Chapter 410: The Kiss

It started as a soft press of lips, but the moment Mailah’s small hand reached up to rest against his cheek, something inside Grayson snapped.

The weeks of separation, the quiet nights spent staring at the ceiling of an empty room, and the constant, dull ache of missing her all rushed to the surface at once. His breath hitched against her mouth. He deepened the kiss, his lips moving against hers with a sudden, needy hunger that made Mailah’s mind go completely blank.

His large hand slid from her jawline down to the curve of her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. Mailah gasped into his mouth, and Grayson used the moment to deepen the kiss even further, his tongue tracing her bottom lip before tangling with hers. An electric shiver ran straight down her spine. The scent of rain, cedar, and dark warmth wrapped around her like a blanket. It was intense, overwhelming, and so sweet her toes curled under her blanket.

He leaned over her, his broad shoulders blocking out the firelight, kissing her as if he were trying to memorize the exact taste of her after weeks of starvation.

For a few wild, breathless seconds, Mailah melted into it completely, her hands burying themselves in his dark, soft hair. But as the heat in the room spiked and Grayson’s weight settled closer over her, her heart began to hammer against her ribs—not just from passion, but from a sudden wave of shyness. It had been so long. Her head was spinning, her cheeks burning hot.

She brought both of her small hands up, pressing her palms against his firm chest.

"W-Wait," Mailah gasped out, pulling her lips back just an inch. "Grayson... stop. Hold on."

Grayson froze as if struck by lightning.

His eyes snapped open, wide and filled with sudden, sheer panic. The dark, intoxicating fire in his gaze vanished instantly, replaced by absolute horror. He scrambled backward so fast he nearly tripped over his own long legs, sitting up on the rug three feet away from her.

"Forgive me!" Grayson choked out, his deep voice cracking slightly in sheer panic. His chest heaving under his turtleneck. "I have acted like an uncultured brute! I have lost control of my basic dark instincts! Say the word and I shall banish myself to the basement for forty-eight hours!"

Mailah blinked, sitting up slowly on her elbows, completely stunned by his dramatic reaction.

"Grayson, what—"

"I did not observe proper protocol," Grayson interrupted frantically, his face pale with worry. He reached down and nervously adjusted the straps of his bright yellow duck apron, which was still tied around his waist. "You are still recovering! You are fragile! I am a creature of ancient dark power who should know better than to overwhelm my human wife! Please... do not put me back on probation."

Mailah looked at his sharp, handsome face, then looked down at the tiny yellow duck sitting right in the center of his chest.

A tiny bubble of laughter escaped her lips. Then another. Within three seconds, Mailah was laughing so hard her shoulders were shaking, clutching her stomach as she lay on the rug.

Grayson stared at her, deeply offended and thoroughly confused. "Mailah, this is not a laughing matter. I have committed a grave diplomatic offense against your boundaries."

"Grayson, oh my gosh, stop," Mailah wheezed, wiping a tear from her eye. "Look at you! You’re wearing a yellow duck apron and talking about diplomatic offenses!"

"The duck apron provides optimal stain protection for pumpkin soup," Grayson defended haughtily, crossing his arms over his chest, though his cheeks were faintly pink. "And I was merely respecting your wishes."

Mailah’s laughter softened into a gentle, sweet smile. She reached out, grasping the hem of his duck apron and tugging him back toward her.

"I didn’t tell you to stop because I didn’t want you," Mailah whispered softly, her eyes locked onto his dark, beautiful ones. "I just... I got flustered. It’s been a really long time, Grayson. I was nervous."

Grayson stilled. His dark eyes softened, the frantic panic melting away into something impossibly tender. He slowly knelt back down beside her, his large hand gently brushing a soft strand of hair away from her face.

"You never need to be nervous with me, my love," Grayson rumbled softly, his voice dropping into a deep, velvety purr. "I belong to you. Every second, every breath, every century."

"Good," Mailah murmured, her heart beating fast again. "Because I don’t want you to banish yourself to the basement."

She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pulled him down.

