by Casey Lane
She stood before him proudly, her shoulders straight and her head held high. Her red hair tumbled in wild waves around her shoulders and she looked like some kind of princess of old. He pried his tongue from the roof of his mouth and reminded himself that he was supposed to be making her understand why he was the better choice over some fire-breathing lizard. And right then, she looked far too smug. It was time for him to take back control.
“Get on the bed.”
Once again, she obeyed his commands, even though her expression still reflected her knowledge that she had robbed him of all sense. Clambering up onto the mattress, Sunny sprawled on her back, legs open slightly so he could see the folds of her pussy. “Like this?”
His entire body throbbed in anticipation, and he knew he would never make it through this, would never succeed with his mission, if she touched him. Thinking quickly, he slid off his belt, wrapped it around her wrists, and secured her to the headboard. “Oh, kinky,” she breathed.
“You haven’t seen anything yet.” He looked around the room, hoping he could find something, anything, he could use to make good on his threat. His gaze landed on the strand of pearls laying on her dresser. Her eyes widened when he slipped the necklace into his pocket but she didn’t say a word.
He yanked off his T-shirt before joining her on the bed. “Aren’t you going to take off your pants?” she asked.
“Don’t worry about me.” He skimmed a hand along her jaw and down her throat, pausing to tickle one finger against the pounding pulse point in her neck. “It’s hotter this way, don’t you think?” He certainly wasn’t going to tell her that he wouldn’t last if he stripped completely.
She shook her head and he pinched her nipple a little roughly in retaliation. She squawked, her earlier urgency obviously tamed by the time it’d taken for her to strip and be restrained. He wasn’t disappointed though. It meant he had more of an opportunity to touch her.
He leaned down and caught her lips in a kiss. Then another. Then another. By the time he surfaced to let her catch her breath, her eyes were glazed over again. He pressed kisses down her neck and along her body, stopping to pay homage to her peaked nipples. He nibbled on them, licked them, and sucked them, until she writhed beneath him. Then and only then, did he move on.
He stabbed his tongue into her belly button, pleased by the little desperate moans she started making. He licked a trail down her belly to the very top of her pussy, where he nuzzled his nose into her sparse curls. He had never understood some men’s fascination with the bald pussy. He loved Sonny’s soft curls. They simply reminded him he was sleeping with a real woman.
Slithering down the bed, Sloan made his way between Sonny’s legs and wedged them open with his shoulders. Using his fingers, he parted her folds and stared down at her. She was stunning, simply stunning. Her clit was swollen, peeping out from under the hood. With one finger he lightly flicked over the small ridge of flesh, teasing and coaxing the small bundle of nerves out from its hiding place. The little organ stood proudly for him. He fancied it begged for his touch. “Tell me, Sunny. Where is it most sensitive?”
He tore his eyes away from her sex and looked up at her when she failed to answer. Her bottom lip was caught between her teeth and her eyes were squeezed shut. He smiled triumphantly. This was exactly how he wanted her. “Your answer, Sunny,” he demanded. “And look at me when you talk.”
The expression in her eyes when she finally opened them made him want to pound his chest in victory. There was no way she was thinking about the dragon prince now.
“The right side.”
The right side? Oh. She’d answered his question. Placing the very tip of his index finger on the right side of her clit he pressed down a little. “Here?”
Her answering whimper was all he needed to hear.
Her hips jerked when he wiggled his finger against that spot. “Please,” she whimpered.
“Please what?” He knew exactly what she wanted. He wanted to hear her say it.
She thrashed her head from side to side, her hair spilling in glorious abundance over her pillow. “I need to come. Please, make me come.”
Her honesty deserved a reward. Sloan stroked her clit one last time before pulling his hand away. “Good girl.” Closing his mouth over the small nubbin of flesh, he stiffened the tip of his tongue and used it to flick against the spot she’d indicated earlier.
She went wild, chanting his name and jerking her hips against his mouth. But he wasn’t going to let her get off that easily.
Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the strand of pearls. Making sure to keep her distracted with his mouth, he fed the pearls into her sopping pussy, one by one. When all but the very end of the necklace was in, he lifted his mouth off her and sat back. He pulled the strand up and over so each individual pearl bumped against her clitoris as he removed the necklace. “Who is making love to you?”
“You, Sloan.”
He drew another pearl from her pussy and dropped a kiss against her soft belly. “Who do you want?”
Sunny sobbed and writhed. “You, Sloan. Only you.”
A savage possessiveness flooded through him. He needed to claim her, to make her his, and to do that he needed to give her an orgasm so spectacular, she would never forget it.
He slipped one finger in alongside her pearls and pressed the beads firmly against the top of her pussy. He continued pulling at the necklace, making sure the strand was taut, so her clit was stimulated by each and every pearl. She was beyond words, and every muscle in her body was stiff. She was close, he could tell. If she didn’t come soon, she probably wouldn’t. Gathering together the small molecules of moisture in the air, he created a small jet of water and directed it to pummel against the right side of her clit.
She screamed, her body going rigid. Her pussy went hot and liquid around his finger a mere second before her inner walls began contracting on him.
Pushed past his limits, Sloan reared up and yanked his pants and underwear off in a single movement. He paused for one second to grab the condom he’d taken to carrying around in his pocket before chucking his pants on the floor. He sheathed himself, pulled the rest of the pearls out of her pussy, and thrust inside her still clenching sex. He could feel her heat even through the latex and it was enough to make him see stars. He hammered into her, unable to slow down.
Sunny’s cries increased and she raised her head to bite his shoulder. The small pain merely spurred him on. “Faster,” she cried when she released his flesh from between her teeth.
Faster was something he could definitely do. He increased his pace, until he panted like a racehorse, his lungs burning for the need for oxygen. Still, he didn’t slow down until her eyes snapped open and stared at him with wonder. Her mouth opened in a silent scream and she convulsed around him, milking the orgasm out of him just like that.
He spilled into the condom in an unexpected orgasm, shouting her name. The climax seemed to last forever. He had just enough sense to roll to Sunny’s side before collapsing.
He lay there, stunned. Never had sex been so intense. It was only when Sunny gave a small whimper that he managed to lift his head. Shit. He’d forgotten she was still restrained to the headboard.
Forcing himself to his knees, Sloan reached up with shaking arms and released the belt holding her wrists. In hindsight, his belt probably hadn’t been the best thing to use as a restraint. The skin around each wrist was red and her hands were cold. He rubbed them in his own trying to warm them up and restore circulation. “I’m so sorry. Do they hurt very much?”
She shook her head and smiled. “Don’t worry. They only hurt a little, and it was totally worth it.”
When her hands were finally warm Sloan hopped off the bed and quickly took care of the condom. “Do you need anything?”
Sunny bit her lip, looking hesitant for the first time. “Would you mind holding me for a little while?”
He rejoined her on the bed and pulled her into his arms. She nestled ag
ainst him, burying her nose in the hollow of his throat. “You don’t even have to ask,” he whispered.
Chapter Fifteen
A shaft of light hit him straight in the face and Sloan groaned a little. He already knew he wasn’t in his own room. The scent of wild flowers was a dead giveaway. Opening his eyes, Sloan stared at the woman next to him. Her red hair was spread out over the pillow, and her fist was curled up loosely by her face. She looked positively angelic, even though he knew she could be a little hellion when she put her mind to it.
Sunny shifted around, moving closer and closer, until she was snuggled right up against him. She nuzzled her nose against his shoulder and wrapped herself around his arm before throwing her leg over his thigh.
A smile broke over his face. He was pleasantly surprised at how much he actually liked the cuddling. He’d never actually nestled up with a woman before. Dara had always liked her space in bed and he’d never complained.
