Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
The next thing she knew, he was flat on his back, and she was poised over him, straddling his waist and balancing on her knees. He plunged into her, letting her control the depths and the speed. Yes! At this angle, he hit deeper than before. And he had unlimited access to the heart of her need, which he stroked with the pad of his thumb...
Yes, yes! The pleasure...incomparable...too much, too much... Pressure broke inside her, a storm of bliss bursting forth. Viori released a ragged moan as her insides splintered, coming and coming and coming.
Micah gripped her hips and thrust his own with more force, sections of his lower body lifting from the mattress. He thrust again. And again. Harder. Faster. A roar ripped from him, her name buried within it.
As he sagged on the blankets, she collapsed atop him. He coiled his arms around her. One around her head and the other draped across her backside. A protective, possessive hold, and possibly her new favorite thing in the world. With her ear pressed against his pectoral, she heard his racing heart. A tempo matched by her pulse.
Contentment settled over her. In her. What a wonderful turn her life had taken. Micah, her husband forever. Kaysar, her brother again. Drendall, in her care once more. Graves and the others, alive and well. Incredible sex with a male she adored, whose body drove her wild. And yet, Norok and those trolls threatened everything.
Voice low and deep, Micah said, “I like you this way. Soft and satisfied.”
“I think you like me, period,” she teased.
“I do.” He kissed her brow, almost smiling. Then he grew serious again, if not a little, well, bashful. “Is the like mutual, Red? I know you said you loved me, but that was probably—”
“I do love you. That isn’t a phrase I use lightly. And the like is definitely mutual.” She lifted her head to give him a lazy smile. “I’m keeping you forever.”
The almost smile returned. “Are you now?”
“The children insist.”
He offered her a full-blown smile, only to frown seconds later. “I won’t serve your brother.”
“Why would you? You are a king, too. And I’m your queen.”
Some of his tension faded. He smoothed a lock of her hair from her cheek. “There are things we must figure out about our future.”
Not a declaration of love but progress all the same. “All we need to figure out is whether or not we wish to be together. Everything else is icing. So do you?”
Again, he pursed his lips. “I do.” At least he hadn’t needed to think about it. “And you?”
“Yes!” More than anything. “We can live our dream, Micah. You, me, and our fruit growing trees, ruling our people in the paradise you’ve always longed for.”
He clutched her even tighter. “You deserve a palace. This palace. I built it for you—I wasn’t willing to admit it at the time.”
She kissed his biggest scar. “This palace is wonderful and all, but I’d rather we build a new one. The children won’t be comfortable here. The ceilings are far too low for our boys.”
“And here, Norok will only ever haunt my memories.” Pain drenched his voice, sharper than any dagger. “I must kill him.”
Viori winced. “Maybe there’s another way. We can imprison him and Fayette. If we eradicate the trolls, Norok will have no armies to control.” If it was the last thing she did, she would be getting his—their—people back. She had ideas for the orphanage. A new friend and protector for every child! “The camp is ours. We can build there.”
“Norok wishes to kill you.” His voice hardened. “He doesn’t get to breathe.”
Beyond sweet. But also rash? In time, would Micah come to resent her for the loss?
A hard double rap sounded at the door. “Family meeting in the war room, Viori. Five minutes,” Amber called. “There’s been a new development. Oh, and your presence is required as well, Micah.”
“Will I never get to keep you to myself?” he grumbled as they climbed from the bed.
“What do you think happened?
“Nothing good,” he said, dressing quickly.
She shoved her arms through the proper holes in the robe. “Ugh. The robe is nice and all, but not for a family meeting.”
“You wish for a gown, I will acquire a gown.” He planted a swift kiss on her lips, then vanished, reappearing seconds later with a gorgeous ensemble in hand. The most beautiful thing she’d ever seen, with mesh and leather around the vital organs. A gown, but also armor.
“Where did you get this?” she asked, awed by it—and him.
“I have a secret room here. Several secret rooms Kaysar and Cookie haven’t yet found. One of them is filled with everything I collected for my wife.”
“A treasure room. Just for me?” Viori threw herself into his arms, peppering his face with kisses. “I accept every trinket as my due!”