Page 36 of Courting the Dragon King

Chapter

Nineteen

Konrad stirred. Warm breath brushed his bare shoulder. He opened his eyes and turned to face Wraith. The early morning sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains. A ray of light fell on his face.

I’ve never woken up to someone beside me.

The realisation hit him like a war hammer. He’d never thought about it before.

At the assembly, Konrad had had no interest in anyone. During the war and the time since, he’d had sex, but nothing where the individual woke the next day in Konrad’s bed. He’d never had a serious lover. No one to spend the night with.

And now he woke to a necromancer in his bed.

Surprisingly, Konrad did not feel revulsion staring at Wraith’s sleeping form.

Anytime he’d imagined being married to a necromancer, he kept thinking of the stench of the rotting reanimated corpses he’d fought, or the blood and innards of the sacrifices, or the horrific wrongness of the dread knights he’d battled. He’d imagined the revulsion he’d felt through those encounters being a constant through his marriage to a necromancer.

But Wraith did not elicit that response. Konrad felt no revulsion looking at him. Nor had he felt it during the sex they’d had the previous night. In fact, it had been quite the opposite.

Wraith’s dark hair lay scattered on the pillow and sheets. A few lengths fell across his face. As he exhaled, his breath stirred the strands resting against his flawless skin. Konrad’s fingers twitched with the sudden desire to stroke the hair back.

Wraith looked almost innocent in sleep. Vulnerable even. Konrad frowned. It was hard to combine his knowledge of necromancers and what they did with the man sleeping beside him. And that unsettled Konrad.

At least Wraith would go back to his room today. That would make this whole situation easier and less complicated. They’d consummated the marriage, and other than interacting somewhat at official events, they would not need to have much to do with each other again until they returned to the Castle of the Dragons.

Wraith mumbled something in his sleep. He had such plump, full lips. They’d been perfect for kissing. They’d no doubt be perfect for other activities too.

And Wraith had been so responsive the previous night. Konrad had been taken aback. Just thinking about the sounds Wraith made had his cock plumping up once more.

There had also been something innocent about Wraith, like he was experiencing everything for the first time. And he’d been so tight that Konrad had felt the need to ask if he’d had sex before. Wraith had said yes, but Konrad still wondered if maybe he was less experienced than he’d let on.

Still sleeping, Wraith sighed. He shuffled slightly, and the blanket fell down, revealing his bare shoulder. The skin beckoned to Konrad.

Fuck. I want to touch him and kiss him and fuck him again.

He shouldn’t want that though. He’d thought he’d have to grit his teeth through the consummation of their marriage. He hadn’t considered he might actually enjoy it. Nor could he have predicted that he’d want to do it again.

A soft sound escaped Wraith, and he opened his eyes, looking straight at Konrad.

For a second, neither spoke. Then Konrad said, “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Wraith said, voice sleep-roughened.

And because Konrad couldn’t help himself, he said, “May I touch you?”

Wraith blinked. Then he said, “Yes. You may.”

Konrad did not let himself get lost in doubts about whether or not this was a good idea, or if he was going against his own principles. After all, he’d been the one who’d railed and ranted about being forced to marry a necromancer, and here he was, wanting to bed his necromancer husband when he didn’t need to.

He brushed Wraith’s silky hair behind his ear. Then he slid his fingers along Wraith’s jawline. Wraith sucked in a breath.

So responsive.

Konrad moved his fingers down to Wraith’s neck, along the side of it, and down to his shoulder. “May I kiss you?”

Wraith nodded, no hesitation. Konrad removed the distance between them and kissed those tempting, full lips. He cupped Wraith’s cheek. Konrad swiped his tongue across Wraith’s lower lip, and Wraith opened to him.

Wraith moaned. His arms came up and wrapped around Konrad’s neck. He pulled Konrad closer.