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Their breath comes out hot and heavy. Lumine shudders around him, her nails scoring his sweat-slick back. He hisses, his teeth sinking into her bruised flesh until she screams.
They’re restless hands and lips and teeth and tongues, touching and kissing and biting and licking.
Lumine is on a precipice - so high up she can’t come down. Just one push is all it’ll take.
She grabs him, pulling at him until his eyes look up into hers. Her face is blotchy and tearstained and desperate and needy. His is hungry and wanting and blown-eyed.
“Ajax,” she whispers.
And she goes over.
~ * ~
“If you keep staring at me that hard, I’ll start to think you’ve got a crush on me.”
Lumine blinked hard, ripped away from her daydreams of another life with a man she couldn’t have. Ajax was sitting across from her, typing away on his annoying, loud, mechanical keyboard. The clock that hung on the far wall ticked away the time. The sun shone through the half-raised blinds - one of the many truces they’d had to reach about their shared space.
“I wasn’t staring at you, I was staring through you,” she said, shuffling things around her desk for a lack of something to do. She collected the pens laying around and put them in the cartoon cupholder Aether had gifted her last year.
“How creepy,” he deadpanned, not lifting his eyes from his screen, “Stop it.”
Lumine rolled her eyes and focused back on the notebook in front of her. Zhongli liked his itinerary in physical form, so every day Lumine had to painstakingly transfer the digital information down onto paper. A rainbow of tabs stuck out from the sides, showcasing the colour code only Lumine knew.
The sleek black phone on her desk - the one that was only used to communicate with Zhongli - beeped. Lumine hurried to her feet, diary and pen in hand. She found the co-CEO and her boxx behind his desk, books she’d have to sort through later piled high on either side of him while he poured over a document.
“Sir?” she hazarded, when seconds had ticked by and he hadn’t taken notice of her.
Zhongli looked up. She saw the moment it clicked in his mind, his shoulders relaxing. She kept from beaming.
“Ah, Lumine. Did you still have that spicy tea you told me about? The one your friend from Sales gave you?”
“Yes, sir,” Lumine flushed, happy he remembered.
“If it’s not too much trouble, I wouldn’t mind taking you up on your offer for a cup.” He smiled, the tired shadows underneath his eyes more prominent than usual.
“Of course, sir! I’ll go make you a cup right now!”
Zhongli smiled, soft and kind and genuine and Lumine’s heart melted in her stomach. She tried not to make it very obvious as she hurried out of his office and back to her own desk, searching through her drawers for the untouched box of masala chai Xiangling had gifted her after her trip to Sumeru.
“Your face is all dopey,” Ajax said, typing away, “What, did he say he liked your hair?”
“Shut up,” Lumine hissed, finally finding it and tearing it open for a sachet.
She felt his piercing gaze when she flitted out of their space and to the communal kitchens and when she flitted right back minutes later, a cup of masala chai warm and ready. Ignoring her co-habitant, Lumine stopped at her desk, taking out her hand mirror and checking to make sure her hair and makeup were fine.
Ajax snorted, taking a break from typing so he could stretch, “I can promise you he doesn’t notice your hair.”
“And I can promise you I don’t give a shit about what you’ve got to say.”
“Youch, retract those claws, Princess.” His smile was wide, “People’ll think you don’t like me or something.”
“Or something,” she said, redoing her lipstick. “Pet names are considered harassment, don’t make me bring HR down on your ass.”
Ajax let out a sharp bark of laughter, the typing resumed, “Oh, call HR by all means. I’ve got all your verbal threats on record.”
Lumine snapped the pocket mirror shut with more force than necessary. No matter how much he tempted her, she couldn’t throttle his neck.
She took the tea and knocked on Zhongli’s door.
“Come in.”
She turned the handle.
~ * ~
Piano music drifted through the air, high and soft and melodic, glass tinkled and clattered, drinks poured and ice crushed, the air conditioners worked overtime to beat the late night summer heat. The chatter in the bar was low and worked well with the music. Outside the rain was getting worse, pattering a heavy beat against the windows. All the sounds blended together into a comforting blanket of noise.
Lumine swirled the umbrella toothpick thing in her cocktail, a neon blue thing that was sweet and spicy and tasted vaguely of blueberries. It was her fourth one - or maybe her fifth, she’d lost count somewhere along the way - and the edges of her vision were becoming increasingly blurry. Lumine was drunk and he still hadn’t shown up. The whiskey she’d ordered for him sat to the side, condensation sliding down the glass, the round ball of ice floating in the middle a fraction of its original size. She considered drinking it - it would be a waste otherwise, because clearly he'd chickened out.
