Seeing his intention in his eyes, I quickly told him, “You don’t need to rip them off. There’s a ribbon on each side.”

“Is that so?” He slowly unravelled one knot. “Like my very own present.” Then he unfastened the other ribbon; watching, content, as the barrier slid away. “So pretty.” His tongue flicked out and lashed my clit, startling a low gasp from me.

Grabbing my hips, he tilted me slightly. “Put one leg over my shoulder, baby.” The moment I did, he dived in – there was really no other term for it. His seriously wicked tongue licked, lapped, swirled, and stabbed, hitting all kinds of nerves and buttons. The more he tasted and teased, the more pronounced the ache inside me became…until it was just too much.

“No more.” I moaned as he began to suckle on my clit. “Salem, get up here.” A finger plunged inside me, followed swiftly by another. Again and again, he drove them into me – all the while playing with my clit and working me into a frenzy. Honestly unable to take it any longer, I lifted my leg from over his shoulder and tried pushing him away with my foot. Unaffected, he grabbed my leg, hiked it high, and rammed his fingers inside, curving them just right. I exploded.

“That’s what I was waiting for.” Getting to his feet, he lightly kissed my neck as he freed my hands and gently skimmed his own over me, as if soothing me.

“Now I want what I’ve been waiting for.” I shoved him toward the bed so hard he stumbled, and he did something I never would have expected. He laughed. It was a low, throaty sound that made my stomach clench and caused me to blink in surprise. “I’m glad you don’t laugh a lot in public, because I think I just came.”

(Salem)

“I don’t want you coming again until I’m in you.” Yanking her to me, I lifted her up and dumped her on the bed.

She landed on her back with a bounce, giggling. “Ooh, I like the direction things are moving in.” The little tease raised her knees and then slowly parted her legs, giving me a perfect view of what I wanted most.

I took a moment to drink in the sight of her – eyes shining with arousal, face flushed, legs spread invitingly, folds swollen and glistening. Shedding my shirt, I knelt between her thighs and hooked her legs over my shoulders. “Look at me.” When her gaze locked with mine, I slammed home, and her body clamped tight around me; she was so damn wet I was balls-deep in just one thrust. “You feel too fucking good around me.”

“No more teasing, Salem,” she ordered, panting.

“No more,” I agreed. “Because now I’m going to fuck you.” I scooped her breasts out of her dress and drew a nipple into my mouth just as I started pumping in and out of her. Nothing tasted, smelled, or felt better than Ava. Add in the amazing little sounds she made and her hands threading through my hair, and I was already close to coming.

“Harder, Salem.”

I gave her what she wanted, pounding hard, fast, and deep; relishing every moan of my name. Needing to taste more of her, I licked and sucked at her pulse, letting her know what was to come. Then I bit hard, groaning as her rich blood flooded my mouth. Sliding one hand under her head, I lifted it – hinting at what I wanted. She didn’t hesitate to return the bite; the pleasure/pain had me feverishly hammering into her.

She screamed my name as her climax hit. Feeling her blood on my tongue, her teeth in my shoulder, her nails raking my arms, and her body rippling around me as she came was too much – I jammed my cock deep as I erupted inside her, filling her.

Not wanting to crush her, I rolled onto my back, dragging her on top of me.

As I lifted her hand to look at her Binding knot, she smiled. “The bond is pretty awesome, huh.”

“Now you can’t ever again feel lonely.”

“And neither can you.”

“Even better, you can’t ever again be insecure in how I feel. Can’t ever again stupidly wonder if I’m getting tired of you.”

“Never again,” she vowed.

“Just know that there’s no get-out clause, Ava. Don’t think having Imani around means this isn’t exactly what it’s supposed to be – binding. This is forever. If I fuck up, if I hurt you, if there’s something that needs changing, we talk about it and I’ll fix it.”

She pressed a reassuring kiss to my jaw. “I would never have Bound myself to you if I’d first needed to be secure in the knowledge that I had a way out. I would never have formed such a connection with you, let you so deep inside my soul, unless this was forever for me.” She held up a finger. “Having said that, if you ever cheat on me or some shit like that –”

“That’s never going to fucking happen,” I snapped.

“– I will definitely be seeking Imani’s help.” She smiled sweetly. “And then I’ll kill you.”

My mouth twitched. “You’ll never have to, because I’d never betray you. You’re all I want.”

“Just like I’ll never betray you. There’s never going to be anyone else for me. I love my warm, cuddly bear too much.” She patted my chest. “Ooh, here comes the lethal scowl.”

“You just had to do it, didn’t you?” She just had to start the whole ‘cuddly bear’ thing again.

Ava shrugged one shoulder innocently. “Maybe I just want you to prove how not cuddly you are by fucking me silly a second time.”

“And maybe you just enjoy driving me insane.”

“How am I doing?”

“You know.”

“Ooh, you’re getting all growly again.” She gave a shiver of delight. “I think you’re just mad because there are Hello Kitty curtains in the living area.”

I frowned. “There aren’t Hello Kitty curtains in the living area.”

“There will be if you don’t fuck me silly again.”

I shook my head, torn between annoyance and amusement. “Well then I guess I better get to work.”

“I always said you were smart.”

EPILOGUE

(Jared)

It was really no surprise to me that Sam had found herself a dark corner. Much like Salem, she wasn’t a fan of formal events. To her credit, she’d lasted two whole hours before hiding. But there was no way that my mate could ever hide from me. Walking right into her personal space, I pressed a light – and somewhat teasing – kiss on her mouth. “You’re looking very smug, baby.”