She was under a no sex curse; it wasn’t like they could really do anything, and if they tried, more than likely Robin would just be walking around with a serious case of medieval blue balls.
But at night, when she smelled his clean scent of soap and mint, when he’d bathe her, when she’d bathe him, and the flickering glow of candlelight kissed his body, it was getting harder and harder to remember the burn of pain from that night that now seemed a lifetime ago.
She sat to her knees when Robin tied his scabbard on and turned to her. The glow of the candle reflected off his hair in a way to make it seem like threads of it were dipped in gold.
“You’ve been in the same gown for days now.” His eyes traveled slowly down the length of her body.
She sat on the deer pelts, dragging her fingers through the soft fur as his piercing stare raked her nipples, making them poke up instantly.
“We’ll be going down to the market tomorrow to find you a new gown.”
Nixie touched her top. “I don’t need anything else, Robin. You and I both know I’ll not be around long enough to justify it.”
His jaw clenched at the reminder and he took a step toward her.
She notched her chin, feeling a lot like a deer caught in the sights of his arrow. Yesterday she’d watched him practice his bow shooting. Robin was as amazing as the tales had always made him out to be. He’d even done it twice with a scarf wrapped around his eyes.
He was deadly accurate, with or without his sight.
“Stand up,” he ordered.
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to shove off. But not because she was angry. No, take that back. She was angry. Nixie was furious. But not at him. Each night lying with him, hearing him breathe, feeling him shift, her needs and desires had become nearly unbearable.
If she dared to even brush her fingers across her sensitive nipples right now she’d probably come right on the spot.
“I said”—he took another step nearer—“get. Up.”
Jutting out her jaw, she punched her fist onto the skins and shoved her way to her feet.
She didn’t even have a moment’s warning before Robin was on her. His fingers wrapping around her wrists and reversing his position, so that he was back-stepping, stopping only once his back rested against the desk.
It wobbled precariously.
“Let me go,” she growled.
“No.” And to prove his point, he yanked her more firmly against him. Molding her lower half to his.
She sucked in a sharp breath at the feel of steel pressing against her thigh.
“You drive me mad, pet. Ask me why I haven’t wished another wish yet?”
Nixie thinned her lips. She didn’t want to hear this. She couldn’t hear this. Shouldn’t hear this. “Why?” she croaked, damning her curiosity.
His hold on her wrists was absolute. Tonight, there’d probably be a bruise, and as offended as she pretended to be—by wiggling and yanking against his hold—it was all for show. Because right now all she wanted to do was bury her nose in the side of his neck and then bite down.
Hard.
Really. Freaking. Hard.
Wanted to punish him for making her want him this way.
His lips twitched. “Your lips say no, woman, your body says yes.”
She could deny it, but things were starting to feel too bodice-rippery for her, so she kept her mouth shut instead.
“Kiss me.” He lowered his head, his lips hovering millimeters from her own. “End this madness.”
The fluttering warmth of his sweet, sherry-tinted breath feathered across her mouth, making her sigh and tilt her neck back. Her body so primed for his, so desperate for his already.
She shook her head slowly when his eyes began to glow.
“Gods, my beauty.” He released one wrist, tracing the length of her cheek with a knuckle. “I feel your desire. It burns straight through me.”
All coherent and rational thought started to flutter out the window of her mind. The only thing she could seem to say was “Nugh,” which she wasn’t really sure was much of a word.
“One kiss, my dark temptress. One kiss to drive this lunacy away.”
“Drive it away?” she rasped, chuckling as the neon blue heightened in intensity, along with the firm rod poking into her thigh, “I’ve tasted you once before, my Master.”
His eyes were only on her mouth, roving back and forth, and Nixie could practically hear the words ringing in his head.
Take her.
Want her.
Need her so damned much.
She knew it, because those were the words in her heart too.
“I’ve tried. I’ve tried so bloody hard, but I can’t, I just can’t,” he said in a broken whisper, then, with a groan full of longing, he dipped his head and stole a kiss.
At first she tried to resist him, but once his tongue brushed her seam, she forgot herself.
“I hate this. Hate this,” she growled and wrapped her hands around the back of his head, digging her nails into his scalp.
“Oh Gods,” Robin hissed, his now digging frantically into her hipbones. Making her wince in pain and pleasure.
Her body lit up like a firecracker, coming alive beneath his passionate touch.