CHAPTER 543: HIDING HEAT IN PLAIN SIGHT (1)

"I... I cannot stand it anymore," Arielle whispered, her voice a desperate plea, frayed and trembling like a threadbare ribbon caught in the wind that whipped through the golden fields, carrying the sharp scent of clover and pine. Her body was a furnace, every nerve ablaze, the heat between her thighs a relentless, throbbing pulse that demanded more, more, more. The words spilled from her lips, raw and unguarded, as she surrendered to the fire consuming her. Her thighs trembled, slick with arousal, her silk undergarments a soaked betrayal clinging to her skin, amplifying every movement of Nightshade’s gait into a torment of pleasure. I’m falling apart, she thought, her heart a wild beast pounding against her ribs, her breath ragged as if she’d sprinted through the fields. The long riding skirt, weighted with lead beads, hugged her hips, its subtle friction a cruel tease against the overwhelming hardness of Lyan pressed so intimately against her. It’s him, she thought, her mind a whirlwind of need and memory, flashes of the past five nights in the keep—his hands, his heat, the way he filled her until she was nothing but sensation, a vessel for his fire. He’s burning me alive.

Lyan’s breath was a molten growl against her ear, hot and commanding, sending shivers that sparked down her spine like embers on dry grass. "It’s fine," he rasped, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her bones. "I’ve set an illusion barrier around us. They won’t realize—in front of them, we’re riding as usual. But if they talk to you, answer well." His magic, seamless and subtle, wove a veil of normalcy around them, a secret cocoon that shielded their intimacy from the world. The knowledge sent a thrill through her, a lightning bolt of reckless freedom that snapped the last thread of restraint. No one can see, she thought, her body trembling with a mix of fear and exhilaration, her arousal a flood that left her thighs slick, her heart racing. They can’t know, but I’m his. The thought was a spark, igniting her further, her mind a haze of need as she clung to the reins, her knuckles white, her spectacles fogging with the heat of her breath.

"Please," she gasped, her voice a trembling whimper, raw with need as she turned her head, her eyes pleading, wide and dark behind her spectacles. "I want to face the other side." Her hands fumbled, shaking as she reached for him, her body a live wire begging for his touch. I need to see him, she thought, the image of his face—his scar, his eyes, his half-smile—burning in her mind like a brand. She wanted to drown in him, to lose herself in the man who balanced her ledgers and her heart with equal ease.

Lyan’s hands were gentle but firm, lifting her effortlessly, his strength a promise that made her gasp, her body weightless in his grip. The moment he slipped out, she let out a muffled yelp, the sudden emptiness a shock that made her cling to him, her nails digging into his shoulders. No, come back, she thought, her body aching for him, her thighs trembling as he turned her to face him, her legs straddling his hips in a desperate embrace. He entered her again with a slow, deliberate thrust, the quelch quelch of their joining a wet, primal sound that filled her ears, drawing a raw "MMHHH!" from her throat. The stretch was overwhelming, his thickness filling her completely, a fire that consumed every thought. His handsome face was close now, his scar a silver thread in the dappled light filtering through the trees, his eyes dark with desire and a softer warmth that made her heart ache. He’s too perfect,

she thought, her mind spinning as she took in the sharp line of his jaw, the faint stubble that grazed her skin, the way his lips curved like they held a secret only she could unlock.

She leaned in, her lips crashing into his, the kiss deep and hungry, a wildfire that devoured them both. "Mmh! Slrp!!" The sounds were wet, urgent, her tongue sliding against his, sucking gently, then harder, as if she could pull him deeper, claim him completely. His tongue teased the edge of her teeth, a playful flick that sent sparks through her, then plunged deeper, curling around hers in a fierce dance that mirrored the slap slap of his thrusts. She sucked at his lower lip, a soft slrp escaping as their mouths moved, a tangle of heat and want that made her head spin. This is heaven, she thought, her body trembling as the kiss consumed her, her moans muffled against his lips, a desperate mmh that vibrated through her chest. Her tongue chased his, swirling, sucking, a greedy slrp slrp as she pressed closer, her hands curling into his hair, the strands soft and warm under her fingers. I could live in this kiss, she thought, her body a furnace, her thighs clinging to him as the quelch quelch of their joining grew louder, a secret rhythm that pulsed through her like a second heartbeat.

