Bowstrings & Velvet (Spellbound #1)

Chapter 22: Flying Arrows

A tendril of soft hair tickled Felix's nose as he opened his eyes. The room was dark, and it took him a moment to remember where he was. He couldn't hold back a smile as he pulled the warm body next to his closer and nuzzled his nose against the skin of her neck. Shae mumbled something in her sleep, her hand coming up to search for his. Taking it, he threaded her fingers between his own as he considered the luck bestowed upon him tonight.

His wife didn't loathe him. In fact, she seemed almost fond of him. Now he only had to make sure it stayed that way. There might still be a chance for him to conquer her heart. Something he had realised he very much wanted. Simply having her not detest him was no longer enough. For years she had kept away from him, remaining polite and disinterested at all times, but lately, the facade had faltered. Pieces of the real Shae were showing, like rays of sunshine through a tattered curtain no longer able to filter it out. He had found the old Shae interesting. Beautiful and unattainable. The Shae he was coming to know was fascinating, and he wanted to know all of her.

He loved watching her with their son the few chances he got. It was the one time she never hid. Hopefully, she would feel comfortable enough to be herself with him too now because this Shae was infinitely more interesting than the proper High Queen of Erya she liked to project.

Another mumble and a wriggle of her bottom against his loins distracted him from his thoughts. His hand followed the curve of her ribcage and waist to come to rest on her hip as he pressed a kiss below her ear. She was soft and supple in his arms, while he felt anything other than soft. Pulling her a little closer still, he nibbled at the sensitive spot on her neck. The cadence of her breathing changed, and he grabbed her hip a little tighter.

"Shae?" he whispered against her skin. "Are you awake?"

"I am now," she mumbled.

Moving up to massage her breast, he continued his exploration of the sensitive areas of her neck and ear. When she moaned, he pressed his erection against her enticing bottom. She turned around in his arms and their lips met in an ardent kiss. They had deprived themselves of the touch of another for years, and he was all for making up for lost time.

A while later, as they lay exhausted on the bed with their limbs intertwined and Shae drawing invisible patterns on his chest with her fingertip, he was nearly falling back asleep, but her voice woke him.

"Tell me about Sorceress Isobel."

He frowned into the dusky room. "What would you like to know?"

The finger on his chest halted for a moment as she considered this before continuing its path. "I know I never asked you about her," she said slowly. "But I've also never heard you deny the rumours to anyone else."

"True," he admitted, trying not to be too distracted as her hand moved further down, following the contours of his abdomen. "I was willing to let people believe whatever they wanted to believe. Especially since Isobel asked me not to deny them."

Shae's hand froze, something he was rather grateful for as she had reached his belly button and her ministrations were beginning to affect him. Apparently, his desire for this woman knew no bounds.

"She asked you not to deny them? Why?"

Covering her hand with his, he brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. "It gives her the perfect excuse to be away from Messina a lot," he said. "This is not something you can tell anyone else... But everyone assumes she cannot stand to see me with you, and that is why she is rarely here. No one questions her absences."

Sitting up, Shae looked down at him, a line appearing between her brows. The pale moonlight shining through the window painted her skin with silver, and he swallowed as he tried to focus on her questions and not her beauty as she sat naked before him.