by Sariah Skye
It does, Ava. We feel you.
“You what?” His dark eyes glittered expectantly, his lower, slightly fuller lip was caught between his teeth. Without realizing I was doing it, I’d reached out to trace the outline of his jaw, feeling his black stubble underneath my finger. He grinned that damn half smile and I melted. He was beautiful, truly, from his handsome face, to his sexy body and his big heart. And I knew right then it was the right thing to say—because it was true.
“I love you.”
He blanched. “You…what?”
I sighed deeply. Summoning up my gumption, I forced myself to look directly into his eyes. They were hopeful and pleading, and even from this short distance, I could feel his heart slam against his ribcage. “I love you,” I repeated, trying not to let the anxiety reflect in my tone. My breath halted, and I quickly looked away, feeling panicky.
“Ava…” His lip quivered slightly, and he rose to his knees, tipped my chin upward and slid his hands under my jaw. Xander gazed at me emotion in his eyes, as he urged my face closer to his. His mouth crashed into mine, and I melted into the heat and the security of his body, pressing myself against him, needing to feel him against me. All of him eventually.
I moaned quietly when his lips parted, allowing me in, tongues clashing against each other’s hungrily. My hands roved down his chest and slid my fingers underneath his shirt, pushing it up as far as it could go. He broke the kiss just long enough to pull it the rest of the way over his head and off, and his lips were over mine again. I grinned into his kiss and let out a throaty giggle as my hands slid over his warm skin, feeling the hard lines of his lean muscles under my soft fingers.
“What?” He asked, in between kisses.
I shrugged easily. “I just like you here like this with me.”
Xander pulled away, his chest heaving and falling rapidly. His glittering, sultry black eyes searched mine, shading to a deep red on the edges. He smiled his alluring half smile, and tipped his face against mine, forehead to forehead, nose to nose. “I love you, Ava.”
His words hit me like a ton of bricks. Not in a bad way—just heavy. I had never heard those words uttered from another man’s lips before to me. I caught my trembling, lower lip between my teeth, as his eyes searched mine intently and began to blur through a curtain of hot tears brimming in my eyes. My heart soared and fluttered quickly in my chest, matching the pace of my breath.
He sat back slightly, watching me carefully. “Avie…what’s wrong?”
I snorted, feeling suddenly foolish. I lifted a hand to brush away a lone tear that fell from my eye, but Xander caught it in his and pushed it away. His other hand slid over my cheek, the pad of his thumb swiping away the tear. “Shit, I’m an idiot.”
“Why?” He asked, brushing another tear away, and grazing his hand down my jaw, and then my neck, and played with the hair that had tumbled over my shoulders. Xander had a thing for hair, I didn’t know why, but he always liked playing with it and I liked letting him, it was such a tender gesture in an otherwise hot and passionate moment.
“I didn’t think I’d cry when I heard those words,” I said, sniffling, trying to shy away.
Xander clutched my face with his free hand, the other still smoothing a lock of blonde hair over my shoulder. “No one has ever told you that before?”
Biting my lip, I shook my head, his handsome face still blurred under my teary-eyed vision. “Nope.”
He let out a loud breath and leaned his head in the crook of my neck and shoulder, nuzzling my skin with his nose. I wrapped my arms against his shoulders, pulling him tight against me, resting my chin on the top of his head.
“If we’d—if I’d had any idea you’d been treated so badly, we would have done things with you totally different,” he said, sadly.
Sniffling, I just shrugged. “I guess we both have some healing to do, don’t we?”
He cocked his head and looked up at me, smiling warmly. “I guess so. But…first…” His warm smile was replaced with a sexy, playful one. He brushed a hand over my neck and down my chest, his fingers just barely grazing my cleavage under the neck of my shirt. I sucked in a breath, as he slid his hand down my stomach, and skirted under the hem. “First, you need to get this off.”
I raised a brow, grinning. “Oh?” I said, as he gripped the hem and began lifting it up to my chin. “What does a shirt have to do with healing?”
