Since accepting Leonardo as my mate, I’ve uncovered parts of him I never expected to see. His loyalty is unwavering, his courage unyielding, and his words-oh, the way he wields them-are a torment as much as a tease, leaving me breathless and aching for his touch. True to his nature, Leonardo is also a man who keeps his promises.
The first time I unraveled beneath him, it was with his mouth exploring me, his tongue drawing deliberate, unhurried paths that made my skin hum. The second time, his hand gripped my hair tightly, my face buried in the pillows as he thrust into me from behind. His other hand had slipped around my body, coaxing yet another wave of bliss that left me shaking in its wake.
There was a rawness to him, a primal edge I hadn’t fully understood until now, and I relished it. His touches grew bolder, his movements rougher, and I felt the dual edge of pleasure and pain he wielded so perfectly. His teeth scraped across my skin, leaving faint marks that burned sweetly, and when his mouth found my breast-his teeth grazing against my sensitive flesh-I shattered for a third time, my back arching as he drove himself deeper into me.
As my fourth release loomed, every nerve in my body seemed to ignite. Pain and pleasure fused into something indescribable, leaving my legs trembling and my voice raw with sounds I couldn’t suppress. Leonardo took each one as though they were gifts, his passion intensifying with every moan, every quiver.
Sweat glistened on our skin as he held me above him, my legs barely able to support me. He hooked his arms beneath them, his hands cradling my lower back, taking control of our rhythm. When I looked down at him, his gaze stole what breath I had left. There was something reverent in his eyes, as though he were gazing at a goddess made flesh, someone who had become the very center of his universe. The weight of that look crashed into me, and I absorbed every bit of it, giving it back to him in equal measure.
Though his thrusts remained fierce, the emotions in his eyes tethered us together, grounding the intensity with a soul-deep connection. His gaze never wavered, even as his movements grew erratic, his breaths sharp and shallow. As I felt him tense inside me, my body answered in kind, my final release washing over me with a force that left me utterly undone.
In that moment, as our bodies trembled and our breaths mingled, I knew what it meant to belong completely to someone-and to have them belong entirely to you.
—
I woke early that morning, my hair a wild tangle atop my head. For a fleeting moment, I’d hoped being Fae might come with the perk of waking effortlessly beautiful-but clearly, that had been wishful thinking.
Carefully slipping from the bed, I spared a glance at Leonardo’s sleeping form, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. I reached for the silk robe draped across a chair, pulling it over my shoulders and tying it snugly at my waist. The moment I flicked on the bathroom light, a sharp yelp escaped me.
Staring into the mirror, I took in the disheveled state of my reflection and groaned. *The tailors are going to have a fit,* I thought grimly. My hair resembled a bird’s nest, hopelessly tangled from the night’s activities, and to make matters worse, there were bite-shaped bruises dotting my neck and trailing down to my chest.
“Did you scare yourself, kitten?” Leonardo’s amused voice cut through my self-pity.
Spinning around, I found him leaning casually in the doorway, a smirk playing on his lips. That smirk widened as his eyes swept over me, clearly taking in his handiwork.
“I’ll be sure to remember how jumpy you are in the mornings,” he teased, his tone laced with humor.
“You’re insufferable,” I muttered, turning back to the mirror and catching his reflection. My lips twitched as I noticed faint bruises marring his neck and shoulder. “Looks like I wasn’t the only one marked up last night.”
He chuckled, unrepentant, and crossed the room to stand behind me. His warmth pressed against my back, his gaze meeting mine in the mirror.
“I am not jumpy in the mornings,” I argued, though even I didn’t sound convinced. “And for your information, I scared myself because of this.” I gestured to my tangled hair. “This is what happens when you pull it for four hours. It’s going to take me twice that long to brush it out.”
Leonardo’s grin deepened, his eyes twinkling. “Funny, I don’t recall hearing a single complaint during those four hours.”
My heart gave its predictable flutter at the rare smile he gifted me-one that he saved exclusively for me. That simple gesture, full of warmth and affection, was a reminder that I had captured something precious, something he had never shared with anyone else.
Before I could retort, he reached into a drawer and pulled out a brush. “Let me help,” he offered, surprising me. Gently, he began working through the tangles, his touch patient and careful-a stark contrast to the passion that had left my hair in such a state.
Despite my initial skepticism, it didn’t take nearly as long as I’d feared.
“That wasn’t bad at all,” he remarked, running his fingers through the now-smooth strands.
“I’m convinced it’s only because you were doing it,” I quipped, sticking my tongue out at him.
Feeling playful and confident under his unwavering gaze, I loosened the tie at my waist and let the robe slip to the floor. I didn’t look back as I walked toward the shower, fully aware of his eyes on me, devouring every inch of my bare skin.
It wasn’t long before he joined me.
Under the steady cascade of hot water, the tension between us ignited once more. His name left my lips in gasps, the steam around us thick with heat and desire. By the time we finally turned our attention to washing, I was acutely reminded of the soreness lingering from the night before.
Once we were clean, we dressed and prepared ourselves for the day ahead. Every shared glance, every fleeting touch, felt heavier-more meaningful. We both knew what awaited us could end everything, and yet, for those stolen moments, we savored the simplicity of just being together.