When she did, a shudder tore through him. He shifted all his power to his h*ps and his thrusts turned to pounds.

“Apollo,” she breathed and he felt her sex clutching him tight.

Gods.

Magnificent.

“You grow close,” he grunted. “Look at me, poppy. I wish to see your face as it takes you.”

She dropped her head to the pillows and at the sight of him, her eyes heated, she gasped, he thrust and it took her.

She pushed her head into the pillows as her hand shot up and fisted in his hair.

“Magnificent,” he growled.

Her orgasm shook her then started drifting away and he saw her eyes open just before his head jerked back, he felt the muscles in his neck straining, his h*ps bucking, before his head fell forward and he buried his face in her neck, driving deep, staying planted and he groaned.

Yes.

Magnificent.

She held him to her as it shuddered through his frame, and he felt her press her lips to his neck.

So damned sweet.

Finally, he drew in a deep breath before he slid his tongue up her neck.

At that, he absorbed her shiver.

He lifted his head and caught her eyes.

“How’s this for in there, dove?”

She lifted her head, shoved her face in his throat and let out a giggle.

That giggle, another triumph.

He twisted his neck and skimmed her temple with his lips. She dropped her head to the pillow and he smiled at her.

Her hand moved from his hair to his cheek and she whispered, “God, you’re beautiful.”

Those words cutting through him, he closed his eyes, turned his head and kissed her palm.

Then he moved his lips to her nose where he kissed her before he pulled back an inch and looked into her eyes.

“I don’t know what you prefer, Maddie, but I’ll tell you, I prefer you sleep in nothing. I want to feel your skin against mine tonight.”

“Okay,” she agreed quietly.

He dipped his head to brush his mouth against hers.

“I’ll deal with the sheath and return.”

“Okeydokey.”

At that, he gave her another brush of his lips and, with great satisfaction, he watched her lips part as he slid slowly out. Once he lost her, he bent his head deeper and glided his lips across her throat before he rolled off the bed.

He tossed the covers over her and watched her turn to the side, curling into herself. Only when she settled did he move away from the bed and into the shadows.

He made short work of dealing with the sheath and emerged from the darkness. He felt her eyes on him as, naked, he moved to the fire, threw on some logs, stirred it then went back to her.

He joined her in bed, yanked the covers up to his waist and pulled her into his arms, tangling their limbs and doing it tight.

She pressed her cheek into his chest.

“I’m assuming from what just occurred, you also enjoy gentle and slow,” he noted, sliding his fingers through her hair.

She emitted a short, sweet giggle and replied, “Yeah, that worked for me.”

He stopped moving his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer.

She snuggled even deeper.

Then he felt her draw in a deep breath before she murmured, “Just so you know, honey, if your intention in bringing me to this world was to give me better, swordfights and bloodshed notwithstanding, you’re succeeding.”

His chest warmed, his heart squeezed, his arm around her got tight and he felt a rumble roll up his chest.

But instead of howling his elation, Apollo put his other hand to her jaw, tipping it so his mouth could crush down on hers.

He took her open-mouthed and wet. He did it deeply. He did it thoroughly. He drank from her, taking as much as he wanted for as long as he wanted. And as long as he wanted meant he did it a bloody long time.

When he finally released her mouth, she gasped, “And it keeps getting better.”

“Cease talking, Madeleine. The children are expecting me for breakfast, and if you don’t, we’ll both get no sleep tonight, I’ll eventually sleep late and they’ll eat alone.”

He watched her press her lips together.

He shook his head, but he did it quelling a smile, before he rolled to his back, taking her with him so she rolled over him.

He turned out the lamp by the bed.

He rolled them back and arranged them in the exact position they were in.

She cuddled deeper and mumbled, “’Night, baby.”

His arms got tighter and he whispered, “Goodnight, my dove.”

He felt her face move against his chest and he knew it was with a smile

Apollo held her close and within minutes, he felt her sleep.

Just so you know, honey, if your intention is to give me better…you’re succeeding.

And there it was.

It was indeed he she saw when she looked into his eyes while he was taking her, or any other time she did it.

And he was giving her better.

He didn’t quell that smile. He let himself have it before he rolled into her and joined her in sleep.

* * * * *

Three hours later, Apollo opened his eyes to a mostly dark room, the firelight only casting a dim glow.

Maddie’s soft na**d body was pressed to him, her cheek on his shoulder, her arm heavy across his stomach. He felt her warm weight. Her closeness. Her soft breaths against his skin.

But in that moment, having her as he wanted, his mind could finally move to other things.

And when it did, his lips whispered into the dark, “Why did they not use magic?”

Chapter Fifteen

Happier

I pulled the nightgown over my head and let it slide down my body, the hem of sapphire satin swirling around my ankles.

Apollo was in the bedroom undressing for bed. I was in the dressing room off the bedroom, doing the opposite.

It had been three days since our mad dash back to Karsvall.

The good news was, in that time, Apollo hadn’t killed anybody and I hadn’t threatened anyone with hedge clippers.

There was no bad news.

This didn’t mean that things hadn’t been eventful. They had.

At first, I was worried that it would be boring.

Sure, when I lived with Pol, we had a cleaning lady and most of his clothes were of the dry cleaning variety, and seeing as I had no job, there wasn’t much to do. But I still did our laundry, the dishes, cooked. It wasn’t like we had a house full of kids where I spent my time tidying toys or bandaging knees but I had things to do.

The second full day I was there, Cristiana did everything, like putting away the contents of my trunks that had arrived from Vasterhague and even making the bed.

This left me with nothing. I’d already made snowmen and the guys had preparations for war to carry out so I was at a loss seeing as I couldn’t hang out with them.