Xander began to yank the shirt off, and I lifted my arms over my head to allow him, freeing my breasts beginning to tense with desire at his husky tones and sexy smile. “Everything,” he said, scooting nimbly on the bed until he was in front of me. He placed his hands firmly on my hips and pulled me quickly into his lap, sliding his hands over my thighs to wrap them around his waist. I let out a surprised squeal as I was lifted and sighed happily when my core brushed against the hardness in his cotton pants. My head rolled back easily, and I let out a quiet moan; the friction igniting my desire even further, sending warm shivers up my spine and down again.
“I am going to help you heal by making love to you, slowly, intensely, for as long as you’ll let me,” Xander murmured in his deep voice, the sound vibrating low in my belly. I arched my back against him and he took the hint, burying his face in my chest, and began to trail his tongue around the swell of one of my breasts. My breath quickened as his arms snaked around under my arms, quickly unfastened the bra clasp, and slid the straps down my arms until it was off. He tossed it behind him, and he wasted no time teasing the peaked buds in his palms, massaging them gently. I rolled my neck to the side, and he easily found the soft spot behind my ear, licking and nibbling softly as I dug my nails into the strong density of his shoulders. He jerked slightly, gripping my breasts tighter in his hands until I cried out with a pleading moan. “Yes, Ava,” he said huskily into my ear as he sucked my earlobe. “I’m going to make you forget those other guys even existed.”
“What other guys?” I panted, grinding my core against him lightly. “I just want you.”
Xander replied by letting out a low, throaty laugh, as he trailed a path of kisses up my neck and cheek and brushed his sultry lips across mine. “Well then,” he said huskily, as he released one breast and moved his hand slowly…tauntingly down my stomach and slid right under the waistband of my leggings and my black satin panties. I gasped as his fingertips slid over my clit, applying just the right amount of pressure at the right spot. My eyes rolled back into my head, as he tickled and taunted, quickly stoking the fire and building all the right amount of tension, and he continued to speak, “you shall have me, qīn'ài de.”
“Yess…” I hissed, bucking gently against his hand, relishing under his masterful touch and the friction that taunted my desire. My hands pressed tightly against his back, I dipped one lower into his pants, over the taut firmness of his ass, and gripped tightly, urging his body closer to mine.
He dipped a finger even lower, increasing the pressure. I moaned, probably pretty loudly, taking his lip into mine and sucking deeply.
Xander chuckled lightly. “Ah, I see you’re already ready.”
“I’ve been ready for a while. Please….” I started to plead, and he covered my mouth with a passionate kiss as he masterfully taunted my opening, swirling a gentle fingertip around, nearly grazing my immediate entrance and moving away again. “Xan…please…” I’d already been taunted and denied by Mathias even though the denial wasn’t his fault, and Xander’s declaration seeped into my soul, my heart, and warmed my pores straight to my core. I wanted nothing more right now, than to be voraciously claimed by Xander, the man who loved me.
I parted my legs, urging him to seek my entrance, and rutted my clit against his hand.
“Anything for you,” he breathed into my mouth, his finger sliding inside me and searched deep for the g-spot that pulsed, ready for attention.
I released his ass, leaned back slightly, and placed my hands behind me on the bed. I propped up my body to see his hooded eyes as I rocked against him.
Xander let out a breath between clenched teeth, barely seeming to keep it together himself. With a low moan, he said, “You’re killing me, Avie.” He slowly slid his finger out much to my dismay, and took a deep breath, clenching his eyes shut. I began to protest, when his two hands gripped the waist of my pants, and yanked down forcefully, urging them down my legs. Fabric tore lightly as they stuck between my ass and the bed.
Xander grinned sheepishly. “Whoops,” he said, flashing me a playful wink. I responded by lifting myself gently to allow them to come off all the way. He tossed them aside and replaced the soft fabric with his firm hands, rubbing the inside of my thighs and up my stomach, grazing over my heavy breasts as he leaned over me on the bed, pressing a passionate kiss on my lips. I groaned lowly, as the head of his cock gently rubbed against my inner thigh from under his pants, and I could think of nothing more than wanting him inside me. Now.