The door opened, a rush of the warm rain swept in and for the hundredth time, Lumine peered over the heads of the patrons to see who it was. For the first time, it was exactly who she wanted it to be.
Ajax was drenched - no doubt caught up in the sudden rain storm. His dark suit was several shades darker and his hair pushed down by the rain. He spotted her at the bar and made his way.
“Sorry I’m so late,” He took his suit off and Lumine was drunk enough to feel no embarrassment as she eyed him.
Ajax set the wet suit jacket over the back of the stool and settled into it. He downed the whiskey in three gulps, his Adam's apple bobbing with the movement. When he was done, he set the glass back down and signalled for a refill. The bartender swooped in to carry it out quickly.
He unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled them up then tugged his tie loose, “Ningguang called up the Tsarista saying she wanted me to go over the files for like the third fucking time. Everything was fine, like it had been the first two times.”
“Shouldn’t have made an enemy of her then.”
“Well if she wasn’t such a bitch maybe we’d get along.”
Ajax pushed his hair back and out of his face. It was wet enough to stay that way. Without his hair in the way and with his face misted with rain - Lumine swallowed harshly, tracing the line a drop of water made down his face. He met her eye and lifted a brow.
“Is there something on my face, Princess?”
“That depends.”
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the glossy wooden bartop, “On?”
“Does my face on your face count?”
Ajax snorted and settled back into his seat. Lumine let out a laugh, the stress from the day easing off of her in waves. The cocktail was really good, she could probably have like, four more. Lumien couldn’t even remember what had her so upset in the first place!
~ * ~
“Lumine,” he glanced over his shoulder from his spot by the window that showed off their world from the twentieth floor. Lumine had had quite a few daydreams involving that window, and what she was doing up against it- “I need you to book a table for two at Wanmin tomorrow.”
Her pen slid across the page. She hurriedly finished jotting down the instructions. Thankfully Zhongli had turned back to stare so he couldn’t see her mounting panic.
“F-for two, sir?” she squeaked, hurriedly clearing her throat.
“Yes, I have a date with my fiance.” He didn’t sound pleased even as he said it.
Lumine swallowed harshly.
“Of course, sir. What time should I have the table booked?”
Zhongli sighed deeply, “Considering how she is, anywhere from six thirty to eight. She’ll arrive when she deigns to,” he grumbled to himself, “my own responsibilities be damned.”
“Of course, sir. I’ll get it done.”
Lumine closed the door behind herself. He was taking a woman on a date. Her boss - and crush of four years - was taking his fiance on a date. Zhongli was taking someone out on a date and that person wasn’t her. Someone who he was going to marry.
“What happened to you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Lumine walked robotically to her seat. She set the diary down and sat with her face towards the floor.
“Oh, so you’re ignoring me now, Princess? Not very mature. I thought we were - Lumine,” Ajax’s voice was suddenly deadly serious, “Lumine, are you alright?”
And then the dam broke.
~ * ~
The bartender set Ajax’s whiskey in front of him.
“This is why you’re still single.”
“And here I thought it was because of my “unapproachable personality”.”
“Oh, you’re plenty approachable when you’re drunk enough,” he said into his drink. And then lower, “Too approachable.”
“If I’m so approachable why am I still single then? I’m drunk most nights.”
“Maybe drinking with a man most nights puts off other men.”
“Ah, so you’re the reason I’m still single,” She smiled, satisfied, “makes sense. Instead of being a roadblock, why don’t you act as my wingman?”
Ajax grimaced, “I’ve got a laundry list of better things to do.”
"And what would those things be?"
He slid his eyes over to her. During the day, those stupid eyes of his were always so jaded and mocking. Now, under the low light of the bar, those same blue eyes were making her stomach flip flop.
“Don’t ask questions you can’t handle, Princess.”
Lumine leaned towards him, “Who says I can’t handle them?”
His eyes darted down to her lips and then back up to her eyes. A single thin ring of blue was eclipsed by his blown, black pupils. Swallowing became difficult. Suddenly her game didn’t seem so fun anymore.
“I’m too fucking sober for this,” he grumbled, pulling away so there was space between them. He downed his whiskey in three gulps. “How many drinks have you had, by the way? I’m not gonna have to carry you back home again, will I?”
“I only had like, three drinks, I swear.”
Ajax’s mouth slipped into a thin line and he hummed disbelievingly.
