Her soft little fingers found their way down into his hair and shoulders, and he felt the sharp bite of her nails as she pressed her hips up, offering herself, trying to get more of his touch, his tongue.
“Reddix…oh God, Reddix!” she moaned, and he felt his cock surge again. Gods, how he loved to hear his name on her lips, loved to hear her call for him as he brought her to the edge! He licked harder, concentrating again on her tight little clit, bathing it with the tip of his tongue before sucking it between his lips and lashing the sensitive bundle of nerves mercilessly, causing her to claw at his shoulders and cry his name breathlessly once more.
She was close—incredibly close, and he knew it. Pressing forward he licked even harder, thrusting deep, urging her wordlessly to let go, to give in to the pleasure he was providing.
That’s right, sweetheart, he thought, so hot he could barely articulate the words, even to himself. Go ahead and give it up for me. Come for me—come all over my face.
Finally, he felt her inner muscles clamp down on his fingers, tightening rhythmically as she found her peak. At the same time she gasped his name and arched her back, crying for him, begging him not to stop.
Immediately, he withdrew his fingers and replaced them with his tongue. The feel of her tight channel spasming around him as he pressed deeply into her wetness made his cock surge.
“Reddix!” she wailed, bucking her hips up as though trying to pull him in deeper. Reddix was happy to oblige her. Hooking his arms around her thighs, he pressed his face between her legs, thrusting his tongue deep into her hot, wet pussy tonguefucking her, just as he had promised. Gods, he wanted her! Wanted to taste her every day for the rest of her life, wanted to never let her go.
Feeling his tongue insider her seemed to drive Nina wild. With a low moan, she started to come again. Reddix tasted fresh wetness as he rode out her orgasm, loving every minute of it, reveling in his pleasure as she shook and shuddered against him. She was so beautiful, so perfect and right. If only she could be his forever instead of just this one last night.
But even in the heat of the moment, he knew that could never be.
* * * * *
When the pleasure finally ebbed and Nina was able to relax, Reddix climbed back into bed with her and held her tight with her back to his front, as though he never wanted to let go.
“Reddix?” She tried to turn to look at him, but he wouldn’t let her.
“Just let me hold you.” His deep voice was harsh with emotion. “Let me hold you, at least for tonight.”
“What is it?” she asked gently, stroking one muscular forearm which was wrapped around her waist.
He was silent a long time, but then finally, he spoke.
“You know. You said it yourself—this is our last night. And I don’t…don’t fucking want it to be.”
“I don’t either.” She tried to turn to him again and this time he let her. The look in his eyes was one of such deep sadness Nina felt her heart twist. “Is it really so important?” she asked. “I mean, you becoming the next OverChief if your people won’t accept Saber?”
He nodded. “If the line of succession is broken, they’ll go to war. It’s happened before—nearly wiped out the entire fucking race.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “Touch Kindred are hotheaded bastards.”
“Just tell me one thing, then.” Nina snuggled against him, pressing her face to his chest, breathing in that warm, masculine spice that always made her feel dizzy with desire for him. “If all that was taken care of—if you didn’t have those responsibilities hanging over your head—would we be together?”
He gave her a long look. “There’s more standing between us than you know, sweetheart. But yes, if I could be free of this place and these obligations, we’d find a way to be together.”
Nina’s heart rose into her throat. “Then…if by some miracle the clans do accept Saber and Lissa as their leaders…”
“I’ll kidnap you again and take you someplace far, far away with just the two of us,” he promised hoarsely. “I swear it.”
“Oh, Reddix…” She lifted her chin and kissed him, tasting her own secret flavor on his mouth. The words I love you rose to her lips, but she swallowed them back down. Time enough to say them if things worked out for Saber and Lissa at the gathering tomorrow night. In the meantime, she just wanted to enjoy being with him…hopefully not for the last time, after all.
Chapter Twenty-eight
A loud pounding on the bedroom door woke Reddix up. He blinked in the orangish sunlight flooding the room, wondering why he was sleeping in the guest bed. Then Nina stirred beside him. She had put back on her blue gown, but just seeing her reminded him of everything that had gone on the night before. They hadn’t made love, but Nina had insisted on sucking him—tasting him as he had tasted her—and then they had fallen asleep in each other’s arms. It had been the best and most bittersweet night of his life—knowing that she cared for him and wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.