"But if you get in trouble, too?—"
"Then I can get right back out of it with my pretty face."
He smiles at me reassuringly, and with a start, I realize this is the first time I've ever seen Everett Frost smile.
And he hasdimples.
Fuck. Seriously? This is not fair. His looks were already catastrophically perfect, and now this? The gods really don't know how to rein themselves in, do they?
I want to protest more, but Silas gently presses my shoulders back into the pillows. It's like I'm half-melted in this state because I immediately feel sluggish and drowsy, my eyes drooping.
“Rest,sangfluir.”
“No.”
"Such a stubborn keeper," my blood fae laughs lightly, kissing my fingertips again. "As I've told you, I have no issues with being an asshole. Fighting dirty is my forte. Please don't make me mix a sleeping draught for you, Maven. You know I'll do it."
I glare at him. But then, just like when he was threatening the changeling…I understand him on a level others perhaps don't. He's just doing whatever it takes to accomplish what he thinks is best. I do the same thing, so I must begrudgingly respect his cutthroat ways.
"Fine," I mutter finally. "But only if Everett kisses me before he goes."
Everett's cheeks turn pink immediately. His smile is long gone. "Maven," he warns. "I still can't risk killing y?—"
"Don't flatter yourself. Your curse will have to take a ticket and stand in line behind a dozen far more likely ways I'll die permanently," I inform him, arching a brow. "In fact, maybe the gods really did know what they were doing, matching us together since I'm essentially immune to your curse. So stop tormenting yourself."
The ice elemental professor fidgets with one sleeve of his blazer, rolling and unrolling it several times as he silently panics.
“I, um…but, what if…” He scowls, glancing at Silas. "Are you going to help me out here?"
"And subject myself to watching even more of your sad attempts? I'd rather poke my eyes out. Kiss our keeper already and get out so she can sleep."
"You really are an asshole," Everett mutters, looking every kind of flustered as he moves closer to where I lay. He begins fidgeting with his other sleeve, pauses, and shoots a fierce scowl in Silas's direction. "Are you at least going to look away?"
"No. Why would I? She's mine, too." Silas folds his arms, his scarlet irises striking as he watches us.
When I glance at Everett, his face burns a brighter shade of red. Am I reading this wrong, or…does the ice elementallikeothers watching?
Kenzie mentioned something about her own flare for exhibitionism to me once before I yet again threatened to shun her forever. I make a mental note to ask her more about it later.
Finally, Everett grumbles under his breath before leaning to place the gentlest kiss in the world against my mouth. His lips are soft and slightly cool to the touch in the most pleasant way possible.
Before he can pull away, I tangle my hands in his hair and kiss him back hard, slipping my tongue into his mouth to tease him. He groans, and suddenly, I'm being pressed back into the pillows as he traps me with his body, his mouth working fervently against mine as both our breathing ratchets up.
Everett has given up any resistance, and now he's trying to fucking devour me. He tastes like the same subtle, cool mint scent that wraps around him, and I can't get enough of it.
When his hands bracket my face so he can angle my head exactly how he wants, I arch to press against him more fully, feeling the deliciously hard length of him rubbing me through the blankets. He breaks away with a rough swear, squeezing his eyes shut as he tries to breathe and regain control. His cheekbones are pink, his chest heaving.
Iloveseeing him on the brink like this.
"Nearly made a mess of yourself there, professor?" Silas taunts, smirking.
"Fuck off," Everett mutters, but I don't miss the way he also shudders.
Interesting.
When he finally looks at me, there is absolute reverence in his soft blue eyes. It makes my already-racing pulse spike.
"You're too good for me, Oakley," he whispers.