“You do get extra flirty when you’re drunk,” he mused, swirling the melting ice around in the tumbler, “And I think you’re being pretty flirty.”
“Ha! And why would I flirt with you?”
“Because you and I have undeniable chemistry, Princess.”
“”Undeniable”, huh? Then why’re you so mean all the time at work?”
He smiled and it must have been all the alcohol in her blood because it seemed almost morose, “We’ve been over this before, Lumie. The Tsarista wouldn’t be too pleased if I was caught fraternising with the enemy, huh?”
“But we’re all working for the company, it doesn’t make any sense.”
“Yeah, doesn’t make too much sense to me either.”
Ajax ordered a beer and when Lumine motioned for another cocktail he blocked her.
“Yeah, no, you’re done. You can’t even walk straight and you’re gonna wake up tomorrow with a headache.”
“Ass,” she grumbled, ignoring the smile he hid behind his glass.
~ * ~
“Morning, Ajax.”
“Lumine,” he replied, his tone icy, his hands flitting about the keyboard.
She set her bag down and went to make Zhongli’s morning cup of green tea. He was so particular about it, in the start Lumine had to use a thermometer to measure the water temperature. Now, after three years, her estimations were second to none.
Tea and planner in hand, she knocked on his door and entered when he called.
“Morning, sir!” After crying and drinking away her problems, her heartache was present but not as allconsuming. After all, there was no way Zhongli - with all his pedigree and breeding - would settle for a peasant like her. Still, having her fantasies dashed hurt. A lot.
“Good morning, Lumine.” He flipped over a page, Lumine caught a pie chart and numbers, “You’re late, is everything alright?”
“Yes, sir! I accidentally slept in a bit.”
“Happens to the best of us. Make sure you sleep early tonight.”
“Of course, sir!” She set the tea to his left, exactly where he liked it, and opened up her planner to go through his itinerary for the day. She worked through his entire day, each hour blocked away with something.
“The meeting with Dvalin Incorporated will end at five thirty, from five thirty to six fifteen the Marketing to discuss a new product they had and from six thirty till eight,” she hesitated when she read what it was, “you have dinner with your fiance.”
“Right, yes, that.” Zhongli grimaced, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Could you have a bouquet organised from the florist down the street? I’m not sure what flowers women like.” Much, much lower, and absolutely not meant for her, he groused, “Though calling her a woman is an insult to women everywhere.”
“Of course, sir!” Lumine’s traitorous little heart lurched. “I’ll get to it.”
He gave her his usual soft, kind smile that turned her insides to goo and she left.
Arranging flowers for a woman that wasn’t her hurt something awful but she kept it together. Better that than causing another scene and making Ajax panic like he had. She thought of the flowers she wished Zhongli would give to her. The bouquet was soft and pastel coloured, filled with delicate, expensive flowers that all had a secret message she wished she could hear. It was almost embarrassing, how jealous she was of a faceless woman, but alone in her thoughts, Lumine allowed herself to be as embarrassing as she wanted to.
~ * ~
“She was so pretty,” Lumine murmured, swirling the electric blue cocktail in her glass.
“Don’t think about it.”
“Her family is old money too. And super powerful. Royalty. Do you think their marriage was arranged when they were kids? I hear super rich people do that.”
Ajax sighed, “Lumine, stop. You’re just making it worse for yourself.”
“At least he doesn’t seem like he likes her.”
Ajax set his glass down and turned to look at her. They were on a plush couch towards the darker corner of the bar. The music was a lazy, sensual jazz piece that worked together with the alcohol to make her blood warm. Ajax was sprawled beside her, a noticeable few inches between them.
“That’s enough. You came out here to drink with me and forget.”
Lumine whined, bordering on petulant, “Then help me forget!”
“Do you really want me to?” his voice sounded dark.
Lumine didn’t care; the buzz of the alcohol made her brave, it made her stupid.
“Please.”
~ * ~
“Lumine, this is my fiance. Ei, this is Lumine, my personal assistant.”
Lumine took in Zhongli’s fiance. She was gorgeous. A few inches taller than her, leggy, mature, beautiful. Her dark purple hair was in a lazy braid over her shoulder. Dressed in clothes so chic and expensive each article probably cost more than Lumine's rent. Her purple eyes were narrowed as she looked Lumine up and down.
“Cute.” She said, her tone firm.
Zhongli repressed a smile, “For once we agree.”
“Is she reliable?”
“She doesn’t work for you.” Lumine got the distinct feeling they were having some other conversation before she came in. One she wasn’t allowed to be privy to.
