Chapter 441: The Berries 2

"Grayson?" Mailah whispered, her heart beating fast against her chest. "Someone could walk in. The staff... the guards..."

Grayson paused, his blue eyes flashing with sudden, dark possessiveness. He growled softly under his breath, the idea of anyone else seeing her like this completely unbearable to his ancient pride.

"No one will see you," Grayson rasped against her lips. "You belong only to me."

Without letting go of her waist, he reached over to the heavy oak wall beside the pantry. He pressed a small, hidden silver button carved into the dark wood. With a quiet click and a smooth slide, a secret panel rolled back, revealing a cozy sanctuary built right behind the kitchen. Inside were soft velvet couches, warm glowing lanterns, and deep silk carpets.

Grayson picked Mailah up in his broad arms and carried her inside. The heavy door closed behind them with a soft click, blocking out the rest of the house.

He set her down gently on the plush cushions. The air inside was warm, smelling of dark oak, rain, and sweet fruit. Grayson pulled off his white linen shirt in one smooth motion, tossing it aside. His broad chest was bare and warm, his heart pounding fast beneath her palms.

He had grabbed a small bowl of strawberries before the door shut, placing it on the table beside them. Picking up a dark, ripe berry, he brushed it lightly across her lower lip, leaving a cool drop of juice behind.

"Bite," he ordered softly, his voice dropping into a low, breathless whisper.

Mailah took a small bite of the sweet strawberry. Before she could move, Grayson leaned down. He kissed her deeply, taking the rest of the berry straight from her mouth. The taste of sweet fruit and fiery passion filled them both.

Mailah let out a soft sigh, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. Grayson groaned low in his chest, pulling her body flush against his lap. His long hands slid under her soft sweater, his warm fingers tracing the curves of her waist. Every touch felt like gentle fire against her skin.

He trailed slow, burning kisses down her jaw, her neck, and her collarbone, tasting the sweet fruit juice off her skin with complete devotion.

"I am never letting you go," Grayson murmured against her collarbone, his blue eyes glowing with intense love. "Not in a dream, and not in the real world."

Mailah smiled, her fingers tangling into his dark hair as he pulled her close, completely lost in the warm, quiet dark of their secret room.

Grayson leaned down, capturing Mailah’s lips once more. The kiss grew deeper, hotter, and far more intense. His large hands slid beneath her soft cream sweater, his warm palms gliding over the skin of her waist. Mailah shivered at the contrast between the cool room air and his burning touch.

With smooth, easy strength, Grayson pulled the sweater up over her head and tossed it to the floor. Mailah reached up immediately, her bare arms wrapping tight around his neck, pulling his broad chest down against hers. His skin felt like a warm hearth on a cold night.

Grayson laughed softly into her neck, a deep, raspy sound filled with joy. He reached out to the silver bowl beside them and picked up a dark, plump blackberry. He brought it to her lips, pressing it gently against her skin until the sweet juice burst.

"You make me forget three thousand years of darkness with a single smile," Grayson whispered, his blue eyes glowing bright in the dim lantern light.

He licked the sweet juice from her lips, his tongue hot and slow. Mailah let out a soft gasp, her toes curling into the plush carpet. She tilted her head back, letting him kiss down the side of her throat, over her collarbone, and down to her chest.

Every touch was electric. His physical touch held a deep, magnetic pull that made every nerve under her skin sing. But it was his heart—the fast, frantic beat beneath his ribs—that made her fall completely under his spell. He was an ancient demon, yet right now he was completely undone by her.

Grayson shifted, sliding his knees onto the velvet couch on either side of her hips. He unbuckled his belt and kicked off his dark pants, leaving nothing between them but the warm heat of their skin.

He looked down into her eyes, his breathing heavy and uneven. "Mailah," he rasped, his voice rough with need. "Look at me."

Mailah looked up, her dark eyes shiny with love. "I’m looking, Grayson."

"You are my only sanctuary," he whispered.

Slowly, deliberately, he moved over her. As he pressed inside her, a low groan broke from his throat. Mailah gasped, her fingers digging into the broad muscles of his back. The connection was immediate and overwhelming, a wave of deep heat spreading through her entire body.

He moved with a steady, intense rhythm, pulling back only to slide back in deeper, making her call out his name into the quiet room. Grayson leaned down, capturing her mouth to swallow her sweet cries. His tongue moved with hers, matching the deep, hot push of his hips.

The secret room felt smaller, warmer, filled entirely with the sound of their heavy breathing, the soft rustle of silk cushions, and the sweet scent of fresh strawberries.