An ache formed in his chest, and he rubbed at it. He recognized the sweet pain. It was love, pure and simple. He should have guessed his feelings for Sunny had developed past the grudging admiration he’d first felt and into something much more when jealousy had overwhelmed him at the thought of her meeting the dragon prince.
For the first time in a long time, Sloan didn’t feel a crushing agony when he thought about Dara. He knew what he needed to do. It was time for him to let go.
Easing out of Sunny’s hold, Sloan slid from the bed and slipped on his pants. He tiptoed into the hall, closing the door softly behind him. It was early enough that he didn’t need to worry about being caught leaving the fire handler’s room. Not that anyone was clueless about their relationship. Every single occupant of the castle had teased him about it at least once since he started seeing Sunny.
Still, he didn’t know what Sunny would think if anyone caught him sneaking out of her room, so he hauled ass down the hall to his own suite.
He looked around the bedroom and sank onto the bed. This room hadn’t changed in more than twenty-five years. Stroking the blue bedspread, Sloan thought back to the day he’d walked in and found his suite totally redone. Dara had giggled and asked if he’d loved it. He’d loved it because she had done it for him.
This room didn’t seem like his anymore. In fact, he hadn’t done more than shower and change clothes in his room in weeks. His mind set on what he knew he had to do, he dressed quickly and took a deep breath.
Dara’s picture smiled up at him from his dresser, right next to the vase that held her ashes. He picked up the photo and looked at it, tracing his finger over the line of her jaw. “Dara, sweetie…” He stopped to clear his throat as tears misted over his vision. “I love you. You’ll always be the first woman I ever loved.”
He took a deep breath and continued speaking to the picture as if he was really talking to his dead wife. “But I’m in love with Sunny. I hope that’s okay.”
Sloan knew in his heart Dara wouldn’t want him to live alone and miserable for the rest of his very long life. And talking to Dara like this felt good. “You’d really like her. She’s a feisty one, that’s for sure. And don’t worry. She won’t let me get away with any shit.”
Resolved, he placed the photo on his bed. It was time to really let her go. He wasn’t doing her memory any justice be refusing to move on. He picked up the urn containing her ashes and carried it outside. Sitting down on the dew-dampened grass, he held the vase against his heart for a moment. It would be the last time he held her close and he wanted to take a few more seconds to really cherish her.
“Can I sit?”
Sloan jumped when Anna lowered herself to the ground without waiting for an answer. He hadn’t even heard her approach him. “What are you doing out here so early?” he asked, shifting around so he could see her clearly.
She shrugged and pulled her legs close to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. “Addison brought me here once to see the sun rise. I come here all the time now. I try to remember his smile and how he smelled and how his arms felt around me.”
Guilt swamped him. Had he really been so oblivious all these years? “I’m sorry,” he whispered, draping an arm across her shoulders. “Sometimes I forget I’m not the only one who lost someone in the last battle.”
She smiled at him, her expression understanding. “It’s okay.”
“Still … I should have checked in with you. We’re both handlers, after all. We need to look out for each other.”
Anna let out a watery laugh and wiped her eyes a little. He wasn’t sure if she was crying or rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She laid her head on his shoulder for a second. “It’s all right,” she said again. “I know what it’s like to lose yourself to grief.”
He closed his eyes. That’s exactly what had happened. He’d been lost, wandering around in a crushing sadness until Sunny had come crashing into his world and forced him to live his life again. “Thanks for putting up with my crabby ass for the last twenty-five years,” he said to the air handler.
This time, Anna’s laugh was more genuine. “That’s what family is for,” she said.
They stared at the horizon for a few minutes, comfortable with each other and the silence. Anna reached out and touched the vase he still cradled. “Are you finally ready to let Dara go?”
Feeling lighter than he had in years, Sloan nodded. “It’s not fair to Sunny for me to keep clinging to Dara’s memory.”
