“I have heard my father speak of the emperor many times. He says that the man is a spoiled child who hasn’t learned how to rule effectively. Worse, he has never been taught to listen.”
Ling Xin pressed a finger to her lips, warning him not to repeat her words.
“He would not have said that out loud.”
“He did. But only at home, and only when he was livid after some decision that made everyone’s life difficult.” She shrugged, causing her breasts to bob and his gaze to shift. “But the bigger problem, according to my father, is the emperor’s lack of decisiveness. The bureaucracy at court is stifling.”
Zhi Hao leaned forward to press kisses to her forehead. “I have heard that is true,” he said against her skin.
“So why would I want to live in that place? Why would I want to marry a foolish boy who never listens?”
“But that is the court side of the Forbidden City. The private side will be—”
“Different?” She scoffed. “It will be worse.”
He couldn’t deny it. So many women fighting over one man could get ugly. He dropped his forehead to hers. “But what am I compared to the emperor?”
“You are smart, you know how to listen, and…” She reached down to stroke his dragon. “You love me.”
He did. And because he loved her, because he could not get enough of her, he gently urged her up onto her knees. And from there, he guided her to straddle him.
She slid down onto him, her sigh of delight flowing from her into him.
“I like this,” she said, as he began to thrust gently upward. “I think it is in the Pillow Book, too.”
It probably was.
“There are other things in the book,” she murmured as she began to ride him. “Things Li Fei didn’t believe would be pleasurable.”
He arched his brows.
She grinned down at him. “I think she’s wrong.”
Then she leaned forward, and he couldn’t stop himself. Without willing it, his hands went to her breasts. He grinned, thinking of all the different positions they would explore.
“I want to try them all,” she said. “Every page.”
His tempo was speeding up. She was keeping his movements shallow, though she began to squeeze him every time he tweaked her nipples. And her skin was flushed rose gold in the candlelight.
“I must honor your father’s wishes,” he said, wishing he didn’t need to say these words. “I must honor your wishes,” he continued as his thrust grew stronger. “And I want to honor my own.”
She grinned. “So much honor. What will you do?”
He didn’t know. And he was fast losing interest in the question.
She was moving more on top of him. Her breasts gave him such delight, but his hands moved between her thighs to where they joined, he inside her.
He adjusted his hand, letting his thumb settle at the base of his dragon. He let her set the tempo. He let her bear down or not. And he enjoyed every second.
She understood her body better now. She knew the feelings of ecstasy and knew the way to reach it. Still, it delighted himto see her movements slow. She ground down on him to please herself. And then she decided when to go faster while his eyes rolled back in his head. Such pleasure from one woman!
She alternated, slow and fast, grinding and pistoning, until he was as frenzied as she was. When he could stand it no more, he flexed his thumb against her pearl.
She cried out in shock, and he thrust hard.
Heaven!
*