My ears were still ringing when I was finally able to perch myself up on my elbows, my legs still splayed wide for my husband who was standing at his full, intimidating height. My arousal could have jostled my sense of time, but it seemed that he was hesitating. Fingers were hooked under the waist band of his trousers but they had yet to move.

"What is it?" I whispered. "Was I too loud? Do you think someone will come."

"No, no, of course not. These walls are solid. You have nothing to worry about."

"Then what is it?"

Even in the dim light, I could see the embarrassment in the way he looked away. Just as I could tell that he was willing those pants to fall off his body but could not physically make it happen.

"I know what I want," he whispered finally. "And I want it so badly, but... I'm unpracticed. I understand the mechanics well enough." He sucked in a breath that puffed up his proud chest but did nothing but aid his awkwardness. "I'm afraid that I'm going to do something wrong or make this unpleasant for you and that is the last thing I want to happen."

Considering that I was to be queen and that I was lying on an old wooden table - naked at that - I probably shouldn't have snorted and rolled my eyes. Then again, I had never been considered the politest diplomat. "If you have forgotten, I am completely unpracticed as well."

"Yes, but I am the man," Leo sighed, exasperated.

"Well that is a stupid reason. If I am to be unpracticed and nervous it only makes sense that you should be as well. How are we supposed to learn each other if one of us has been studying others for far too long?" I took a deep breath and sat all the way up, forcing Leo to meet my gaze. "I trust you and I love you. We will communicate through this and each time it will get better."

"God I adore you," Leo whispered and just like that those dreaded trousers were discarded. When he sprung free, it was a shock all over again. And Leo's embarrassment gave away to an arrogant smirk. "Stand up and turn around for me."

I had no fear when I did as he asked. He commanded me to spread my legs wide, standing between them, his body so close to mine that I could feel his heat. Palms pressed against my back, slowly easing me down until my forearms were braced on the table. I was thoroughly distracted from my positioning when something pressed against me. When he pressed against me. His hands were on the table now, his arms caging me in.

"I want you to move however feels good," he whispered, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.

I shifted backwards and the pressure escalated, pushing and pushing until suddenly he was inside me. 

"Oh." The unexpectedness stunned me and the pinch of pain, the uncomfortable tightness was enough to take my breath away.

One of the arms caging me in disappeared and a second later fingers were drifting over that little bud that had made me scream so shortly before. My knees softened, my back arched, and my head tipped back.

"There's my girl," Leo murmured, then ever so slowly, his hips began to move.

The uncomfortable tightness faded, or maybe it was simply overshadowed by the rush of pleasure that filled my veins. One moment I was trying to catch my breath, worried and starting to panic, the next my eyes were rolling back and my body was moving on its own accord. Sometimes my grip was focused on the sturdy table, sometimes it was clinging to Leo's forearm. I let him do the work every now and then, and other times I pushed myself backwards onto him, demanding more. Things were pouring out of my mouth, what they were exactly I didn't know. I imagined it was encouragement and approval.

But what I did know was that those little kisses that Leo left on my shoulders were enough to make me moan. And when he brushed my hair to one side and nipped at my neck I came undone all over again.

As I shuddered his chest pressed against my back. "Em," he whispered. "Oh God, Em."

It was fast and abrupt for a second, then his body stilled, almost becoming limp on top of me, pushing me into the wooden table top.

It took him less than an instant to collect himself. He off me.

"Was that alright? Are you alright?" he blurted.

A drunken laugh left my lips while I stood there on quaking legs, not trusting myself to straighten and bare my full weight. "Yes, more than alright actually."

"Tell me what you need," he pressed as if I were going to request a doctor.

Still, I took my opportunity for what it was. "I would like you to spend the night with me."

We quickly pulled back on our clothes and hustled to my private room. Thankfully Maisy was not waiting for me as she often was and no one saw us in the hallway. If Leo was being honest and I hadn't been as vocal as I thought then seeing me with disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes would have been a sure give away.

The clothes didn't last long when we made it to my bedroom and the door was shut again. We hit the bed in a tangled, gasping mess. I stroked and squeezed while he nipped and moaned. This way, nestled in the bed with him on top of me, I could peer at his face, watch the way he watched me as his hips thrusted and retreated. And when I let out a particularly loud moan or a desperate mew, I could to see his lips curl in satisfaction.

We fell apart in a matter of brief moments. I was gasping for air, but curled against his side, reeling as he stroked my hair and attempted to catch his breath.

"My wife, my goddess," he murmured, pressing his lips to my forehead. 

I let out a noise that could only be described as a purr, pressing into him and allowing my fingers to trail over his chest. He was perfect, complete and utter perfection. And now that I had had all of him, it was amazing that I had waited this long. It seemed like I had wasted so much time being afraid.

But he had wasted time just the same. 

"I heard you talking to Jacob one night when we travelled to Willow's kingdom," I said. My fingers drifted up to his collarbone then down his arm. "You wanted me even then. Too bad you were using all of your energy hating me."

He let out a laugh. "Of course you would bring that up now. You have always been to fiery to let anything rest, haven't you?" He gave me a tight squeeze before continuing. "And I hated you, yes, but not because of who you were, but because you were a siren."

"Well, I know that, but I still don't understand why."

All of the lighthearted laughter and easy smiles fell away then. The muscles around his mouth tightened and his gaze grew distant. Immediately, I perked up, trying to think of something to say to bring back his joy, but he continued before I could even open my mouth. 

"Humans have had a fear of sirens for quite some time as I'm sure you know," he began. "I had a disdain for them, but no real hatred. It was because of Atticus."

Just the name was enough to make me stutter. How quickly I had forgotten about him. And how quickly I had lied to my husband until I believed it all to be true. "Oh." 

"He was a peacekeeper, never had anything against anyone. But people saw his murder. His own guards said that this crazy, deranged woman climbed out of the water, dagger in hand, and attacked him."

It took me a moment to realize that he was talking about me, about a real event that happened to me and not some elaborate myth. Lies. All of it lies! I hadn't. I would have never. "No siren I know would do that," I choked out. "My sisters would never. I would never."

"Maybe not your group, but maybe there is a rogue siren out there or...I don't know. All I know is that this girl came out of the ocean, killed my brother with some kind of blade, went back into the ocean never to be seen again, and only left behind one single black pearl."

"A black pearl," I whispered. The pearl that come loose from the royal dagger that awful day. I thought I had lost it in the ocean.

"I have heard of black pearls around, but we have only found fakes. And a pearl this size is a treasure. It's marvelous. I'm not saying that she was a siren because of the pearl or that human women can't swim, I'm just saying that it definitely created a lot of fear. It seemed that everyone but my parents believed that a siren had killed my brother and I was not exception. Until you, that is."

"Until me," I repeated with a shaky laugh.

"Come here, Em. Let's get some sleep tonight." He pulled me tight to his chest but while his heart beat was steady, mine thundered away. I would certainly not be getting any sleep tonight.

~~~Question of the Day~~~

Have you ever bought thrifted clothes?