The Mad King (The Dark Kings #1)(91)

“Oh my gosh,” she cried. “Yes. Oh my gosh, oh my Hatter, my crazy Hatter.”

Her words enflamed him, drove him insane. He sucked harder, swirling his tongue around the bit of flesh. Her fingers scratched him everywhere, raising the fine hairs on his body. Using his bristly jaw, he rubbed against her while he continued his onslaught.

Then she was clenching again, her entire body rocking on his face for several intense seconds before she went limp.

“Oh.” She laughed and bit her finger. “That was, oh wow...”

He laid his chin on her belly, still tasting her on his tongue, and watched as her dusky cheeks burned crimson.

Skin glowing, eyes sparkling, black hair fanned out behind her like blades of shadow... She was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen. He would always remember her just like this.

She held her arms out to him. “Come here.”

He slipped into her arms, warmth flooding his entire body. He still burned for her, but beneath that drive was a confusing ebb and flow he’d never felt before. Ice and fire.

Wanting to cry, not knowing why. Maybe he was mad, maybe the rumors were true.

She kissed him, wrapped her legs around him again and slid that hot heat along the thick, painful length of his cock.

“It’s your turn, my love,” she whispered, kissing the crook of his neck, setting his blood on fire.

He adjusted his hips and moaned as he finally slid home. Her sheath was like a tight, warm fist as he pumped. Sweat dripped from his brow.

He started whispering, lost in his head, in the feel of her body pressed to his. He didn’t know what he was saying, but he couldn’t stop the words.

So good. So damn good.

He gnashed his teeth, his body tightening and tingling as the pressure built.

“Love it,” she kept whispering over and over.

With one last surge, he fell over the cliff. Fractured into a thousand pieces of nothing and sank into the peaceful oblivion of the little death.

It took a moment to come back, and when he did, he knew he’d never be the same. She’d slipped between the cracks, found the chink in his armor and wiggled her way in. He’d never be able to excise her and he never wanted to.

He hugged her to him, knowing he’d found his Alice. After all these years, he’d found her.

“Hatter.” She looked at him, a small frown marring her brows. “You’re crying?”

How could he tell her? How could he explain that it wasn’t him who’d saved her? She’d saved him? His heart was so full it hurt. He buried his nose in her hair; she smelled like caramel. Gods, he loved that smell.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

“Hatter.” She touched his cheek. “I’m... I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. Ever. It was perfect.”

“It was perfect, wasn’t it?” He heard her smile.

Swallowing hard, he looked at her.

“Hatter.” She patted the bed. “Can I sleep here tonight? In your arms?”

He should say no. Gods, he was a masochist. He should guard what fragile bits of his heart were left. She would leave him. They always did. He closed his eyes but opened his arms. “Yes.”

They lay, neither one speaking, hanging on, as if clinging could stop the hands of time.





Chapter 11




Alice stretched in the morning light. Her arms high above her head, she woke from the best night’s sleep she’d had, ever.

“Good morning,” Hatter said in the whiskey-roughened voice that made her shiver and her stomach tingle.

“Back atcha.”

He touched her cheek. She’d slept, but a part of her had been aware of his light caresses throughout the night. Her lover. Her Mad Hatter. Her stomach fluttered... Just thinking it was unreal. Who got this lucky? Never her, never geeky little Alice Hu.

And yet here she was. In his bed. With his big, naked body exposed for her to look her fill. He sat next to her, wearing an expression of wonderment, one knee bent and his cock at half-mast. She licked her lips.

“I’m hungry.” She bit her lip.

He frowned, so cute when he did that. He was so clueless. He was looking around; she could almost see the wheels in his head turning as he wondered what she would like.

She laughed and sat up, then wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled it. He still smelled of rain, but also a rich earthy musk that made her body burn.

“I’m very hungry,” she murmured, licking the vein at his neck.

“Oh.” A flash of light manifested above his head, and she knew he finally understood. He wrapped big arms around her and she trembled. “Oh,” he said again, that sexy voice of his dipping to a lower octave. “Well, I’m starving.”

Last night he’d given her the best orgasm of her life. It was only fair she return the favor. Alice straddled him, pushed him down, and watched as the cat-ate-the-canary grin stole across his face. He crossed his arms behind his head.

“I’m at your disposal.”

She bit her lip. “Mmm... what a tempting offer.” She touched the tip of her finger to the center of his chest, feeling him twitch against her thigh.

So large and lovely and perfect. She wanted him in her again. But first...

“Maybe I should kiss you here.” She touched one nipple, and it puckered into a hard bud. The muscles of his stomach strained.