Page 508 - Fourth Wing

He crushes his mouth to mine and pulls me fully into his lap so I’m

straddling him. He kisses me so deep that I lose myself in it, in him. There
are no words as he takes off my sash, my top, and unbuttons my skirt, all

without breaking the kiss. “Stand,” he says against my lips.

“Xaden.” My heart thunders.
“I fucking need you, Violet. Right now. And I don’t need anyone, so I’m

not quite sure how to handle this feeling, but I’m giving it my best. And if

you don’t want this tonight, that’s fine, but I’m going to need you to walk
out that door right now, because if you don’t, I’m going to have you naked

on your back in the next two minutes.”

The intensity in his eyes and the vehemence of his words should frighten
me, but they don’t. Even if this man loses every ounce of his self-control, I

know he’ll never hurt me.
Not with his body, at least.

“Walk away or stay, but either way, I need you to stand up,” he begs.

“I think two minutes might be overestimating your skills with a corset.” I
glance down at my armor.

He grins and lifts me from his lap.
My feet hit the floor. “I’m timing you.”

“Is that—”

“One. Two.” I hold up my fingers. “Three.”
He’s on his feet in a heartbeat, and then his mouth is on mine, and I stop

counting. I’m too busy chasing the strokes of his tongue, feeling the ripple

of his muscles beneath my fingertips, to give a shit where my clothes are
going.

I feel air rush against my legs as my skirt hits the floor, and I help him out

by kicking off my slippers while I suck on his tongue.
He groans, his hands flying over my back. Laces loosen in record time,

and the corset falls to the floor, leaving me in my underwear, since there
wasn’t much else fitting underneath that dress uniform.