Marie Harte - Below the Surface

He smiled, a sincere expression of delight. Thoughts of ridding his world of the Storm Lords for good, of returning Tanselm to its rightful owners, made him want to shout with joy. For too long the true natives of Tanselm lived in the dark, scurrying like rats in festering filth. The Netharat , his personal creation, an army of wraiths, ice demons and the Shadren, had made a lasting impression on the conceited lords and ladies of Tanselm at their last meeting.

But he knew the royal usurpers needed more. They needed to learn what it felt like to live day in and day out in waste and decay, to experience life between the light, to know how it felt to be ripped of one’s heritage and channelled into forgetfulness simply because you weren’t born at the right time with the right brethren.

His temper simmered as he glared at an image of the River Prince’s new lady. Tessa Sheridan. She would help him make the Storm Lords pay. This time, he wouldn’t fail. Prince Marcus and the others would watch firsthand as their lands, and their supposed affai , fell to him, ‘Sin Garu, last of the Nostren elite.

“Excuse me?” Marcus stared at Tessa as if she’d lost her mind.

“What I meant was,” she paused, knowing she’d said what she meant. But as her confusion turned to understanding, panic set in. Why had Marcus referred to her as his affai —his damned bride , and why the hell had she blurted something so personal in front of his brothers and Arim, for God’s sake?

“Yes?” Cadmus asked with a wide grin.

“Please, go on,” Arim encouraged. His face bore no expression but his eyes were dancing with merriment.

“I meant to say, Marcus mentioned Darius and Samantha’s tie earlier and I had wanted to ask him what ‘ affai ’ actually meant.”

“So now you know,” Aerolus said plainly.

“Yep, now I know.” Her stomach grumbled, and she wished she had a piece of food stuffed in her mouth so she wouldn’t have to talk anymore.

A few seconds later a banana flew through the door nearly taking Cadmus’ ear off before landing in her hands. She flushed and hurriedly peeled the fruit, shoving it into her mouth, so as to make conversation impossible.

“If you’ll excuse us?” Marcus said to the others as he grabbed her by the arm quite forcefully. “We have some business matters to discuss.”

Tessa stared at him in confusion with a banana stuffed in her cheek, making her feel like a squirrel.

“The threat to have you fired,” Marcus reminded as she watched the others leave his room ever so slowly.

The minute the door closed, leaving the two of them alone, Marcus dropped her arm like a hot poker. He turned to her with a chilly frown. But as he stared at her, a genuine smile worked its way across his face. Then suddenly he was laughing, great loud chuckles straight from his gut.

Entranced, she soon grew annoyed as it became apparent she was the source of his amusement.

“Care to share?” she asked around the food.

“I’ve never seen a woman eat a banana with less finesse,” he paused and began laughing again. “You look like a, what do you call it? A chipmunk.”

“Oh?” she said frostily after she swallowed. “You often watch women perform with fruit?”

At her tone, his chuckles burst into greater gales.

She wanted to remain angry, but the sight of Marcus letting his reserve go made her heart leap. He seemed so approachable now, so close to touch.

Unconsciously, she neared, staring at him like he was a drink of cold water in a wasteland of desert.

He saw her look of intent and stopped laughing, his ocean blue eyes swirling into storm, mirroring her need. “We have things to talk about,” he said and took a step closer, bridging the distance between them.

“I know.”

“There’s more you should know. Things to plan.” He pulled her into his arms, his gaze locked on her mouth.

Her mouth dry, she licked her lips and heard him groan.

“Later.” He sealed her mouth with his.

As if they hadn’t come together just last night, or even this morning, Tessa’s body lit just for him. Lust surged and pooled between her thighs, and memories from their previous lovemaking peaked her desire even higher.

His hands touched her everywhere, soft and hard, urgent, yet so sensual she wanted to melt at his feet. Within moments he had her divested of all clothing, his hands stirring her arousal. His long fingers lingered over her chest, making her breasts swollen and heavy, needing more of his touch.

Lowering, he kissed her nipples, each tenderly, then more forcefully, as he suckled her, wringing from her an unwilling moan of surrender.

“Yes, sertia ,” he murmured, his mouth working magic against her sensitive nipples while one hand circled lower. His fingers parted and entered her wet heat, sliding between her lips and plunging into her vagina with a suddenness that shocked her into near climax.

“No, sweet,” he breathed as he slid slowly in and out of her, adding another finger. “Let’s make it last.”

He laid her across his bed and stared down at her as he removed his clothing. She couldn’t help sighing at his perfection. Before they’d been too rushed for her to fully appreciate his physique, but now, under the light of day, she caught an eyeful.

She’d always loved a strong upper body on a man, and Marcus made her stomach do flip-flops. He had a hard eight-pack, forget the six, and the thin stream of silky black hair that lined his sculpted chest and disappeared below his jeans made her want to trail the path with her tongue.

His eyes smoldered as he watched her watching him, and knowing she could affect him with just a look had her drowning in desire.

“I’m going to take this slowly,” he promised and stepped out of his jeans.

She swallowed audibly. His erection was strong, thick and impossible to miss. He stood before her, hungry yet cool, making her itch to shake his unruffled composure.

“How do you do it, Marcus?” she asked, her voice husky. She rose to her knees and saw his eyes darken as they fell to her full breasts. She leant forward and placed a soft kiss on his chest, encouraged at the subtle breath he took. “You’re so together, when all I can think about is kissing you.”

She licked the spot and kissed him lower, just above his navel. “Tasting you.”

His hands fisted at his sides, and when she glanced up she noted his jaw was clenched. “Such composure,” she murmured with a sly grin. “How you can be so calm when I can’t stop my heart from racing. All I think about is what you’ll taste like when I kiss you there.” She looked down at his bobbing erection and thought she heard him groan. But when she looked up at him, his gaze was impassive.

“Do it,” he dared, a tight smile grazing his lips.

“Oh, I will, lover,” she replied saucily before lowering her mouth. She grasped his thighs to steady herself and immediately his stance widened, his tight muscles bunching under her hands.

She stroked his legs softly and breathed over the head of his cock, more than aware of the moisture coating his tip. Power thrived within her, a feminine energy growing with every beat of her heart.

Lowering her lips to his shaft, she sucked lightly, growing wetter as she absorbed his shattered reaction.

“Tessa, baby,” he rasped, pushing against her lips. “That feels so good. Yes, sertia , more,” he pleaded and groaned when her tongue stroked the underside of his shaft.

Tessa loved it. He was steaming, pure desire rolling off him in waves, lapping into her as if the two of them were one. She revelled in his scent and taste, and wanting to pleasure him, she took him deeper in her mouth.