Please be aware that the following scene includes mature content of a graphic nature.

“Kiss me,” she says.

I cave. I close the distance between our mouths and capture her lips with mine. She freezes for a moment before pressing back, returning the kiss. Heat curls through me. I relish the feel of her soft, perfect lips against mine. I reach a hand up to the back of her neck. She leans into me, letting me lead.

After a few moments she breaks away to catch her breath.

“Wow,” she says, and for a moment her voice sounds like a different person entirely. Softer, lower, less entertaining. “That was unexpected.” She seems less like a personality and more of a person.

I smile. “I’m a good kisser.”

She laughs. “I’ll say.” She clears her throat; the Ephraxa hostess personality returns. “Shall we do that again?”

“Yes, please.”

This time she leads the kiss, claiming my mouth, her lips more urgent and forceful while her hands clasp my hips. She can take as well as she can give.

I run my hands up to her shoulders, gripping her close to me, and a moan escapes my throat. She takes a step, and then another, pushing me back until I feel the edges of shelves pressing into my hips and shoulders. Her hand reaches around to press into the small of my back. Her legs shift. I feel her thigh pressing at the front of my skirt.

I part my legs. The layers of our skirts between us, her leg presses against my groin. She begins to rock back and forth rhythmically. I feel the pressure build between my legs and moan again, louder this time.

She breaks away from the kiss but doesn’t stop moving her leg. “Shh,” she scolds me. “Wouldn’t want a maid to catch us.”

I respond with a throaty chuckle before pulling her head back toward me, back to kissing. Warmth is building between my legs as her motions speed up, friction moving faster. I break the kiss to catch my breath. Her leg doesn’t let up. She watches me silently as I struggle to keep my balance, the growing need for release making my legs tremble.

She steps back. The contact between us is broken, but only briefly. She runs one hand down my leg to the hem of my skirt. I feel her fingers slide under the fabric and graze back up my leg. Her hand reaches my undergarments, ducks inside. I gasp in a breath at the feeling of her skin against mine.

She stands at an angle to me, her bodice pressing against mine while her fingers work. “Shhh,” she murmurs into my ear. She presses slow, warm kisses against my neck.

Her free hand wraps around my back under my shoulders to support my weight. I lean into her and against the shelves as her fingers dance against my clitoris. The pressure builds. I feel the heat as blood rushes to respond to her motions. My breath gasps in and out, fast and unsteady. My legs tremble.

Faster, faster, her fingers fly and the need builds and I am flushed with heat and struggle to breath, to stand, and the tone of my breathing goes up, up, till I am whining with need, and Ashlynn quiets me with her mouth against mine, and the building heat and need burst and my muscles clench and I groan into her kiss and shudder with release.

Ashlynn gently, carefully removes her hand from beneath my skirt. She gives me a moment to catch my breath and regain my footing before freeing her other arm from behind me. She removes a cloth from a pile of cleaning supplies on one of the closet shelves and wipes off her hand.

I focus completely on maintaining my disguise spell. It’s incredibly tricky to keep a spell steady after sex, in those moments of relief and euphoria after release, but I’ve had practice. My energy returns to a steady level. The spell is safe.

I realize I should say something. Or should I keep my quiet, pretend to be bashful as the lowly tourist girl after having sex with a society woman? The moment stretches on. Silence it is.

Ashlynn smirks at me. Her voice is lower than before when she speaks. “That was fun.”

I giggle. “Yes,” I agree.

“I do hate to… kiss and run,” she says. “But I’m afraid I did have business that needed attending when I bumped into you.”

“Oh! Yes, of course. I’m so sorry, miss.”

She laughs. The sound pulls a true smile from me. Careful, I think. “No need for formality, Lillian,” she says. “We know each other intimately.”

I feel my cheeks warm in a genuine blush, which is ridiculous. I’ve done far more than a quick exchange in a closet on assignments before. This shouldn’t affect me at all. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I always am.” She offers me her arm. “Are you composed now, my dear? I can escort you back to the door and see you off.”

I brush my fingers through my hair to neaten it, then take her arm. “Yes, thank you.”

We walk back to the hidden family stairs and return to the grand entry on the first floor. Ashlynn turns to me. She takes my hand and kisses my fingers. “Do come again, Lillian Rue. I enjoyed your visit immensely.”

I smile. “Thank you. I had a lovely time.”

She chuckles.

I walk to the door. I turn in the doorway to give a final, small wave goodbye. She bows theatrically to me. I exit the building and walk down the wide, dusty path back to the main street.

I didn’t find the information I came for, but I did get the layout of the house. It’s a start. The connection with the target’s sister will come in handy too, when I decide to cash it in. I’ll have to return tomorrow for more information. I need to keep up my concentration better next time. I can’t make a habit of dropping spells.

That moment in the library was a real surprise. How did she startle me like that? Usually I’m much better at awareness of my surroundings. And the smiles in the closet… it’s been a long time since anyone could make me blush. Even Kanoni has never made me drop my guard like that.

This Ephraxa assignment could be more difficult than I anticipated. But I can handle it. I didn’t earn the reputation of Lady Moirai, the divine hands of fate, by letting a little fling stand in my way.

Assassin’s Kiss will be available on Amazon in 2022. Subscribe by email to never miss an update!