Lara’s voice sliced through the haze, bright and curious, a blade of sound that made Arielle’s heart lurch. "Stewardess, this farm site—how do you know where to plant first?" The mountain women, uneducated but sharp as flint, leaned in, their horses close, their eyes gleaming with a hunger to learn. Arielle’s breath hitched, Lyan’s hardness pushing deeper, the quelch quelch a relentless pulse beneath the illusion barrier, a secret that threatened to unravel her. I have to answer, she thought, her mind scrambling as pleasure flooded her senses, drowning her in heat. Her lips brushed Lyan’s as she spoke, her voice breathy, trembling with the effort to form words. "We... mnh... start with soil tests," she managed, each syllable a battle against the slap slap of his thrusts, harder now, a spark that set her nerves alight. His mischievous grin was maddening, his eyes glinting like polished obsidian as he lifted her hips, thrusting deeper, the quelch quelch echoing in her ears like a drumbeat. He’s tormenting me, she thought, her cheeks burning as she bit his neck, leaving a small hickey, a desperate act to ground herself, the sharp tang of his skin under her lips a fleeting anchor. "Auger wand... every five paces... tired soil first," she gasped, her thighs clinging tightly to Lyan, her legs trembling as she fought to keep her voice steady, her spectacles slipping down her nose with the sweat beading on her skin.

Sigrid tilted her head, her blonde ponytail swinging like a pendulum, her tone earnest but curious. "What’s ’tired soil’?" she asked, her voice a low rumble that cut through the haze. Arielle’s heart pounded, Lyan’s rhythm relentless, each thrust a fire that pushed her closer to the edge, the slap slap a wild beat that matched the thud thud of her pulse. She slipped beneath his cloak, pulling the heavy fabric over her shoulders to hide her trembling body, her moans muffled against his lips as she kissed him deeper, her tongue sucking at his with a desperate slrp! Mmh! that made her head spin. The cloak smelled of him—leather, pine, and something warm and primal—and it cocooned her, a shield against the world. They can’t see, she thought, her body shaking as she pressed closer, her lips brushing his with every word. "Soil... that’s low in nutrients," she gasped, her voice breaking as Lyan’s hands guided her hips faster, the quelch quelch growing louder, a wet, primal sound that filled her ears. "We... plant legumes... to fix it." Her legs clung to him, wrapped tightly around his waist, her boots digging into his thighs as she fought to answer, her lips grazing his with every syllable, a soft mmh escaping as she sucked at his tongue, desperate to muffle her cries.

Lara frowned, her freckled nose crinkling as she leaned closer, her red braid catching the dappled light. "You alright, stewardess? You sound... off." Her voice was sharp with concern, her eyes narrowing as she scanned Arielle’s flushed face. Arielle’s heart lurched, a moan slipping out, a raw mmh! that she disguised as a cough, her voice trembling as she forced the words out. "It’s fine," she said quickly, her face burning as she buried it in Lyan’s neck, her kisses frantic, her tongue tracing his jaw with a desperate mmh to stifle her cries. Gods, they can’t know, she thought, her body a furnace, her arousal a wildfire that consumed her, the slap slap of Lyan’s thrusts a relentless rhythm that threatened to shatter her. The cloak hid her trembling, but it couldn’t hide the heat in her cheeks, the way her spectacles fogged with every ragged breath, the way her thighs clung to him like a lifeline.

Lyan’s thrusts grew rougher, each one a spark that ignited her nerves, the quelch quelch a wet, primal symphony that drowned out the world. Her body tightened, the pleasure building to a crescendo, a tidal wave that threatened to pull her under. I’m going to break, she thought, her mind a haze of heat and need, her lips finding his again in a desperate, sloppy kiss. "Phuah! I’m cominggg..." she whispered, her lips parting from his as the wave crashed over her, her body shuddering with a raw "MMMMHHHHHNNHH!!!!" that she muffled against his mouth, her tongue sucking at his with a frantic slrp! Mmh! that filled her ears. The kiss was greedy, her tongue curling around his, sucking hard, then soft, teasing the tip before plunging deep again, a slrp slrp that was both reverent and ravenous. His hands gripped her hips, guiding her through the storm, his own release imminent as he growled, "Me too," his voice rough with desire, a low rumble that vibrated through her.

With one powerful motion, he buried himself in her, the quelch quelch reaching a fever pitch as he shot thick, hot loads that filled her completely, her belly swelling slightly as her tightness held everything in, a flood of warmth that sent her spiraling into ecstasy. Her muffled cries were lost in their kiss, a desperate MMMMHHHHHNNHH!!!