When their lips met this second time, the hesitant fear was gone. Grayson let out a low, dark growl of pure satisfaction deep in his throat, a sound that sent a thrilling shockwave straight through Mailah’s body. He untied the duck apron with one swift hand and tossed it carelessly across the sunroom, throwing all restraint out the window.

His mouth moved against hers with possessive, breathtaking passion. He kissed her deeply, greedily, taking his time to explore every soft curve of her mouth until Mailah was making soft, breathless noises against his lips. His large hands slid down her back, lifting her gently into his lap.

"Grayson..." Mailah gasped out between kisses, her fingers gripping his broad shoulders tightly.

"I have missed you," Grayson whispered against her throat, pressing a trail of hot, lingering kisses along her jawline down to her sensitive neck. "Every single hour. Every single minute."

Mailah tilted her head back, her breathing ragged as his lips found the sweet spot right below her ear. Electric sparks danced across her skin.

Without breaking the kiss, Grayson slid his arms beneath her knees and back, lifting her effortlessly into his arms as he stood up from the rug.

"Wait, my tea!" Mailah squeaked, clinging to his neck.

"The tea can cool," Grayson stated arrogantly, carrying her smoothly out of the sunroom and toward the grand staircase. "My wife requires my full, undivided attention."

Mailah hid her hot face against the crook of his neck, smelling the rich cedar and rain scent of his skin as he carried her up the stairs as if she weighed nothing at all. He walked with long, majestic strides, his dark eyes fixed on the hallway leading to the master bedroom.

He pushed the heavy bedroom door open with his foot and walked inside. The room was dark, lit only by the soft moonlight streaming through the large balcony windows.

Grayson walked over to the king-sized bed and gently laid her down on the soft silk sheets. Before Mailah could even catch her breath, Grayson leaned over her, his tall, powerful frame hovering above her. He rested his weight on his forearms on either side of her head, ensuring he didn’t press down on her body, looking down at her with a look of pure, unadulterated devotion.

"You are so beautiful, Mailah," Grayson whispered, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. "I am the luckiest creature in existence."

Mailah’s heart swelled so much it felt like it might burst. She reached up, framing his sharp jawline with both of her hands, and pulled his head down to kiss him again.

This kiss was deeper, hotter, and far more passionate than the ones before. Mailah parted her lips willingly, inviting him in, her fingers tangling tightly in his dark hair. Grayson let out another low, dark hum of pleasure, his body pressing closer to hers as the kiss deepened into something wild and intoxicating.

He shifted his weight, sliding one knee onto the mattress between her legs. His large hand slid down her waist, trailing along the soft fabric of her skirt. Mailah shuddered softly at the cool touch of his fingers against her skin as he gently gathered the hem of her skirt, sliding it slowly up her thighs.

His thumb traced tiny, agonizingly slow circles against the soft skin of her upper thigh, making Mailah gasp aloud into his mouth. The heat between them was explosive, a sweet, heavy tension that pulled them both under like a dark tide.

Grayson leaned down, kissing his way from her mouth down to the sweet column of her throat, his hands sliding further up her waist to pull her closer against him.

"Grayson..." Mailah gasped, her hips shifting slightly as a rush of heat swept through her.

She tried to hook her leg around his waist to pull him closer—

SNAP.

A sharp, violent twinge shot straight through her healing leg.

"OW!" Mailah shrieked, her body going stiff as a shock of pain radiated up her leg. "Ow, ow, OW!"

In less than a single millisecond—faster than human eyes could even register motion—Grayson vanished from on top of her.

THUD.

Mailah blinked through her tears of pain, gasping for air.

Grayson had launched himself completely off the bed, landing on his hands and knees on the hardwood floor three feet away. He threw himself forward, scrambling on his knees until he was at the foot of the bed, his face completely white with pure horror.

"Mailah!" Grayson gasped out, his voice practically hysterical. "What happened?! Did I break you?! Did I crush your bones?!"

"My... my leg!" Mailah winced, grabbing her ankle with both hands as the sharp pain throbbed. "I turned my foot the wrong way!"

Grayson looked like he was about to faint. The ancient, terrifying demon prince who could freeze an entire alleyway with a glance was currently hovering frantically over her foot as if touching her might cause her to explode into dust.