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I pause, clearing my throat. “I want to have some alone time with Raúl.”
Ah, I see. I will retreat to the corner of the room and rest. When you need me, I will be there.
My face heats. I head to the Raúl’s bathroom, nerves making my hands shake. There is a bronze mirror in it, so I fill the sink and stare at my reflection.
My thoughts are firm. I know exactly what I want, and I am going to take it. I walk through Raúl’s room to his sitting quarters. He’s on the sofa, holding a thin stack of papers and a quill.
When he sees me, his face lights up and he puts his work down. He holds out his arms to me and I rush into them, loving how he feels wrapped around me. I put my head down on his shoulder and sigh happily.
“How is your wound?” I ask.
“Much, much better,” he says. “As I said, your magic helped. The blood has been keeping it going.”
I maneuver so I am sitting across his lap and stare into his eyes. “Let me see. I want to make sure.”
Without hesitating, Raúl rips off his white shirt, flinging it to the side, our eyes disconnecting only for a second. He is not lying; his wound is in much better shape. His skin has started mending together, and the wound is nowhere near as deep as it looked before. I run my hands over his shoulders, savoring the feel of his skin.
His red eye darkens as I run my hands down his torso, his muscles bunching under my hands. The scar from his eye crawls down his face, wrapping around his neck and then around his entire body, at least an inch wide. I run my fingers along the ridges, a frown on my face. “Airalin did this, didn’t she? Helena told me.”
He flinches. “Yes. In the forest, a long time ago. She was the witch who killed my friends with her fire ropes. Only I survived.”
I lean forward, kissing his frown, then the scar along his neck, my hands following it down his torso. “I’m so sorry,” I say.
Raúl keeps his body still. “I used to be,” he says in a whisper, his red eye dark, sincere. “I used to believe my scar was all anyone would see. That no one would look beyond it to find the real me. Now, though, I’m not sorry. If she hadn’t come to this forest, I never would have found you.”
My face warms, and he reaches up, cupping my cheeks. “You have never once met me with disgust. Whenever I share my past with you, you never turn away. You, Penny, are the single greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I would take a million scars if it meant you being here, with me.”
My heart comes undone and I lean forward, kissing his neck, wanting nothing more than to comfort this man before me. He’s given me so much, and I wish I could only give him a sliver of happiness back. I playfully bite at his skin, moving my mouth toward his. He runs his hands down my arms, holding both my hands.
I tense, running my lips across his lightly before sitting back. “Raúl.”
“Yes?” He stares at me, eye filled with desire, and courage stamps my heart.
I cup his cheek and grin, the same mischievous one he saves for me. “Now or never?”
His eyes widen, and I move against his hardness beneath me. “Are you sure?” he asks, his voice breathless.
Instead of answering, I lean forward and crush my lips to his. He reaches up and threads his fingers through my hair, pulling me closer. One hand traces my down my spine, stopping at the top of my dress.
He takes control of the kiss, deepening it as he slides his hand along my skin to the front of my dress. His touch leaves irresistible heat trails. With one tug, my breasts are free. I shiver as the air touches my bare skin, but Raúl’s hands are back on me in seconds, gently massaging me.
A moan slips from me and Raúl trails kisses down my neck, replacing a hand with his mouth. My thoughts scatter, while moan after moan escapes me. Raúl abandons me for a second, and I protest.
“Trust me, beautiful,” he says in a raspy voice. “Trust me.”
I watch as he latches the door, appearing before me instantly. His strong body looms above me and even more desire rushes through my veins.
“Well?” I say.
“Well.” He gets to his knees, leaning forward and scraping his teeth along my neck. I shiver, knowing that at any moment he could pierce my skin. But he won’t. Simply because I don’t want him to. He works with my dress ties, tugging all my clothing off, until I am bare before him.
He sits back on his heels, staring up at me. “Beautiful.”
I cup his cheek and smile at him. He grins at me, his smile sharpening as he slides his hands along my legs, pushing them open. He presses his thumb on my center, circling and circling, until I am writhing on the sofa. Without stopping, he leans forward and puts his mouth on my breast, teasing me with his tongue.
I cry out, my mind only focused on his movements. Before I know it, waves of pleasure flow through my body.
“Penny, look at me. I want you to see all of me.”
