Page 58 of Her Cruel Dahlias
“Remove it,” he rasped, rolling them so she was on top of him.
Her heart sang at the fact that he wanted absolutely nothing between them. Cricket unbuckled his collar and took off her locket, resting them both on the night table. Pulling him from the bed so they were both standing, she skimmed her fingers across his scar before replacing them with gentle kisses. Using her tongue and mouth, she traveled down his chest until she reached his length. She licked the salty pearl from his tip while skating her hands down his back to his firm buttocks. Needing no urging from her, he slid his manhood between her lips. Zephyr growled as he moved, deep and lusty, his fingers tangled in her hair. She worked him with her tongue, licking and sucking him from base to tip until she desired all of him.
Zephyr seemed to know precisely what she needed when he groaned. “It’s time to move on to the next act of our performance.” He sat on the bed and pulled her into his lap with her facing away from him. Using deft fingers, he stroked her center while kissing up the column of her neck. His other hand cradled her breast, kneading it as she arched into him.
“No more teasing,” she whispered. “Show me the finale.”
As if she weighed nothing, he lifted and turned her to face him. There was no pause when his length pressed fully inside her.
“Zephyr,” Cricket moaned in delight.
He gripped her hips, urging her to move. She ground her core against him, and it didn’t take long before the pace picked up. Harder, faster. Her fingers tugged his hair, making him groan. Their movements grew frantic as they both savored the pleasure they were receiving from one another.
“Come for me,” he purred. “Let me hear that beautiful sound you make.”
Her eyelids fluttered, the inviting feeling inching closer. Then, as if her roses were brushing all her nerve endings, bliss shattered inside her, and she screamed his name.
Zephyr didn’t hesitate to flip her onto her back to thrust inside her when she wrapped her legs around his waist to bring him in even deeper. She dug her fingernails into his back, and he relished the moment as he let go, growling her name while spilling himself inside her.
“That was…” Cricket breathed. She gazed into his bright hazel eyes, unable to stop smiling. “That was…” She couldn’t get the words out, what she was feeling as they lay spent and relaxed.
“The most amazing performance we’ve ever put on together,” he said between kisses that traveled along her neck, his teeth gently nipping her ear. “I don’t think the stage curtains need to be drawn shut quite yet, though. I think the performance deserves an encore.”
“Endless encores,” she drawled, bringing his mouth to hers.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cricket brushed a lock of hair from Zephyr’s cheek, and his eyes turned slitted. A smirk crossed his face as he wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her closer. “Looks as if my wish came true. I got you in my bed,” he purred.
“This isn’t exactly your bed, now is it?” she teased, trailing a finger over his lower lip.
With one swift motion, he lifted her atop him as he rolled to his back, and Cricket gasped. He pressed his forehead against hers. “This one is sufficient. If I had enough coin, I would make it so we never left this room again,” he said gruffly, nipping her neck.
“I think we would die of starvation or thirst.” Cricket arched a brow and rolled, squeaking as they fell from the bed and collapsed on the floor.
Zephyr caught himself before his weight crushed her, and she couldn’t hold back the loud laughter spilling out from her. A laugh she hadn’t released in ages.
“Oh, fuck.” He balanced himself on his arms while his body shook from his own laughter. “Are you all right?”
She threaded her fingers through his hair. “I will be once you wake me thoroughly.” Neither one of them had been able to sleep much during the night. There’d been lovemaking, touching conversations, and more lovemaking. Darkness still lingered behind the curtains, the sun not yet risen.
Zephyr captured Cricket’s lips and brought one of her legs around his waist before giving a heavenly thrust inside her depths.
When the sun filtered in through the window, Cricket and Zephyr eventually had to wake from this dream of ecstasy and return to the world of horror that threatened to consume them.
Cricket slipped her dress over her head while Zephyr drew on his trousers. He left them unfastened as he buttoned the back of her dress.
“I’m leaving Nobel later today to let my aunt in Sorel know about Juniper and to prepare a burial for her body once it’s released from the coroner’s,” he said softly. “My aunt never tried to take us from the carnival when we’d chosen to stay with Mistress Eliza, and I haven’t talked to her in a long time, but I know she cared about Juniper.”
“Do you think if Mistress Eliza’s necromancy returns, or we find another with the ability, that you would want to try and bring her back?” Cricket didn’t know if she should give hope, but perhaps it was something good to hold on to.
Zephyr shook his head. “Juniper had a harder time than me when she was first revived, and I don’t want to pull her away from peace. She once told me if something happened to her again, just to let her be.”
Cricket thought about her family years ago. Her playing with Felix, the sickness spreading through their household, worsening for him. “I had a little brother once. He died when he was four from a plague. I still miss him and wonder what he would be like now if he had lived.”
Zephyr circled his arms around her, holding her tightly as he rested his chin on top of her head. “Maybe Juniper found your brother in the afterlife and is telling him all about his wonderful sister.”
The thought made her chest swell. “Once this murderer is brought to justice, I should find my parents and let them know I’m alive. Just like your aunt, they deserve that much.” Tears pricked Cricket’s eyes as she wrapped her arms around him, finding comfort in his touch. “There’s one other thing I need to do before returning to Anika’s—I want to talk to Mistress Eliza. Not that I need you attached to my hip to do so, but I was hoping you could walk me there?”