“Pity. Yae is far too lackadaisical.”
“I don’t see how that’s any of my concern.” His voice was icy, harsh enough to make Lumine flinch. Ei didn’t seem bothered. She checked her carefully painted nails. Zhongli sighed and turned to her, tempering his expression into something softer, “Lumine, could you please get us some tea? You can bring the sugar separately, Ei can arrange it herself.”
“It almost seems like you don’t want me here.”
“Oh, was I being that unsubtle about it?”
Lumine had only seen Zhongli like this once before and that person had been fried on the spot. She wondered if fiance’s could be fired. A sick part of her wished she did, an even sicker part was glad they didn’t seem to like one another too much.
~ * ~
A hand brushed against the nape of her neck, forcing a shiver down her spine. That same hand brushed through her hair, Ajax pulled the ribbon tying her hair loose. Lumine exhaled sharply.
“You need to learn to put your hair down, once in a while,” his voice was low and silky. Lumine’s grasp on her glass tightened. Ajax noticed, and his other hand slid down her arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps as it went. His hand covered hers, warm and soft and bigger. He plucked the flute out of her hand and set it on the table beside them. Ajax brought his mouth towards her neck, his lips so close to her skin she could feel each warm exhale. “I’ll take care of you if you promise me something.”
Lumine shivered. It had been so long since someone had touched her, just this was enough to get her blood boiling. “What?”
He pulled back enough to wink, “That you’ll keep an open mind.”
In the near darkness of the club, Ajax’s blue eyes turned black. The hand he had slid into her hair tightened, tugging harshly. Lumine hissed, unconsciously arching into his touch.
“I need you to use your words, Princess.”
“Yes!”
~ * ~
She told Ajax she’d catch up with him, that she just needed to make sure her PC was off. The Tsarista had already left - the lights in her room were off. Lumine double checked her unit, going through the checklist in her head to make sure she had picked everything up when she heard it.
A moan. A muffled moan followed by a muffled voice. There was only one place it could be coming from. Zhongli’s room still had its light on. Lumine stood frozen in place, staring at the opaque door that led to her boss’s office. Another moan sounded, clearer this time, followed by a low, guttural groan. Lumine told herself not to do it. She told herself it would only hurt her to see.
She crept as close to the door as she dared. Lumine couldn’t make out the figures, but the blobs of colour and the voices alone keyed her in. It seemed her boss didn’t hate his fiance as much as she had hoped.
Lumine ran away, almost forgetting to take her bag with her.
~ * ~
Ajax bit sharply at her bottom lip. Lumine gasped and he used that opportunity to slip his tongue in. His tongue brushed against hers. Lumine moaned at the sensation, the sound muffled and wet and filthy. He did it again and she shivered, her hands coming up to grip his shirt. To push him away or drag him closer - she didn’t know. Ajax kissed her like his life depended on it. Lumine grew light headed, stealing gasps of air when they would pull apart before he rushed back in. Lumine was drawing in him. Her heart slammed against her chest, her pulse pounded against her skin, and all she could think of was him, him, him.
They finally separated, panting. His hold on her hair loosened, until he was gently carding his fingers through it. Lumine slumped against the back of the couch, struggling for air. She’d never been kissed like that - or ever - much less ravaged.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice husky, his tone playful.
Lumine squeezed her thighs together. A familiar warmth stirred in the pit of her stomach.
“Yeah,” she managed after a moment, “Yes. That was my first.”
Ajax’s eyes grew comically wide and the hand petting her hair stopped. In the semi-darkness, Lumine could still make out the wave of emotions that flitted across his face.
“Fuck.”
Lumine laughed. She sounded throaty and debauched and it was just a kiss.
“Take me out to dinner first.”
Ajax tightened his hold on her hair a fraction before letting go completely.
“I didn’t know I was gonna deflower an innocent. If you told me earlier, I would have made your first kiss nicer - not in the back of a bar, as high end as it is.”
Lumine rarely saw Ajax flounder. He was always confident - icy cold and aloof at work, but boyish and charmingly off hours. It was a nice change. She put her hand on his arm, admiring the firm muscle underneath.
“Don’t. I liked it. A lot.” She added in a smaller voice, “Can we do it again?”
Ajax looked like she’d just gut-punched him. He let out a slow, steady hiss of breath.
“You sure you won’t regret it?” His teeth clenched so tightly together she heard them squeak.