I pawed at the waistband and attempted to pull them down, and he obliged by standing, placing his hands over mine, and pushing the soft cotton down his legs until they fell onto the ground. I drew in a sharp breath, he was wearing no underwear and he stood before me, legs parted, in all his naked glory.
Generally, all the guys were roughly the same size, with slight differences. Mathias was largest, obviously, and Xander frequently joked he was bigger around…and he was right. I smirked, thinking about how they would know this about the other. Did they literally whip them out at one time and measure, or did they do…other things?
“What are you thinking?” He asked, standing before me, in all his lean, sculpted, olive-skinned glory.
I smiled playfully and coyly leaned forward, taking him in my hand, but not fully grasping around.
Xander let out a low moan as his eyes fluttered shut, his long— longer than any man should be allowed to have—black lashes fluttering against his cheek. I carefully tightened my grip, enjoying the feel of his smooth hardness in my hand as I slowly moved up and down, dragging my thumb over the sensitive spot underneath the head, and he sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh god, you naughty minx,” he purred, placing his hands on my shoulders for stability, as I pumped my hand over his large shaft slowly.
His baritone voice sent tingles over my body and watching his apparent arousal on his face and in my hand was about enough to tip me over the edge. I enjoyed the effect I had on him, immensely. But I was so turned on, so charged and ready to go, every pore on fire, every nerve stimulated, I’d had enough of the foreplay.
Releasing him, I gripped his hands, and urged him towards me. With his hooded eyes, his dilated pupils rimmed with deep red, and his sideways smile, his eyes roamed over my body, drinking me in. “You’re about the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, Ava.” He grazed a finger under my chin, grinning tauntingly as he backed against the head of the bed, and sat down. With his other hand, he crooked a finger, beckoning me towards him. “Come to me, dear.”
Biting my lip, I submitted, crawling towards him on the bed, straddling his lap and gasping when I felt his hard dick jerk against me. Xander was breathing heavily, his defined pecs and slim stomach rising and falling rapidly. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell back against the pillow, digging his fingers into my hip, prodding me to take position. “I need you Ava, please…”
Without needing any further instruction, still straddling him, one knee on either side of his hips, I took him in my hand, and positioned him against my opening, and slowly took him inside of me.
We both moaned as I began to slide down him, the walls around him clenching and opening until he was firmly inside. The feeling was so exquisite I took a moment to enjoy it, while I positioned myself over him, grazing my hard nipples over his chest, eagerly seeking his mouth for a deep, heady kiss.
Before I could begin to rock my hips, Xander hoisted himself up, gripping my thighs, and wrapped my legs around his waist. I moaned, the new angle of his cock inside hitting new spots and nerves. “I want you wrapped around me when you come,” he said, brushing his lips over the shell of my ear, his breath warm against my neck. “All of me.”
I whimpered, and nodded slowly, as he began to grind underneath me, gripping my hips to urge my movements to match his.
We began languidly at first to catch a rhythm, but before long we rocked each other faster, harder. He kept one hand firmly on my hip, and the other snaked up my back, pushing our bodies together, or over my chest to knead my breasts in his hand, pinching and rolling a nipple between his fingers, adding a torturous, gentle pain to my arousal.
I scratched my nails over his shoulders and my head tipped back, as the tension inside began to ebb and pulse, and I panted, feeling my release grow closer, but not quite there. Xander mashed his mouth against mine, tongue clashing with mine as I parted my lips to let him in, as he rocked his hips roughly, his thrusts becoming harder, more urgent, and I was really thankful suddenly for this memory foam bed, or else the bed would be squeaking and crashing against the wall like an earthquake.
Xander’s breathing became ragged, eyes hooded and I knew he was getting close, his eyes rolling back into his head. He pressed his fingers into my thighs, urging them apart even more, and he drove inside me even harder. I cried out loudly and wrapped my arms around his shoulders for dear life and buried my face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his deep, heady, sensual scent of summer rain and musk and quickened my movements.
“Oh god…” Xander moaned, pressing his hands into my hips, grazing the tip of his tongue over my collarbone.
My vision began to cloud as my release grew nearer, the room spinning around us, air filling with the heady, sultry mist I recognized from my subconscious time on Avalon and my orgasm built quickly.
