REWARD

28

Her voice was weak in her admission as she closed the final distance between them, pressing her lips against his tentatively.

Luka started slowly, gently, testing her. But with every separation and rejoining, their movements became more passionate. Hungry. No , she thought, not hungry. Famished.

The kiss was electric, sending a jolt of energy through her that brought her back to life. His arms curled around her tightly as she wrapped hers around his neck. With one swift movement, he lifted her off the ground. She circled his waist with her legs instinctively, resting them around his hips just above his towel.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked quickly. "I don't—"

"Shut up," she said, sealing their mouths again.

Luka backed up and sat on the bed, placing her on his lap, their lips never separating for more than a breath. His tongue brushed against her bottom lip as she ran her hands through his still-damp hair. He kissed the corner of her mouth, then her jaw, and explored an invisible path down her neck. Shivers traveled up her spine as his neatly trimmed beard tickled her sensitive skin.

She felt him harden beneath her as his hands wandered down her body until he gripped her ass tightly. An involuntary moan escaped at the feeling of him against her, the vibrations of it humming against his lips. The sound made him pull back and look up at her, his eyes wild with desire, before he kissed her again—furiously, this time.

Their tongues danced as they took turns nipping and biting at each other. She savored the taste of smoke on his lips as he pulsed beneath her, which only made the throbbing between her own legs intensify. She wanted more. Needed more. Her entire body was on fire and it needed to be doused.

She shoved his chest, pushing him flat against the bed, and smirked at the surprise on his face. "Sorry, did you want me to ask first?"

He let out a beautifully warm laugh, remembering what he'd said to her after their sparring match. "I promise you, you'll never have to ask to get me into this position," he said, drawing her face back down to his.

Luka cupped his hands around the back of Aria's thighs, reveling in her body that brushed against him with every movement. He let out a low growl and flipped her onto her back easily, swapping their positions. Luka hovered over her hungrily, taking in every part of her. Memorizing every fleck in her bright green eyes.

Aria's lips met his again as she ran her fingers up his arms. She couldn't get enough of his strong hands, the way he held her as if he wanted her so desperately that he refused to let go. She reached for his towel that was, by some miracle, still wrapped tightly around his waist despite Luka's hard length that threatened to tear it open.

But he stopped her.

"Not yet, Princess," he breathed heavily against her neck.

She groaned in protest, causing him to pull back and look at her. "I want you. Badly, " he assured her, "but I want all of you. I want to hear you scream my name until your voice goes hoarse. And I don't think the rest of the Sanctum would much appreciate that, do you?"

Aria panted, her breath escaping in quick gasps. She wanted to argue with him further, but he was probably right. As much as she wanted Luka to take her right then, she didn't necessarily want to broadcast it to the rest of the group. At least not yet. And the walls here were so painfully thin, she would be shocked if someone walking by hadn't already heard them. That thought cooled her off quickly. She huffed in frustration but was cut off by his mouth on hers.

At least we can do this , she thought.

***

Once Aria had begrudgingly clicked his door shut behind her, Luka looked at the food scattered on his floor that had fallen off the bed at some point, neither of them bothering to notice. He'd never even touched it. He'd been too consumed by her story, and then by her.

His lips still tingled, swollen from friction, even in her absence. They had continued exploring each other until their mouths were raw, until they could no longer bear the aching between their thighs and finally decided to separate for the night.

He ran a hand over the scruff of his beard, kicking himself for having so much restraint. But he didn't want her to regret a single moment with him, and he was certain she wasn't ready for everyone to know about their… whatever this was.

Luka shed his towel, freeing his length with a sigh of relief before laying on the bed and gripping himself. Gods , what did it say about him that he was touching himself thinking about the woman who was his enemy just a month ago? What did it say about her that she'd been more than willing to give herself over to him?

He closed his eyes as he stroked, remembering the way she'd greedily reached to touch him, the way she'd been desperate to feel him inside her. The scent of her arousal, that delicious aroma, still lingered in the air. It made him drunk on the thought of her replacing his hand, her heat wrapped tightly around him. That image was enough to send him over the edge, clenching his teeth to stop from moaning at the immense release that roped onto his chest and stomach.

After a sobering moment spent cleaning himself up, he slept more soundly than he had in months.