“Much more comfortable insultingyou.”
“You certainly were a lot more interested in kissing me before you got to know me.” He didn’t seem offended.
“Absolutely. You were charming when I thought I could only have a night with you.”
“You were charmed!” He seemed to take it as a confession.
I leveled him a look. “And you knew it. I was just like every other girl in that village.”
“You were definitely not like every other girl.” He didn’t follow that thought up, instead looking out. “Come sit with me and watch the sunset.”
“I am sitting with you.”
“But you look miserable.”
“As I said, I’m sitting with you.”
He laughed and pulled me gently toward him. “I’ve got wings. If you’re close to me, you know you won’t fall.”
I wasn’t sure about that at all. But I let him pull me into his arms until my back was settled against his chest.
The sky tinted a bruised violet as the sun sank low; dragons wheeled across the clouds.
He rested his chin lightly on my shoulder, making it impossible to ignore his heat, his solidity. My muscles unknotted against his warmth, and I let my head fall back on his broad shoulder. “You’re a terrible man, but a wonderful pillow.”
As usual, he seemed amused by my insults.
“You pretend you’re all sharp edges,” he murmured into my ear. “You protected those mortals today. The care you took with the griffin came back to save lives today. You arekind.”
“I’m not kind toyou.”
“I know, and I relish your barbs. It’s going to make it so much more delicious when you surrender to loving me.”
I looked up at him over my shoulder, needing for him to see every bit ofwitherin my glare.
He did not look repentant.
“I’m starting to tolerate you, which is pretty generous, given what you did to Lidi. I haven’t forgiven you?—”
“I know.” He was watching me with molten golden eyes that seemed to sear right through me. Our faces were so close together, his lips and that hard jaw. Part of me was tempted to put my hand on his cheek and guide his mouth to mine.
“But I can work with you.” I was babbling, and I knew it, and Ineeded to stop before I said too much. “While our needs align. But that doesn’t mean I could ever fall in love with?—”
He leaned forward and brushed his lips over mine.
I was kissing him back before I could think better of it.
He pulled me closer, hand splaying across my ribs, and deepened the kiss. There was nothing gentle in it after the first moment; it was hungry, claiming, but he never took more than I was willing to give.
When he broke away, he lingered just at my jawline, kissing my skin with reverence. My mind fell to pieces like a mirror shattering on stone, my thoughts nothing but shards of him, him, him. His all-consuming mouth, his scent of smoke, his powerful body against mine.
I laughed, breathless, and pushed myself away, trying to regain a hold of myself. “You really are insufferable.”
“You kissed me back.”
“I shouldn’t.”
“There are many things we shouldn’t do,” he agreed. “But this is the calmest I’ve ever seen you at the edge of the air.”