A gentle breeze stirred around them and Sloan recognized the taste of Anna’s magic on his tongue. He uncapped the vase and released Dara’s ashes. “Good-bye,” he whispered as the ashes disappeared into the air, floating toward the forest Dara had always loved. “You’ll always have a place in my heart.”
Anna’s hand crept into his and he held it tightly for a few seconds. “Sunny will be a great partner,” she said softly.
He squeezed her hand. “Thanks. And thanks for staying with me while I did this.”
Sloan breathed in and felt like he was ready to conquer the world. He wished he could erase some of the pain Anna must still be feeling. “Have you let go of Addison?” he asked quietly.
Her smile was sad when she shook her head. “I’m not quite ready. I think I’m afraid to let him go.”
“Why?” he asked.
She shrugged again. “I think I’m afraid if I let him go completely, I’ll be lonely. His memory keeps me company, you know?”
He did know. He sent a few silent prayers heavenward. One was a prayer of thanks for allowing him to find his new love, Sunny. He would always be thankful she came into his life. Another was a prayer for Dara’s eternal happiness. And the last prayer was one for Anna. He didn’t know exactly what he should pray for on her behalf. Should he ask for her to find someone to love? In the end, he just prayed for her to be at peace.
He tugged on her arm until she was pressed against his side and turned so he could rest his chin on the top of her head.
The sun came up slowly, turning the sky a fiery orange. It reminded him of Sunny’s flames. In that second, his heart stopped beating to keep him alive and began beating for his Sunny.
It was the absence of something warm next to her that woke Sunny up. Even before she opened her eyes she knew the pillow Sloan normally used would be cold. Sure enough, the sheets next to her were cool; although, they still carried Sloan’s scent.
Her stomach growled and reminded her it had been twelve hours since she’d eaten. It was imperative she get breakfast and coffee if she didn’t want her stomach to digest itself. The kitchen staff wouldn’t be around yet but she could always grab a bowl of cereal and some fruit. She wasn’t into all the heavy breakfasts Raven and Leith usually insisted anyway.
She was determined to work the whole day on summoning her flame and manipulating it into a deadly weapon. She hadn’t forgotten the hunter that had invaded her hotel room back in Canada. If Leith hadn’t been there, she wouldn’t have survived. Sunny never wanted to be put back in a situation where she couldn
’t defend herself, and now she had the means to make sure it never happened. She just had to learn how to wield it.
She took a quick second to throw on some clothes before striding into the hall. Of course, she skidded to a halt in front of Sloan’s door when she realized it was wide open. “Sloan?” she called. “Do you want to get some breakfast before we practice?”
She studied her fingernails while she waited for Sloan to answer. When she didn’t hear anything, she poked her head in the room. “Sloan?”
He never left his door open. She’d always been curious about his room but he’d never invited her in. It was decorated in cool blues and deep, rich greens. A massive bed took up most of the room. The heavy wood of the headboard and dresser dated the room though. And the art deco mirror was at least a good twenty years old. The wallpaper pasted to the wall behind the armoire sported a faded chevron pattern. The turquoise ceramic vase, sculpted to resemble waves, was something she’d seen in one of the foster houses when she was about ten. It was almost like it had been tastefully decorated back in the late eighties, but hadn’t been updated since.
Her curiosity got the better of her and she stepped all the way in. “Sloan?” she called again. She didn’t think he was actually in the suite. She couldn’t hear any sounds from the shower and his walk-in closet door stood wide open. It made her feel better to call out though. At least that way, she could tell herself she tried her hardest to locate him before snooping.
The carpet was thick and squishy under her feet. Yeah, the decorations in the room had to be at least a couple of decades old if the shag carpet was any indication. And, holy moly, how big was his bed? She would probably need a step stool to get in the thing. The bed probably came up to her hips at least.
She approached the bed, determined to find out how huge it really was, when something lying near the edge of the mattress caught her attention. It was a framed photo. Picking it up, she glanced down at it and nearly gasped. The woman was positively stunning. Gorgeous, even. She must have been Sloan’s wife.
