Curse And Craving

62

Every pass of his tongue and graze of his teeth was reverent. His focus was absolute. His attention devout. In the confines of this room—this perfect dream I’d created—I was his sole purpose in life, and he conveyed his devotion with every single touch. I writhed mindlessly beneath him. I was the embodiment of need, reduced to my most basic form of animal instinct. No pretense or civility to force unnatural inhibitions. I allowed sensation to own me and used my body to communicate, pleading with him for more with every moan and roll of my spine. Lochlan lifted up off the bed, and my gaze snagged on the corded muscle of his arms. Slowly … deliberately … he slid his jeans down over his thighs. He was naked beneath, his thick c**k bobbing free. The sight of him standing naked above me jogged my memory to flashes of Ronan just before he unveiled himself. The butterflies in my stomach turned putrid. No. This was not Ronan. This was my dream, and I was in control. I would not let Ronan steal this from me, too. Before fear could get the better of me, I slipped my pajama shorts down over my hips, and Lochlan pulled them from my feet, discarding them on the floor. He then brought his hands to my last scrap of clothing, my pink silk panties, and he pulled them achingly slowly down my legs as his eyes devoured me. As the fabric glided down each inch of my legs, waves of arousal surged and crested in my belly. Dragging his body along mine, Lochlan lowered on top of me, little by little, until we were aligned from head to toe. The head of his shaft pressed at my entrance. I lifted my knees up to spread wide for him, but he paused, his eyes locked on mine. You’re magnificent, he seemed to say from behind those cerulean depths. Only for you, I gave back. His chest vibrated with a rumbling growl of approval as he slowly, so slowly, rocked inside of me. He wasn’t just f*****g me; he was forging a connection. Linking us on a primal level. This is how it should have been. My heart fluttered uncontrollably while my body stretched with delicious fullness. I arched and squeezed my inner muscles as I adjusted, raw sounds of unbridled lust purring from the back of my throat. “Eyes, Bec. Give me your eyes.” Strain shredded his voice to the coarse scratch of gravel on a paved road. I did as he commanded, making sure to keep my gaze locked on his as his pace quickened and each thrust became more demanding. Soon, the quiet room was filled with the sound of his hard body pounding into my soft flesh. I felt his touch in every molecule of my being. A fire singeing me on the inside, threatening to consume me, body and soul. I didn’t care. I wanted whatever death he had to offer because a life without this chaotic energy wouldn’t be worth living. My body quivered with the promise of impending ecstasy, just as divine as it would be devastating. Sensation clambered and clawed to the surface. It was impossible to direct or contain, and when Lochlan’s fingers twisted my n****e, the sharp sting was the kindling needed to ignite the final explosion. Lightning burst from my belly into my veins until my blood is a river of fire. The o****m raged through me, a current of electric pleasure altering the chemical makeup of my body. Only vaguely aware, I noted the violent roar signaling Lochlan’s release deep inside me just before I gasped awake, lurching upward in my hotel bed next to Cat. “What happened? Becca, you okay?” Cat asked groggily. I looked around the dimly lit room, attempting to orient myself. The oppressive weight of disappointment tugged at my shoulders when I realized I’d woken up and lost the dream. Not totally lost. I could still remember every passionate detail, but I was no longer safe in Lochlan’s arms, and that was enough of a loss to douse the heated remnants of our time together. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Technically, it wasn’t a lie, but I realized as I spoke that the heightened emotions had brought my magic to the surface. My eyes were obsidian shards that I’d never be able to explain should Cat catch a glimpse. I squeezed my lids shut and slid off the bed. “Just need to use the restroom. You go back to sleep.” Once I was safely inside the confines of the small water closet, I took several deep cleansing breaths, and only once I had ensured that my eyes were back to brown did I rejoin Cat in the bedroom. She was already fast asleep again, softly snoring as I tucked myself back under the covers. After the threat of being discovered had passed, memories of the dream flooded my mind. I’d just had the hottest s*x dream ever while sleeping in a bed with my friend. In the name of everything holy, please tell me I didn’t moan out loud or do something equally embarrassing. I hoped that since she was back asleep again so quickly, I hadn’t done anything too terrible. Just the possibility was upsetting. I was in a dark room with the covers over my head, and I still buried my face in my hands with mortification. Her knowing about the dream might have been embarrassing, but the dream itself had been epic. One I would not forget for a very long time. And just to be sure the memory didn’t fade like mist through the trees, I ran through the scene over and over as I drifted back to sleep.

Chapter Twenty-Five MONDAY MORNING AT THE MUSEUM WAS BUSY, SO I DIDN’T SEE CAT UNTIL lunch when she joined me in the break room. “I was hoping I’d find you here.” She sat with me at the table, though she didn’t have a lunch. “You not eating?” “No, I just needed to tell you that the elders got in touch while we were gone. They want to meet with you.” I sat up taller in my chair. “That’s great news, I think. Do you have any idea what they want to talk to me about?” “No, they don’t tell me anything.” “I suppose there’s only one way to find out. When and where do they want to meet?” “Tonight, seven o’clock at the Central Library. The ground floor study room right off the main reading area.” “Will you be there?” Having a friendly face present would ease my anxiety significantly. “No. Though I tried. Mam said the elders wouldn’t allow it.” I shrugged. “Oh, well. Thank you, Cat. I really appreciate all your help.” “No, thank you. You’re the most exciting thing to come to town in my lifetime.” She ended with a teasing smile, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Unlike her, I could have used a little less excitement in my life. “I don’t think recent events had anything to do with me, per se. The issues with the Fae would have happened regardless, but I’m glad to help bring some pizzazz to these dreary Belfast skies.” “Well, without you, I wouldn’t have been privy to any of it.” “Just so long as you don’t go getting more involved than necessary.