Chapter 1358

The glow from the spiral dimmed to a soft, steady pulse, as if the island had exhaled after holding its breath for centuries. Jude lay on his back, his skin damp and slick from the storm of bodies that had passed over him, around him, into him. Every part of him tingled - not just with exhaustion, but with something more elusive. A shift. A pull. A seed of something that had taken root deep in his soul.

Around him, the women began to stir. Not hurriedly - slow, feline movements. Fingers trailing over arms and stomachs, thighs brushing against one another as they shifted, pressed, and kissed again in small, lingering motions. Emma rolled onto her stomach, her breasts pillowed against Jude's chest as she placed a soft kiss on his collarbone. Grace nestled between Lucy and Stella, their legs tangled like vines. Zoey lay across his thighs, her cheek resting lazily there, her breath warming his skin.

Rose sat up first.