I groaned and scrubbed my hands over my face. The heated thoughts werenothelping.
I had heard the door open and shut a few minutes ago—hopefully that meant Kizzi left the room to go find herself some breakfast. Maybe with the distraction, she wouldn’t notice how much time had passed… I could go for one more…
No. I slapped my cheeks to focus myself.
It was just a dream. She wasn’t thinking aboutme. She must have been thinking of some other man.
The thought settled like a stone in my stomach, heavy and uncomfortable.
But shehadsaid my name, in a breathy, decadent whisper… The sound replayed over and over in my head. The way my name had sounded like a prayer on her tongue, the way it slipped between her lips on a heated exhale?—
I splashed a handful of water over my face.
We were just two folk, traveling together, who had to share a bed.
She needed my help. It was nothing more than that.
But I desperately wanted it to be…
When I finally wrangled my body into submission and got myself ready for the day, I slipped out of the room in search of a bright head of green hair. Kizzi had gotten herself ready before I did, and her hair had been twisted into a messy knot on top of her head.
I liked her hair up like that. It showed off her pretty ears, her soft-looking neck. And it kept her from hiding.
I spotted the witch quickly, seated on a fluffy chair in the inn’s common room with her feet tucked under her. She was buried in a book that she must have pulled from the shelf on the far wall. She didn’t notice me as I entered the room.
I took a detour to the kitchen to find some tea. It was my turn to repay the favor.
A shifter was working the kitchen with a bright white apron tied around his waist. He perked up when I entered. “Good morning, sir! Searching for something to eat?”
I smiled politely. “Good morning! Tea would be amazing, if you have it. And maybe a few pastries?”
He nodded and began pulling out glasses. “Of course. We have a new seasonal variety—apple and cinnamon. It’s delightful.” He poured the glasses only halfway full and then retreated to a large box in the corner of the kitchen. He returned with two handfuls of ice cubes. He plopped the ice into the tea and then smiled broadly, handing them to me.
I forgot that the folk of Sunhaven preferred their drinks cold. It felt entirely backwards to me—we always sipped on hot drinks in Moonvale to help fight off the constant chill. But it wasn’t chilly here.
I accepted the drinks gratefully, along with a couple of sticky honey buns.
Kizzi was in the exact same spot when I returned, but I could tell she had made it a few pages further in her book. It was cute, how absorbed she was in the story. She was entirely oblivious to her surroundings.
I stopped to watch her for a moment, and a gentle warmth bloomed in my chest. I squashed it before it could become much more.
“Good morning, Kizzi!” I declared loudly as I stepped up beside her.
She jumped, almost dropping the book onto the floor. “Gods! You just scared a few years off my life.”
“I wasn’t quiet, you just weren’t paying attention.” I held out a glass of tea and a sticky bun. “Are you hungry?”
A smile stretched across her beautiful face. “Starving.” She reached for the dishes greedily. I plopped down in the chair beside her, grateful that the common area wasn’t as crowded as it had been yesterday evening.
I kicked my feet up on the low ottoman in front of me and examined the sticky honey bun. It was a little soft, but it was baked to a golden sheen. Perfectly cooked. The honey glaze sparkled in the firelight from the sconces, and a thick icing settled gracefully on top. The whole pastry was twisted into a swirl. I lifted it to my face and inhaled. The scent of warm, sweet bread with a sweet tang of honey flooded my senses. My mouth watered.
I took a slow bite, allowing my teeth to sink into the gooey center. Flavor exploded over my tongue. I had to swallow anindecent moan. The perfect balance of sweet, soft bread with a contrast from the honey. Incredible. I savored every morsel, careful to catch any dripping crumbs or icing with my tongue so they wouldn’t be wasted on the grimy inn floor.
I glanced at Kizzi to find that she had already finished her bun. She was watching me with a glint in her eye. She licked her finger, pulling the last bit of icing into her mouth. My eyes traced the movement, latched onto her cute pink tongue.
“Good?” I asked. My voice came out rough.
“Delicious.” Her eyes flicked to the rest of the bun in my hand.
