Page 36 of I Am the Storm

As predicted, I am bruising. Badly. I bathe, letting the hot water wash away some of my pain. Moon perches on the bath next to me, meowing to be pet as I relax, and I give him some love. Then I get out and put a bathrobe on. But I'm not ready to sleep, though I should.

Instead, I make my way to Liam's room, where I hear him playing the violin. The music seeps into my soul and brings up a flood of emotion. I wait by the door, letting the last melancholic notes fade before I knock.

He's only wearing pants when he opens it, and his eyes widen in surprise at seeing me.

Suddenly I feel self-conscious. "I was hoping—as a healer—you might have something for my bruises?"

He nods, letting me in. "Show me," he says.

I suck in my breath, and then I undo my robe and let it drop to my feet, so that I'm standing before him naked. His eyes widen, and he stares at me for a long moment. "You're…you're so beautiful, Eve." His breath hitches on my name and I feel a new kind of fire alight within me.

I turn to show him my back and it's his turn to suck in a breath. "I will make sure Elijah does something to fix the carriage before you have to ride in it again," he says, frowning. "If you lay on the bed, I'll apply a cream to the bruises that should help you heal faster."

It's cool out, with a gentle breeze coming in through the open window, but all I feel is the heat igniting within me as I lay face down on his bed and breathe in his scent. I hear him moving around the room, and then feel as he sits on the bed, his body pressing against mine.

"Is it okay if I touch you?" he asks.

Right now, I want him to do a lot more than just touch me, but everything feels as if it's teetering on the edge of something important, and so I whisper ‘yes’ and wait.

He's been all about consent since I chewed him out for biting me against my will.

Now I crave the feel of his teeth sliding into my flesh.

But I settle for his warm hands as he slowly rubs something minty smelling into my back. Instantly, the aches and pains begin to fade. He's skilled with his hands, massaging my muscles with expert technique, easing out the stiffness and knots that I carry with me almost always. He runs his fingers between my ribs, from my spine to the sides of my breasts. As he works his way lower, every nerve in my body comes alive. His palms caress the dip in my back and then his hands cup my ass, rubbing and massaging until the pain is completely gone, and all I feel is a desperate arousal at his closeness, his touch, the vulnerability of being naked here with him.

It's quiet as he continues down my legs, fingers grazing between my thighs, coming so close to where I really want them to be, but then pulling back. He completes the massage at my feet, then lightly runs his hands over my body once more, letting out a spark of his magic and sending flashes of warmth over me.

"How do you feel?" he asks, his throat thick with his own desire.

I turn over and lay naked, facing him. "Amazing. I hope you're going to do my front as well?"

His pupils dilate and the bulge in his pants grows. This time he begins at my feet and slowly works his way up my legs. His gaze is locked on mine as he moves over me, straddling my legs so he can be in a better position. When he reaches my hips, he pauses. "How deep of a massage do you want?" he asks, his voice nearly breathless.

"As deep as you can give," I say.

He moans softly at my words, and his hands slide between my legs. He repositions himself so that I'm spread before him, and he teases at the flesh there, grazing but not penetrating.

Dipping his head closer to me, he takes a nipple into his mouth, and the sudden wave of pleasure that hits me makes my hips arch.

He moves his lips up to my neck, raking my skin with his now-elongated teeth.

I wrap my arms around him, pulling him closer to me. "I want you," I say.

He raises his head to look at me. "I have wanted you since I tasted you," he says.

He pulls away long enough to take his pants off, and I study his beautiful—and fully aroused—body. It's a masterpiece of perfection. One that could have been sculpted from marble. I run my hand over his chest and abs as he positions himself above me. Then his hand dips between my legs, and he kisses me deeply while using his fingers to pleasure me.

As the tension mounts, just before release, he removes his hand and pushes his hips into me as he sinks his teeth into my neck.

I cry out, my body pressing against his, my fingers digging into his back, as I am gripped by the best orgasm of my life. The heat between us is so intense it's nearly smoldering.

After a few minutes, he pulls me up, onto his lap, and we face each other as we continue making love. His hands explore my body, and I am consumed by him in every way.

Another orgasm grips me, and as I give into it, so, too, does he. We ride that wave together until we are both spent.

It's only then that I realize I smell something burning, and we both look at the bed and realize it's ablaze.

Instantly, I channel the water element within me, in the same way I controlled the fire, and I summon enough to drown the flames, though I also succeed in soaking most of the bed.