Page 52 of Death

Ari takes hold of his shaft and gives himself a few quick strokes. “Are you sure?” he asks.

Saliva builds on my tongue. “Yes,” I say, practically moaning.

His lips twitch. “Open,” he says again.

I obey. I tremble as he guides himself in, teasing my bottom lip with it just as he did with his thumb before. This time, he leaves a line of his fluid along my lip and my tongue acts on its own to taste him. He tastes sweet, his skin salty, but I want more.

I stick out my tongue, eager to lick every inch of him. Ari nearly gasps as my tongue swipes his tip and my abs quiver as pleasure takes over him.

I smile, my thoughts on him and him alone.

Ari releases his shaft and touches the side of my head instead. “Tannis,” he says, “you drive me crazy.”

I continue teasing him, still a bit shaded with inexperience. I gather more moisture onto the tip of my tongue before taking his length a little deeper into my mouth.

He instantly groans, making me moan. I never knew how much I enjoy hearing that sound from a man until now.

I want to hear it again.

I tighten my lips around his head and he inhales sharply. Another grunt falls as I suck at his tip and swirl around it with my tongue. It feels sloppy and uncoordinated, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He grips my hair but he doesn’t move me or force me anywhere. The tease that he might sends a flurry of pleasure down my spine and I start bobbing my head to massage him.

“Tannis—”he gasps, a chuckle in his throat. “Don’t stop.”

My jaw tightens but I ignore it. I let out a deep moan, feeling my body edging with fire as his fingers twitch and his abs harden. I keep going, harder and faster, learning and playing with my own limits. I follow his groans; those soft, epic groans. I want to make him feel like this again.

The thought brings me pause.

Have I really changed my mind so much in so little time?

Two days ago, I was heartbroken. I was to be torn away from my friends, my family, my home... in order to fulfill some destiny I never had a choice in.

And now...

I’m torn in a different way.

Perhaps there are worse fates than becoming queen of the dead.

“Tannis?”

I look up at him, snapping out of my thought spiral. “I’m sorry,” I say, leaning back and wiping my mouth.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No, no. I just...” I swallow hard. “Catching my breath, that’s all.”

Ari cups my cheek and rolls his thumb under my eye, wiping away a tear I didn’t even know was there. “We can stop,” he whispers without an ounce of disappointment in him.

I shake my head and wet my raw lips again. “No,” I say. “I don’t want to stop.”

Ari grins and leans down, gently tilting my face up to his. He kisses me, suckling on my raw lip before pulling away. “Then, we won’t,” he says, his hands sliding down to my waist. “But I’ll happily give you a break.”

He lifts me up onto the bed. I let out a yelp of surprise as he turns me onto my back and lies on top of me. I allow my hands to roam his body, feeling all the firm muscles living beneath his skin.

Ari chuckles against my lips. “That tickles,” he says.

I snort. “This?”

I run my fingers along his left side again and he twitches hard away from it.