Cravings Of A Gremlin.
She lay there beneath me, hair fanned out across the pillows like starlight, lips parted as her chest rose and fell with quiet anticipation. My gaze roamed the gentle curve of her breasts, the soft slope of her belly, the subtle wideness of her hips that hadn’t been there before. Every inch of her called to me. I leaned down and pressed a kiss to the hollow of her throat, then lower, to the curve of her collarbone, the swell of her breasts, taking my time with each place she shivered under my mouth. Envy arched slightly into my touch, her fingers sliding over my shoulders, nails grazing lightly down my back. “Noah…” she breathed, her voice already husky.
“I’m here,” I murmured, lips brushing over her skin. “Not going anywhere.”
She sighed as I trailed kisses across her ribs and lower still, reverent with every press of my mouth. I wrapped my arms beneath her and held her steady, letting her feel how deeply I adored her. How fiercely I wanted her. When I returned to her lips, I kissed her with slow, aching devotion, tongue sliding against hers with a promise I couldn’t put into words. Her thighs parted instinctively as I settled between them, and I paused, just for a moment, to look into her eyes.
“You’re sure?” I asked, voice rough, barely held together.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” she whispered.
I entered her slowly, letting every inch be a worshipful ache, our breath catching at the same time. Her body welcomed me, warm and soft and so damn right it nearly undid me. I had to fight the need to move too fast, to rush what deserved to be savored. We found a rhythm that was slow and deep, like waves rolling over the shore. Each thrust a silent vow. Each moan is a shared prayer. Her nails pressed into my shoulders, and her head tipped back as she whispered my name like it was the only word that mattered. My hand slid between us, finding the spot that made her tremble. I watched her come undone, watched her eyes flutter and her lips part in the most beautiful cry. And when she broke, she took me with her, pulling me over the edge with a sharp, gasped “Noah,” and the way her body clenched around mine. After, I stayed wrapped around her, pressing soft kisses to her sweat-damp skin, my hand smoothing over her stomach again as if to remind myself she was real. She was mine. And she was carrying the future we never dared to dream of.
“I love you,” I whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.
She smiled lazily, pulling me down into her arms. “Even when I’m glowing and moody and starving every three hours?”
“Especially then.” I kissed her again. “You’re the light in this realm, Evelina. Mine. Always.”
Afterward, I stayed there for a while, just holding her, our bodies tangled, breath still shallow, the weight of the world outside the bedroom forgotten. Her fingers traced lazy circles over my chest, and I could feel her heartbeat finally beginning to slow, syncing with mine. But eventually, I eased myself from the bed, brushing a kiss to her shoulder as I murmured, “Don’t move.”
Envy hummed something sleepy and contented, her limbs limp and boneless against the sheets.
I padded barefoot to the ensuite, twisting the knobs of the clawfoot tub until steam began to rise. I added a drop of the lavender oil she liked, then the soft blossom of her favorite Underworld bloom that smelled faintly like violets and spice. The scent filled the air quickly, warm and floral. When I returned to the bed, she was already stretching like a satisfied cat, her hair messy and her body glowing in a way that had nothing to do with magic.
“You’re drawing me a bath?” she asked, pleased.
“You earned it.” I leaned down and scooped her up easily, enjoying the little gasp she gave and the way her arms looped lazily around my neck.
“You’re going to spoil me,” she murmured, nuzzling against my jaw.
“I plan on it,” I replied, setting her gently into the water. “Every damn day.”
She let out a breathy moan as she sank into the heat, her head resting back against the curved porcelain. “Gods, that feels good. My back’s been aching all day.”
I knelt beside the tub, running a hand along her arm beneath the water, letting my fingers dance over her skin. “You should have told me.”
“I didn’t want to worry you. You’ve already been fussing over me like a mother hen.”
“I am worried. That’s the whole point.” I kissed her damp forehead. “You’re carrying our baby. That means I worry until the end of time.”
She blinked up at me, misty-eyed for a moment. Then, her nose wrinkled slightly. “Gods, I need pickles.”
I paused, trying to decide if I’d misheard her. “Pickles?”
“With honey,” she added, completely serious. “And a little salt. Maybe lemon juice. Oh! And that smoked jerky Haiden hides in the back of the pantry.”
I couldn’t stop the grin spreading across my face. “That sounds... horrific.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You said you’d spoil me.”
“I did. I just didn’t realize I’d be playing fetch for a pregnant goddess with the cravings of a gremlin.” I kissed the tip of her nose. “But I’ll do it.”
“Good,” she said primly, sliding deeper into the tub. “Because if you bring me the wrong kind of pickles again, I might cry and also set the bed on fire.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
I rose, giving her one last lingering look. Her skin shimmered in the candlelight, the curve of her stomach just peeking out of the water as she let her head fall back, glowing with life and warmth and everything I never knew I needed.
“I’ll be back in ten,” I said, already heading toward the kitchen like a man on a mission. “Try not to conquer any realms without me.”
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