“Maybe?” Kieran questioned, arching a brow as he took several languid strides toward me now, a hunter on the prowl.
“Perhaps.”
The distance between us continued to shrink.
A low chuckle, dark and rasping, slipped past gleaming white teeth. Too sharp, too tantalizing, and quickly becoming far too familiar.
“Perhaps,she says…” Kieran mused, setting his teacup down on the bedside table. I felt my fingers twitch, and if I had the willpower to tear my eyes away from the man who stood before me, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them glowing again. “Hmmm.You wanna try that again, Little Conduit?”
He was hovering now, towering over where I was lazily lounging in his bed, tangled in his sheets and his scent. He bent himself over at the waist, keeping his mouth mere inches from mine, but still too far above me—intentionally keepingjustout of reach. The bastard.
All hopes of my stubborn rebellion were quashed by the idioticstuporthat seemed to take hold of me whenever Kieran Vistarii entered my orbit, his proximity leaving my clever tongue thickened and thirsty. He had an unfair advantage here, and he knew it. I sighed but smiled, despite myself.
“Yes, I had sweet dreams,” I murmured, gazing up at him in earnest, craving the reward I knew an honest answer would earn me.
“Thank you,” Kieran said before dipping down for a single, chaste kiss. He kept it far too brief for my liking, though, and it was an effort not to whine as he pulled away. “You’ll have to tell me all about them on our way out.”
“Out?” I wasn’t aware we had any plans today. He was still off duty, and I didn’t have any lectures, so I had presumed we’d spend the day similar to…Well. The rather enthusiastic activities that left me sated and sore, andapparently,smiling in my sleep.
“Out,” Kieran repeated, giving nothing away as he took a step back. Again, moving himselfjustout of my reach.
Still, my hungry eyes lingered as he began to get dressed, fumbling with his belt.
“Don’t do that,” he warned, his voice dropping even lower than before—which was hardly discouraging for my tendencies toward bad behavior.
Fucking Hel, I love that rasp.
“Don’t do what, exactly?” I asked innocently, letting my eyes continue to roam down his belly, drifting from the wisps of black hair beneath his navel, lower and lower still.
“Stop staring at my cock, you insatiable creature,” Kieran groaned. “It’s been four days since you last saw the sun, and I’m pretty sure you photosynthesize like a houseplant or some shit, so yes. We’re going out. You need some fresh air.”
Like a houseplant?
“Fine,” I grumbled, stretching out like a contented cat before pushing myself up and leaning back against the headboard. “But I’m not gonna stop staring at your cock. You’re the one who wanted to know what I was dreaming about,Captain.”
Kieran’s smile was wicked, as per usual. “Oh, I know.”
Smug bastard. My touch-starved fingers found lesser purchase on the pillow I’d been clutching against my chest, and shortly thereafter, it made a softthumpupon impact with his stupid, perfect face.
“Did you really just throw a pillow at me, Arken?”
“Maybe.”
“Somebody’s got a new favorite word this morning,” he laughed, tossing the pillow back at my chest.
I bit my tongue, all too tempted to say it again.
“Don’t even start,” Kieran said. “If you want me to fuck you anytime soon, stop giving memaybesand get your pretty ass out of my bed.”
I tried not to salivate as his voice took on a more authoritative tone, the same one he used when we trained together.
“We’ve got some ground to cover, and breakfast to fetch along the way,” Kier continued. “But don’t you fret…I fully intend to have my way with you once we reach our destination.”
“Alternatively,” I crooned. “You could just fuck me right here and now.”
Kieran shook his head. “I could have sworn you once told me that variety was the spice of life,” he mused philosophically, tapping his chin before waltzing back to lean against the door frame again.
“And I could have sworn you said that you’d never get tired of being inside me,” I simpered. “Just last night, even.”