down at her and opened one arm, extending his right booted foot just a little. She knew the drill. As she slid her arm around his neck, she balanced both feet on the top of his foot. Left to herself, she was sure she’d fall, but his arm clamped around her waist like a vise.

He leaned close and straight into her ear, whispered, “Want to know why? Because I’d kill any man for getting this close to you right now. Understand?”

His warm breath and the resonance of his voice filled her ear and sent a series of shivers cascading over her neck and shoulders and down her back. Desire flooded her, so that she could do nothing else but turn toward his mouth and catch his lips with her own.

A growl filled his throat as he drove his tongue inside her mouth. She’d been longing for this kiss, and much more, from the moment she’d first seen him storm into Club Prave. She hadn’t been with a man in so long.

I want you now. Even his voice in her head filled her with strange, realm vibrations, one after the other, heightening the passion that flowed through her like music.

You’d better just take me home.

But his mouth moved over hers like he had no intention of stopping, his tongue plunging in and out, making all sorts of promises.

She couldn’t help what happened next as she turned into him, sliding her other arm around his neck.

He pulled her hard against him and dipped low to caress her bottom, pressing her h*ps into what was hard and ready for her. If she’d been in doubt about his size, she felt everything right now, that he would fill her up and then some, which weakened her knees even more, then flooded her mind with new doubts about how easy it would ever be for her to leave Bergisson.

He drew back, his eyes glittering in the dark. “Let’s go.”

She didn’t remember the ride, only that her nose kept sniffing the leather of his uniform and the tangy male scent of his neck. By the time he touched down in front of his house, she’d started sucking on his neck and he’d pulled her against him once more.

*** *** ***

Ethan didn’t know how he was going to separate from Samantha, but Finn’s voice asked telepathic admittance.

He drew back from her about two full inches, unwilling to release her, when Finn pathed, I followed you just to make sure Ry didn’t have a secondary plan in place. Take her inside. We’ve got this.

Maybe it was the amusement in Finn’s voice, or the trace of masculine sympathy for Ethan’s current plight, but Ethan finally relented. I’ll check in later.

No. Check in tomorrow evening. I’m telling you, I’ve got this. Your Guard is well-trained, the best in the Nine Realms. We can do without you for one night, you love-starved bastard.

Did anyone ever tell you that you can be a real dick?

Just my wife, at least once a night.

Ethan was still undecided until Samantha found his neck again and once more started to suck just over his vein. Did she know how that made him feel? Maybe. Probably.

Oh, hell. Call me if you need me, no matter how small the problem Got it?

Yes, Mastyr.

Ethan chuckled and ended the pathing call.

He lifted Samantha’s chin and she left his neck with a small smacking sound. He kissed her, then scooped her up in his arms. “I’m taking you to bed. Now.”

Her eyes opened wide. “You sure? Now? What about your men?”

“I just cleared it with Finn.”

She drew in a soft breath. “Well, then.”

Chapter Five

Ethan carried Samantha up both short flights of stairs, through the sitting room and down the long hall in the direction of his suite. Fortunately, Vojalie and her family were settled in one of the south suites off the family room, a good distance from his west-facing bedroom.

He trembled, as much from what was about to happen as by the reality that he’d never wanted a woman in his rooms before the way he wanted her.

She’d drawn close again and had her lips on his neck, tonguing his skin, then sucking. He wanted those same lips down low and doing the same thing.

He shuddered.

She’d feed him again. He knew it without having to really think about it. He could feel her heart pounding heavily, her veins full of what he needed. He wanted to be moving into her slowly this time as he pinned her shoulders to the bed and drank from her, his h*ps curling with each thrust to keep the whole act perfect and coordinated. He wanted to come with his mouth drinking down her essence.

His personal frequency vibrated heavily now and the part of her that was fae responded so that in the center of his being, another layer of sensation kept him hard, worked up, and on fire.

He shoved open the door to his suite, then kicked it closed behind him.

The room opened up to either side, but he headed for the open shower, in a large alcove between, flanked on one side by an indoor garden. The cool, humid air brought Samantha away from him and turning in his arms.

“This is your bathroom? Your shower?” She turned to stare at him. “You have a garden in here?”

“I do.” He started stripping out of his Guard uniform, dropping the coat on the hardwood floor, then easing out of his shirt.