She forced her lips upwards a fraction more and simply shook her head. “It’s nothing,” she managed. “Just trying to prolong this night as long as possible.”
Nadir moved then, coming to sit at her side, and she huffed in amusement when he leaned forward and took a bite of the pastry in her hand.
“What time do your servants usually vacate the kitchens?” he asked after swallowing.
“Usually a couple of hours past midnight,” she replied, frowning. “So probably about now. Why?”
He reached for the cup of wine and took a long swig, then motioned towards the food. “Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Starving,” she replied, mouth full of bread. “Isn’t that why you brought snacks?”
“I scrambled what they would allow me to take,” he started, “but I saw the great stove and a few good sounding ingredients.” He met her gaze. “Perhaps we could make something ourselves.”
Nyssa eyed him. “I certainly hope you don’t think I can cook because I’m terrible at anything other than slicing vegetables.”
He scoffed and gave her a quick kiss on her shoulder. “I think I’ve memorized every inch of your body these last two nights. I’d like to memorize your mind.” He brushed her hair off her cheek as he stilled before her. “Will you allow me to do that in my last few hours with you?”
Her heart warmed with his question, and she couldn’t help her mirth, chin lifting in mockery. “Are you courting me, Commander Storn?” she teased.
A smile curled on his lips. “What if I was?”
“I’d say you chose a very poor time to decide it considering we’ve only a few hours left with each other and do not know when we will ever see each other again. Bit backward as well,” she bantered. “I believe the point of courting is to learn affections before the bedroom activities.”
“I’ve never been one to do things in the right order,” he smiled.
She laughed, and he pushed her hair back again.
“How do your usual suitors court you?” he asked.
“Normally with grand gifts and declarations of promises they have no way to keep,” she answered. “A few have tried to teach me weaponry as they think I need taking care of.” She chuckled under her breath at the memory of one such man. “Basics of archery… That was an interesting date. He wasn’t exactly happy when he found out I knew my way around a bow.”
Nadir stared at her a moment, eyes squinting. “Yeah… We need to fix that, Princess,” he said as he scooped her up and stood. Her feet landed on the ground, and he grabbed her robe to wrap her in. Nyssa pulled his shirt off so he could dress himself, and she watched as he swallowed upon looking at her bare body. But even when she thought he might take her on the bed and have his way with her again, he held open her robe for her to push her arms into.
She watched him with intrigue after. He was still smiling when he put on his clothes and then—without even thinking about shoes—he took her hand.
Nadir could cook.
And not just toast and soups like Dorian.
Nadir knew how to make a meal.
However, someone had mentioned to him that she was a lover of breads and sweets, and he had her sit on the tabletop while he gathered ingredients for a sweet honey bread recipe from the Umber that he swore she would have an orgasm over.
She was going to have an orgasm watching him knead that fucking bread dough. Those hands… She’d never been jealous of bread in her life until that moment.
They joked about her not knowing how to do much cooking herself as he worked, until he was done and had put it in the oven, and Nyssa stared at him, biting her bottom lip.
“What?” he asked, wiping his forehead with his forearm as his hands were covered in flour.
“I want you to knead me like that bread,” she blurted before she could stop herself.
He huffed under his breath, head shaking at the floor, as he came to stand in front of her. His hands whispered beneath her robe, gently massaging her calves, and she watched as the flour covered her skin.
“Like this?” he asked, hands moving higher.
He reached the back of her knees, to her thighs, and Nyssa let her eyes close with every press of his hands in her skin.
“Like that,” she managed when his hands were on the sides of her thighs. And when he reached her ass, his squeezes slowed.