Grayson’s hands slid beneath her thighs, lifting her closer to meet every deep stroke. His blue eyes stayed locked on hers, burning with an intense devotion that made her head spin.

"Mailah... my sweet light..." he gasped against her neck, his pulse racing wild.

The feeling inside Mailah built like a warm wave, cresting higher and higher until it broke over her. She held onto his broad shoulders tightly as pleasure washed through her whole body. A second later, Grayson let out a low, dark growl against her skin, shuddering deeply as he poured all his warmth, strength, and love into her.

The room settled back into a quiet, warm stillness.

Grayson collapsed gently beside her, pulling her small body tightly against his broad chest. He wrapped the heavy velvet blanket over both of them, burying his face into her hair. His heart was still beating fast, his warm breath fanning against her neck.

"See?" Grayson murmured lazily, his deep voice thick with sweet satisfaction. "I told you I am the superior husband. My past self could never compare."

Mailah burst into a soft, sleepy laugh, resting her hand over his beating heart. "You are incorrigible, Lord Grayson."

"I am victorious," Grayson corrected smoothly, reaching over to pop one last strawberry into his mouth before kissing her lips softly. "And tomorrow, I am building that berry greenhouse."

Grayson’s large, warm hands reached for the bottom edge of Mailah’s soft sweater. He pulled it gently over her head and tossed it to the side, his dark blue eyes never leaving hers for a single second. The warm light of the soft lanterns reflected off his sharp jawline, making him look impossibly handsome.

"You took away my three-thousand-dollar coat for that sweater," Grayson murmured, his voice low and full of playfulness as he leaned down to press a hot kiss against her bare shoulder. "And yet, you look far more dangerous without it."

Mailah giggled, her fingers lightly trailing down his back, feeling the hard muscle under his warm skin. "Dangerous? Me?"

"Extremely," Grayson rasped, his warm breath tickling the skin of her neck. He reached out to the small silver dish beside them, picking up a single, dark raspberry. "You make an ancient demon completely lose his mind in a hidden pantry room. If that isn’t dangerous, I don’t know what is."

He placed the cool raspberry against her lips, watching with dark, intense focus as she opened her mouth to take it. But before she could eat it alone, Grayson leaned down immediately, pressing his lips to hers. He shared the sweet, juicy fruit with her in a slow, deep kiss that made Mailah’s whole body melt into the plush velvet cushions.

A soft moan escaped her throat, her hands clutching his broad shoulders. Grayson growled softly in approval, the sound rumbling deep within his chest. His incubus energy pulsed softly around them—not cold or scary, but like a cozy wave of summer heat that made every single touch feel ten times sweeter.

He moved down, pressing a trail of slow, hot kisses along her jawline, down her throat, and over her collarbone. His hands were gentle yet possessive, holding her waist as if she were the most fragile, precious treasure in the universe.

"Mailah," Grayson whispered against her skin, his deep voice trembling with pure devotion. "Open your eyes."

Mailah opened her eyes, meeting his glowing blue gaze. He looked down at her with so much warmth, passion, and absolute love that her breath caught in her throat.

"You are my whole world," he said softly, leaning up to press his forehead gently against hers. "In every life, in every room, I am completely yours."

Mailah smiled softly, pulling his face down into another deep, fiery kiss as they completely lost themselves in the quiet, warm darkness of their secret sanctuary.

The heavy silk blanket slid over their shoulders, shutting out the rest of the cold world. Grayson pulled her so close that not a single breath of air could fit between them. Every touch was slow, sweet, and deep, leaving Mailah breathless as his warm lips traced every inch of her skin.

When he finally rested his weight beside her, his dark hair was a gorgeous, messy disaster. He lay on his side, supporting his head with one hand, staring down at her with a lazy, satisfied smile that could melt glaciers. His blue eyes were soft, swimming with endless affection.

"So," Grayson murmured, his deep voice raspy and warm against her cheek. "Tell me the truth, my sweet wife."

Mailah smiled, her fingers lightly playing with the soft hair at the back of his neck. "The truth about what?"

"Was this better than the single rose my past self gave you in your dream?" Grayson asked, raising a proud, dark eyebrow. He tried to sound regal, but the soft blush on his cheeks gave him away entirely.

Mailah laughed, a quiet, sweet sound that echoed against the plush velvet walls. She leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his nose.

"A thousand times better," she whispered.

Grayson grinned, looking immensely proud of himself as he wrapped his broad arms tightly around her, pulling her back against his chest. "Good. Because I plan to remind you every single day."