Marie Harte - Aftershocks

Before, her only concern had been to see if Cadmus was all right. And, she admitted, to share her feelings and find a haven in his solid embrace. But now that she’d touched him, saw with her own eyes that he really did care, a flood of love overwhelmed her, bringing with it a brood of worries.

“Tell me, Ellie. I’m here for you.”

Still hesitant, she wavered until he turned her around and pulled her back against his chest, running his hands up and down her arms and over her shoulders in an incredibly tender massage.

Surrendering to his care, she recounted her parents’ conversation. “I’m so confused. It’s like the people I once thought I knew never existed. I understand why my mother wanted to keep me safe growing up, but to let me believe my father didn’t care about me for so long? I’m twenty-eight, for God’s sake! I’ve spent my whole life despising my father while wishing he loved me, even a little bit. And it was all a lie.”

Tears welled, and she angrily brushed them away.

“I’m sorry.” Cadmus turned her face and wiped away her tears. Then he tucked her head under his chin and hugged her tight. “Seems like your parents both wanted what they thought best for you. They love you very much.”

“I know. That’s what makes this so hard. I spent so much of my life trying not to be like my father, even while I wanted him to like me. I thought he just didn’t care. But now I find he cared—cares—a lot.”

“And you feel guilty for the way you treated him.” Cadmus huffed. “Ellie, the way I see it, both your parents screwed up.”

“What?”

“Your mother could have dealt with your father without dragging you in the middle. And your father could have told you the truth. No offence, I like your mother, but she’s not perfect.”

A sense of justified anger at her father sparked. “You’re right. Ethim could have sought me out, but he didn’t.”

Cadmus stayed quiet and rubbed her arms. God, but it felt so good to be with him. She could feel the soothing warmth in his hands the depth of his concern in the gentleness of his touch.

“Why didn’t he tell you, do you think?” he asked, leading her in the direction she’d been heading.

“Because…because I never embraced that part of me that was like him.”

“The Djinn.”

“That Dark side of me. The side you can’t stand,” she couldn’t help prodding, trying to work out her resentment.

“Nice jab.” He kissed the top of her head. “We really do have a lot in common, besides both of us being exceptionally attractive, I mean.”

“Oh?” She rolled her eyes, openly smiling because she knew he couldn’t see her face.

“We both like to take shots at people when they’re trying their best to comfort us. We both have loving families, and we’ve both suffered the loss of our father, though you’re at a lucky point in your life enabling you to breech that hurt. Then there’s that most important trait we have in common.”

Touched by his insight, she sighed and completely relaxed against him. “What’s that?”

“We both love my body.” The smile in his voice started a chuckle out of her. She turned to face him, to thank him for his understanding, and stilled at the pure desire pulsing in his soul. “You have no idea what you do to me, baby.”

He kissed her softly, increasing the pressure of his lips when she pulled him closer. Just the taste of him had her hungry. Her breasts ached for his touch, and her clit throbbed with need.

“Cadmus, I want—”

“So do I, baby. I want you to be happy. But more, I want you . I always do.” He stood with her, kissing her until she could do nothing but kiss him back, her thoughts in a sensual daze. When he broke the kiss, she moaned her displeasure. But he left her only to toss several pillows to the floor, creating a makeshift bed.

“Pretty handy, aren’t you?”

“You could say that.” He grinned, his eyes alight, and she couldn’t help falling into absolute love.

As if reading her emotions, his gaze darkened and the smile on his face faded. “Take off your clothes and lie down with me.”

She moved her hands to the hem of her shirt and bit her lip. She hadn’t seen the inside of it before, but what if Cadmus’ Light made them both visible? “But the gazebo—”

“Is private. Trust me. I won’t let anyone interrupt us.” With a flick of his wrist, spectral bands of Light wrapped the pavillion. “Now take them off.”

He leant back against a post and crossed his arms over his chest.

Wanting him out of control and needy, she slowly stripped. First her shirt, then her jeans. She wriggled and gyrated, taunting him with the curve of her breasts and the fullness of her ass. Cadmus was far from unaffected. She could see his erection straining through the front of his trousers.

“Where did you get those clothes?” She toyed with the strap of her bra.

“From Jonas,” he answered in a thick voice, his eyes glued to her hands. “The bra, Ellie. I need to see.”

She reached behind her, thrusting out her breasts as she did so. His eyes, she noted with satisfaction, were so dark they looked black. After she unhooked the bra, she teasingly eased it off her shoulders, letting the scrap of silk slide to the floor. Her panties soon followed.

Cadmus’ stare made her nipples pucker with desire. “By the Light, your beauty is breathtaking.”

She flushed, pleased by his praise, and waited for him to approach her. When he only stood there staring, she took the initiative and stepped forward.

“No, wait.” He held up a hand and stripped out of his clothes with harried movements. “Lie down.”

Excitement quivered in her belly as complied. On her back, she gazed up at him, wondering how, in such a short span of time, she’d gone from sad and angry to loving and aroused. Cadmus’ sweltering gaze lingered over her body, his hands clenched by his sides. His velvety cock bobbed and grew, and her mouth watered. She wanted so badly to taste him. She breathed a sigh of relief when he finally knelt. But she started when he settled between her thighs, nudging them wide, and stared from her belly ring to her mound, licking his lips.

Her pulse skyrocketed.

“That ring drives me crazy.” He leant forward, the hard tip of his shaft brushing her cleft and making her hunger for more. But he moved back, and with a gentle bite, he tugged at the silver ring, licking her belly and sucking at the tender flesh. She moaned, and his mouth trailed lower, resting just above her pussy.

He licked his lips. “That brief taste of you in the shower wasn’t enough.”

He ran his thumbs through her blonde curls, sliding through her folds but not any deeper. He barely glazed her clit, but the fiery touch was enough to have her arching to meet him.

“That’s it, baby. I want you wet for me.” He lowered his head and nuzzled her curls. “You smell so damned sweet.” He splayed her folds wide open and lowered his mouth.

She gasped, unbearably aroused when his hot breath settled over her clit and he began licking her in earnest.

His lips whispered along her flesh, stroking and teasing, deliberately keeping his touch light. She writhed, needing more, and he inserted a blunt finger inside her. He wouldn’t move it, so she rode him, moving with the pressure of his tongue and teeth.

Dark need settled over her, and she realised with some surprise that part of her arousal came from Cadmus. Her energy and his meshed, their sensual desire building as their bodies demanded more.

Great stores of power flowed into her, and when he added a second finger and rumbled small, elemental vibrations over her clit, she cried out with pleasure.

“That’s it, love, tell me how much you like it.” She could feel how much he desired her through the musk in her mind. His Dark arousal mirrored in her own. “Give it to me, baby. I want you to come in my mouth.”