Lumine licked her lips. They were tender and puffy. She looked back up at Ajax. Ajax was staring down at her like she was a meal. And he was a man starved.
“I don’t know,” she admitted.
This wasn’t how she imagined things. Lumine had always wanted to kiss a boy she liked, that she loved. She liked Ajax well enough, despite their weird cat and dog relationship in the office. But did she love him? No.
“We can take it slow, if you want?” He played with a strand of her hair, curling it around his finger. They were so close together, whatever cologne Ajax used - a spicy, warm intoxicating Ajax kind of smell - it was lulling her senses. They hadn’t had too much to drink yet either - whatever was happening was all Ajax.
She nodded, hesitantly. Ajax smiled, and unlike the weirdly emotionless vibe his eyes gave off, his smile was real and kind.
“I always wanted to kiss a guy I liked,” she told him, looking down at her hands. She tightened her hold on his shirt. It’d be so creased later.
“Am I not a guy you like?”
She huffed, “You know what I mean.”
“Right. Zhongli.”
Lumine waited for the wave of pain, waited to remember the noises that drove her running out of the office and into Ajax’s arms. It didn’t come, not as an overwhelming surge like she expected. It hurt, and her face coloured, but that was it.
“Not just him!”
“It’s fine. If you’re okay with it. Even if I’m not a guy you like. I just don’t want to feel like I’m making you do this.” He covered her hand with one of his own and slipped their fingers together, lowering them onto his warm, strong thigh.
“It’s not like that-”
“Shh,” he moved the hand in her hair to cradle her face, “If I do anything you don’t like, let go of my hand, yeah?”
She nodded her head and he didn’t move. Lumine rolled her eyes, secretly very pleased.
“Okay, yeah.”
Ajax slipped on a smile and lowered his face towards hers. He tilted her’s the other way, angling it just right. Their noses brushed. Ajax stared at her, his eyes half-lidded.
Their lips touched. A brief, chaste little thing that sent small butterflies erupting in her belly. Ajax pulled away, flexing his fingers against hers. Lumine held firm. His smile grew and he leaned in again, the kiss firmer. As they parted, he licked her bottom lip. Lumine jumped. Ajax flexed his fingers again and she squeezed back.
“Surprised,” she mumbled in answer. He nodded, looking a little devious.
He held her face firm, coming back quicker than before. The kiss was hurried now, more desperate. He licked at her lip again, and Lumine gasped. It wasn’t the same as her first, but instead of the fireworks Lumine heard about, a fire stoked in her belly. Ajax’s hand moved from her face to the back of her head, keeping her in place as their kiss deepened. Lumine’s free hand gripped at his collar, tugging him impossibly closer. His tongue brushed against hers and a moan escaped. Ajax pulled away but instead of stopping, he began to kiss her face. He kissed a heated, wet line down her throat. At the base of her neck, he found a spot that had her gasping. He licked it once, ignoring her shudder, and he bit down.
“Ajax,” she breathed, her eyes slammed shut.
He shivered, his fingers squeezing hers almost painfully. He pulled away. They both heaved for breath like they’d run a marathon.
“Keep saying my name like that and I won’t be able to take it slow.”
Lumine blinked through the lustful haze in her mind, it was a losing battle, “Then don’t.”
Ajax shit his eyes and shuddered out a breath. When he opened them again, Lumine was acutely aware of how much he was struggling.
“Don’t tempt me like that, Lumine.” He laughed. It sounded like he’d gargled gravel. “Don’t say stuff you don’t mean.”
“I do mean it.”
Lumine couldn’t believe what she’d missed out on. Twenty-five years and she’d never been kissed, so hung up on waiting for a man that would never come she’d never even given it a shot. If kissing was this nice, she could only imagine how good sex would be - especially if all the books she read were to be believed.
“But you don’t love me.”
When he said it out loud, it sounded so stupid. Zhongli would never love her - she knew that, maybe that’s why it didn’t really hurt when all was said and done. But here Ajax was, a prime specimen of a man, willing to make love to her. Lumine didn’t need to think very hard - not that she was doing very much thinking anyway.
“It doesn’t matter. I want to, and you want to. Just decide if we’re going back to your place or mine.”
Ajax pulled away. And for the first time since she’d met him, he looked unsure.
“Lumine… that’s just the hormones talking. You saw Zhongli with another woman, you’ve had alcohol - you’re not thinking straight. You’re going to regret this.”
“I’m a big girl, Ajax. I know what I want, and what I want is you.”
