“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to take the slightest risk that I might do something to lose you again. I love you, Ella.”
She winced and grimaced. “Isabelle’s potions must’ve messed with my mind because I can’t believe what I heard just now. This must be another fever-dream.”
“It’s not. I would’ve told you before, except I didn’t realize it until it was almost too late.”
“Good thing we got a second chance, isn’t it?” She lifted one hand and pressed it to his cheek. “Because I love you too.”
His heart soared and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve this, but he was going to treasure his good fortune for the rest of their lives. “Good.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Now go back to sleep. You need the rest.”
“Only if you promise to be here when I wake up.”
“Always.”
Epilogue
“How long do we have before the servants—”
“I told them not to disturb us this morning. That we would call them when we were ready to leave.” Luke pressed a kiss to her breast and looked up at her with a wicked grin. “I haven’t forgotten the last time they interrupted us far too soon.”
Heat rushed into her face, but there was little time for her to feel true embarrassment as her husband continued kissing his way down her body. “Then I guess I should try not to be too greedy for you today, so we can still depart on time.”
“I like it when you’re greedy for me.“ He lifted her legs over his shoulders, moving his face closer to her slit. Took one slow, leisurely lick before he continued: “Because I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you.”
She pushed her hips up, needing to feel him. His lips, his tongue. So talented in a wicked way, but there was almost nothing else that she enjoyed more.
Fortunately, Luke seemed to like doing this, taking pleasure in making her come just in this way. Because she never had to ask.
Only receive.
He knew her body so well now. Teasing and tasting her until she was shuddering and crying out for him. He lowered her legs and rose up, starting to guide his cock into her.
She reached down and caught his wrist, stopping him. “Not yet,” she whispered.
“Hmmm?”
“Lie back.”
He grinned. “As my princess commands.”
Ella laughed out loud. She still wasn’t entirely comfortable with her new role as royalty, but with Luke’s support, she had become much more assertive with the servants.
They no longer dared to gossip behind her back.
Or maybe there was no drama left for them to speculate about. She was pretty sure that it was obvious how happy she and her husband were together now.
She pressed one hand against his powerful chest, enjoying the feel of those powerful muscles flexing under her touch, even as he gave way to her wishes. Then she got up on her knees, straddling his thighs. Caught his cock in her hand and bent down to give it one slow lick from base to tip.
The thick shaft seemed to jump in her hand and Luke groaned. A pearly drop of liquid beaded at the tip. She licked it away, then parted her lips and slid down his length in one smooth motion.
His hands clamped down on either side of her head, his long fingers threading through her hair. Not holding her in place, but guiding her in a rhythm to match the movement of his lean hips as he thrust up into her mouth. She heard his breathing change, felt him swell harder, and relished in the knowledge that she could affect him like this.
The tempo of his thrusts increased, then slowed again. Instead of fast and shallow, the motions grew slower and deeper. A signal that he was getting close to his peak.
Luke tightened his grip on her head and she paused, letting his hardness slip out of her mouth for just a moment, though she kept one hand wrapped around the base to hold it close. The familiar fire was in his eyes. “Ride me.”
She knew what that meant now. Rising up, she straddled his hips. His hands locked on her waist, holding her steady as she slowly lowered herself upon him. She marveled again at his length. At his thickness. At the way he stretched her open.
A sensation that she had never imagined would feel as good as it did.
Ella dropped down so that her pelvis smacked into his hips with an audible slap, taking all of him at once. She threw her head back, panting, as pleasure radiated out from where they were joined to spread out through the rest of her body.
Her toes curled. She began to rock on him, over him, letting his hands on her waist guide him into the pace he wanted. Her inner muscles clenched around him, trying to pull him deeper still.
Then it happened.
The pleasure crashed into her, the waves rippling throughout her body as she fell into the helpless release.
As she continued shuddering and shaking, Luke rolled her under him. Thrust a few more times, hard, then she felt him spilling inside her.
It was a few minutes, or maybe more, before either of them were able to catch their breath once more. They lay together on their bed, holding each other close. Ella was reluctant to let him go and sensed that Luke felt the same way.
But as much as they wanted to, they could not linger. They were departing this morning to begin their search for Luke’s brother, Edward. Adrian was still on his quest to recover his lost love, which had so far yielded nothing, but they could not delay any longer.
King Nicholas’ condition had grown too uncertain.
They called for the servants, who dressed them quickly and efficiently, then they headed downstairs. Catherine was waiting for them.
It had taken nearly four months, but Ella’s stepsister had almost fully recovered from her mother’s treacherous poison, though she still suffered from occasional breakdowns. Mainly lapses in memory. Ella did not have the same, though that was most likely due to the fact that she’d only consumed a single dose of the poison, and not the repeated ones which Catherine had been given in order to produce the appearance of a long-term, serious illness.
It had been her mother’s way of trying to make her eventual death look less suspicious.
Fortunately, the ‘lady’ had not succeeded.
Catherine gave both Ella and Luke a brilliant smile. “I was beginning to think that you two had forgotten about me.”
Luke laughed. “Never. Ella would kill me if I tried.”
“Maybe not kill,” she said, glancing between her husband and her stepsister and doing her best not to laugh. “But I may consider doing some less permanent damage.”
“You have my heart in your hands, Ella. You know that.” He drew her closer and kiss, causing Catherine to turn away and blush. That he looked at the other woman again. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
She would be accompanying them on their journey. “I was under the impression that you two would need all the help he could get. If Prince Edward doesn’t want to be found…”
“Well he can’t have his way in this. We’ll find him.” Luke escorted both of them out to the carriage, which was waiting to take them down to the seaport. “No matter how long it takes…”
End
About the Author
Amber Jantine grew up dreaming of happily-ever-afters, and now she loves writing about hot shifters and the women who love them.
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The Wolf Prince: The Cursed Princes, Book One Page 13
