11. Declan

Chapter 11

Declan

I t took a long moment and me pouring two glasses of wine for our laughter to calm. It was only then that I realized we were standing in a cave in the middle of nowhere, naked as the day we were born, laughing like a pair of drunk teenagers.

And it felt better than anything I’d experienced in a very long time.

Ayden lifted a glass to his lips, his eyes distant as the ruby liquid warmed him. My eyes chose that moment to explore the man sitting before me.

His face was carved like some statue of pale stone, smoothed to perfection, but with the angularity of some ancient god.

His chest and stomach, firm through endless days of training and exercise and dusted with cinnamon strands that curled almost as much as the carpet below.

The carpet below.

My gaze lingered.

Spirits, it was the reddest—

“Find something interesting down there?”

A blush flooded through me faster than órla could fly.

Ayden set his glass on the table and stood.

“Damnation,” I breathed. “You are beautiful.”

He stood less than a pace away, well within reach, yet I found myself unable to move, unable to reach out and trace the lines of his abs or feel the tautness of his skin. I had seen him so many times, even felt him pressed against me, but I had never truly studied him. I knew moments to be fleeting, but everything in me wanted this one to last forever.

“Should we commission a painting? You could stare as long as you like then.”

I tore my gaze from his nipples. His lips were upturned at the corners, and a smart-ass glimmer shone in his eyes.

“A painter might not do justice. I fear, little lordling, you may have to pose for me more often so I might study . . . um . . . the scientific nature of . . .”

“Spirits.” He laughed. “Scientific nature? Am I an experiment now?”

“A grand experiment.” I grinned up at him. “One that needs much closer examination, perhaps internal discovery.”

He stepped forward so his cock swung inches from my face.

“Examine away, oh great Mage.”

I was just about to take him in my mouth, and he had to go there.

“Please, not that. I’m still just me, all right?”

I hadn’t meant my tone to turn so grim, but there it was.

His fingers tangled in my hair, and he lifted my head, forcing our eyes to meet.

“I will call you whatever you like as long as you are mine.”

I stood and took his face in both my hands, inching forward until our breath mingled. “I am yours, Ayden Byrne, now and forever.”

“Prove it.” His whisper tickled my lips.

I stepped forward and pressed my lips to his. Our kisses were tender—until lust overtook every other emotion. Our bodies rubbed together as our cocks stiffened and throbbed. Ayden rocked forward, driving himself into me, the slickness of his excitement fueling my own.

“Bend over that chair.”

His eyes popped open, but he only hesitated for a heartbeat. The moment his hands gripped the chair and his back bent, my fingers spread him wide.

“Oh, yes. This is mine.” I ran my tongue along his rim.

He squirmed. “Fuck, that feels good, Dec.”

I wet a finger and pressed inside him, just enough to enter.

“Ah,” he grunted.

I reached around and gripped his cock then pressed my finger deeper. The twitch was instant. Pre-cum oozed.

My heart raced.

This man—this stupid, beautiful, arrogant man—he wanted me. And he was all mine.

I kissed one cheek, then sank my teeth into his flesh.

“Ow. Hungry much?”

I chuckled.

Pop!

My hand slapping his cheek echoed off the cavern walls.

“Hey!”

I kissed where my handprint grew angry and red.

He squirmed, raising his butt slightly. “Do it again.”

I slapped his cheek again.

His body tensed, then relaxed. The moan he released was as enticing as his naked body.

His cock throbbed in my other hand.

Spirts, he likes that.

“Get inside me, Declan, or I might have to—”

He gasped as my head slid inside him.

“When did you—”

I slid the rest of myself inside.

“Oh, damn, fuck, shit!”

“Miss me?” I teased.

“This is so much better than my dreams.”

I pulled back slowly, then slid in again.

He groaned.

His knuckles whitened where he gripped the chair. The muscles of his back bunched and moved as he arched to take me in.

“I could look at you forever,” I said.

“Less looking, more—”

I shoved all the way to my balls as hard as I could.

He gasped.

I pulled back and slammed in again.

“Yes!”

And again.

A thrust became a rhythm, as Ayden’s whole body rocked. His hands flew from the chair to grip the table in a wide-open stance.

Sweat beaded on his neck and trickled down his back. I leaned forward and licked it off.

“Mmm,” was his reply.

I nibbled his neck.

He craned back.

I kissed his lips. His tongue reached for mine.

“Make me yours, Declan. I want to belong to you.”

“I thought you already did.”

His eyes opened, and the smart-assed lordling glowered.

“Just fuck me then, stupid barbarian.”

I kissed him again. “You’re so romantic.”

Whatever he was about to say cut off when I straightened, gripped his hips, and shoved into him with all my strength. In the space of a few blinks, the wine on the table was sloshing as fast as we were.

I gripped Ayden’s hair and pulled his head back.

He shouted into the ceiling.

I pushed harder.

He tensed around me, then clenched. His muscles tightened, and he shouted, “Shit, Dec . . .”

I drove faster, harder.

He grunted louder.

He was close.

“I’m almost there,” I said, my abs tightening. Everything in me begged to be released.

Still, I held on.

“Turn me over!” Ayden shouted.

I pulled out, spun him around, and shoved him toward my bedroll.

“Down there, now.”

No snarky comment.

No sharp comeback.

He dropped onto his back and threw his legs high.

My knees hit the mat, as my hands gripped his ankles, and I pushed inside him again.

His eyes were so full, so wide, as he stared into me.

“Do it. Now. I just . . . I had to see you.”

I slid all the way in and leaned across the length of his body to kiss him. My hand pushed his hair back as our lips met.

“I love you more than life, Ayden. Never doubt that.”

My thumb wiped a tear that escaped his eye.

“I have never loved anyone so much,” he whispered.

I pulled out and slid in again.

His smile widened. Pleasure closed his eyes.

Slowly now, in and out, as deep as his body would allow.

“I want to feel you fill me,” he gasped.

Still slowly. So slowly.

I rose onto my knees and spat into my palm, then gripped his cock.

Thrusts and strokes, in time, together.

So slowly.

So long and gentle and . . .

“Oh, Spirits, Dec. I’m—”

I shoved into him hard, all gentleness gone.

Intense, raw passion driven by need and desire compelled me, drove me.

His hole gripped.

My cock pulsed.

His abs drew tauter than a pulled bowstring.

His shouts bounded throughout the cave.

Warmth spilled over my hand and onto my chest.

My heart sprinted.

I pumped into him faster than I thought—

Every pleasure I’d ever felt poured out of me.

I fell forward, exhausted, sweating, and unwilling to part from this man.

Ayden and I were one again.