“Lumine-”
“I am of perfectly sound mind. I can walk in a straight line if you want to show you I’m not drunk. You’re not taking advantage of me.”
“That’s exactly what someone who wasn’t of sound mind would say!”
She sent him a withering look that was diluted by her very urgent need for him.
“Do you not want to do this? Am I the one forcing you?”
He shook his head quickly, almost scared, “Of course I want to do this! BUt I don’t want you to have any regrets.”
“And I promise I won’t. So, are you going to leave me hanging? I thought you were going to help me forget.”
It was a low blow, but it was effective. Ajax groaned low, muttering something about how she was going to kill him before he grabbed his diluted whiskey, downed it in one go and, their hands still linked, got Lumine to her feet.
She suddenly remembered where they were and what they had been doing, dark corner be damned. Mortification began to creep up on her before Ajax was whisking her away, throwing down a few crisp bills to pay for their drinks.
“Your place is closer,” he told her, his voice thick.
He led the way to her apartment, having walked her plenty of times before. The kindly old security guard waved them hello. Ajax ignored him, Lumine waved back. The elevator took forever to arrive. Lumine felt each second acutely. When the elevator finally arrived, it was blissfully empty. Lumine picked her floor, the doors slid shut and Ajax was on her again.
His hands burned a trail through her clothes, his mouth a brand against her skin. Lumine could only gasp, her fingers tangling in his copper hair, as he found that spot on her neck and bit down. The door dinged and he wrenched himself away from her. The doors slid open and the floor was empty - Lumine thanked the stars. It was her time to drag Ajax along, her blood on a constant simmer, her body screaming for him.
Ajax only chuckled as she stomped to her door, her hands shaking as she scavenged through her bag for her keys, ready to throw the contents upside down from frustration. She found them and her door opened and Ajax only waited as long as it took them both to close the front door behind them before he pounced, pressing her back against the door itself.
“Ajax,” she managed between heated kisses and whole-body shudders, “bedroom.”
He grit his teeth, his own patience nearing its end and moved away enough for Lumine to slip away, their linked fingers the tether she used to drag him after her. When she passed by the mirror in her hallway, she was horrified with how debauched she looked. Ajax bumped into her from behind. Their eyes met in the mirror. That hungry look he had all night intensified. His pupils were completely blown wide, not a shred of blue was left. He came to stand behind her.
“You look really pretty,” he slid a hand up her sternum, brushing past her breasts with a feather soft touch until he reached her chin. He tipped her head to one side so the overhead light showed off the purpling bruise on her neck. “I wanna mark you more.”
Lumine leaned her weight back against him. His chest was firm and warm. He slid his arm around her waist, keeping her firmly against him.
“I can’t tell you how long I’ve liked you, Lumie,” He whispered, his voice husky. He nosed against her throat, licking a strip at her pulse point, “How long I’ve wanted to hold you, how long I’ve wanted to mark you. Can I? Please?”
“Yes,” she hissed out, squeezing her eyes against the hedonistic image her mirror reflected.
Ajax sunk his teeth into her skin, right above her pulse point. Lumine jolted, a scream threatening to leave her. Ajax’s hold on her tightened. She tried to pull away and then Ajax let go of her skin, pressing feather soft kisses and warm licks as an apology.
“Was that too hard?” he murmured, his warm breath tickling her pulsing skin, “I’m sorry. You’re kinda making me lose my mind. Will you let me make it up to you?”
“Take this to the bedroom.” Lumine wanted to sound chastising, it came out as a plea.
“Yes ma’am.”
She expected him to release her so she could stumble her way to her room but Ajax had other plans. He slid an arm underneath her legs, and one behind her shoulders and in one sweeping motion had her in his arms. Lumine shrieked, her arms looping around his neck like it was natural.
“Which way to your bedroom?”
It took her brain a moment, “End of the hall.”
He deposited her on her bed carefully and took a step back. Only the lights from the hallway flooded in. She saw his tongue dart out.
“Are you sure about this?”
Lumine groaned. Ajax had the patience of a saint.
“Shut up and take your clothes off.”
“Bossy,” he smiled. “Lights on or off?”
Lumine hesitated, “Off.”
Ajax nodded, just his silhouette showing in the low light, but it was enough. Instead of taking his shirt off like she told him to, Ajax lowered to his knees, grabbing her ankles and dragging her to the edge of the bed.
“What are you doing?” Lumine squeaked as he worked on taking off first one of her heels and then the other.
“I had to make up for hurting you.”
“You can do that later!”
Ajax flashed her a smile, “We’ve got all night.”