I knew I was panting and crying out with every thrust Xander pressed into me, and when explosions began to shoot behind my eyes, my orgasm crested, thrumming throughout my body like waves crashing into the shore. It was about this time I’d feel my Avalon magic get out of control, but with the stone from Excalibur, enchanted and spelled, I felt confident that the magic was quelled, and I relaxed into the orgasm, letting it claim me.
“Fuck, Ava, you’re so hot when you come,” Xander whispered, his eyes roving over my face, smile angled. He rocked under me faster, and my inner walls clenched against his cock again, feeling another wave of pleasure rock through me.
Xander groaned as he pulsed inside me, reaching his release. His hands were entwined with my hair, his stubbled cheek scratching against mine as he rocked us through it. I continued to pant, watching the euphoria wash over his face as he came and thoroughly appreciating the notion that it was me that put it there.
“Whoa,” he said, as a small golden string swirled around it, and connected with one dancing around me. The room moved and blurred with mist, a result of the Avalon magic enhancing our connection.
“It’s cool huh?” I said, surprising myself that I was praising—enjoying any part of the Avalon magic.
“I can’t get used to it. I wonder what it means?” He mused out loud, between ragged breaths.
I lifted a finger to his chin and moved his face until I could look into his eyes. Grinning warmly, I brushed my lips sensually across his, feeling relaxed and sated. “I guess it means we fit.”
He beamed. Wrapping his arms around my middle, he pulled me close; his skin was damp with sweat and hot to the touch. “Yeah, I guess so.” Playfully, he grazed a handful of kisses on my cheek and jaw, and I giggled, especially as he fell back onto the bed, bringing me with him. I squealed in surprise as I slumped on the pillow next to him. He reached out, and gently stroked my hair across the pillow.
“What’s with you and hair?” I asked suddenly.
He blinked, surprised by the question. “Ah, I guess I don’t know. It just reminds me of a golden waterfall, or a silk blanket. Kinda like a halo, but—”
I snickered. “—but you know better,” I offered.
Xander’s lips twitched into a smile, taking a section and smoothi
ng it over my chest, barely grazing a still-sensitive nipple. “No. It’s still true.”
My cheeks flushed at his words, and I had to tip my face downward, shying away briefly under the weight of his stare, as he trailed a finger down the middle of my cleavage. Chuckling, I said, “Does that make you the devil, then?”
He grinned. “Probably. I am a demon, after all.”
“Hmmph. Some demon,” I said, suddenly feeling very sleepy, as I grabbed the purple comforter that had been pushed aside and yanked it over us, sidling up to him, kicking a leg over his thigh, and draping an arm over his chest, I snuggled into the crook of his shoulder. “A demon that likes to cuddle. Pfft.”
He laughed, settling one hand behind his head, and the other snuck under my body, and he trailed a light touch absentmindedly over the curve of my hip. “It’s naked cuddles. Those are naughty.”
“Fair enough,” I mumbled, my eyes heavy, muscles relaxed from exertion and the afterglow of orgasm quickly taking me to sleep.
“Hey,” He said, before I drifted off. My eyes fluttered open, and I gazed into his handsome face, as he cocked a sidelong grin. “So, can I make a rule about our day?”
“Hmm…sure,” I muttered.
“Good. The number one rule is, we must be naked the whole time,” he said, an impish glint in his eyes.
I lifted my head up long enough just to smirk at him. With a wink, I dipped my hand over his stomach, and quickly cupped his mostly limp cock in my hand. “Oh I like that idea.”
“Good.” He laughed and turned to kiss my cheek before resting his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. It wasn’t long before sleep took us, and we drifted away, happily sated and spent; and we were out for a couple of hours.
But as usual, I didn’t stay out long; dreams of Avalon and worlds long passed by haunted me again. They were different from the times my grandmother and aunt came spoke into my head, mostly. I generally felt like an observer, watching how the witches of Avalon danced around the isle, and sang, and chatted happily. And not that I needed the help, I’d always wake up afterward in a hot sweat, feeling that persistent need thrum my body.