Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Tandor?” I asked.
“Hmm?”
“Will you… will you get up here?”
“Kizzi, are you asking me to come to bed with you? I’m honored.”
I huffed out a breath. “Never mind.”
Without another word, Tandor stood from the floor, removed his cloak, grabbed his pillow, and slid into the bed. He slipped under the sheet and spread his cloak over the thin blanket, then he laid perfectly still.
I felt the difference immediately. Delicious warmth seeped from his skin, crawling through the space under the blanket and thawing my frozen body. I scooted as close as I possibly could without touching him. Mere inches separated us.
Slowly, my taut muscles relaxed as Tandor’s warmth drifted over me. I ached to shove my face into his side, tuck my feetbetween his legs, and curl my body around his—and I was pretty sure he would let me, with the love potion still lurking in his system—but I resisted the urge.
This was enough.
“You know I won’t bite unless you ask, right? You can come closer,” Tandor murmured.
I ignored him.
I ignored him until I couldn’t resist the temptation anymore. Slowly, I rolled so my back faced him, and then I scooted over. Inch by inch.
He stayed where he was, perfectly still.
When my back brushed against his side, his delicious heat sinking directly through our clothes and into my skin, I sighed. My heartbeat thudded heavily in my chest. Tandor stopped breathing entirely.
I wasmuchwarmer, but I still wanted more.
Like he could read my mind, Tandor gently lifted his arm and tucked it around me, allowing me to rest my cheek on his bicep.
I was achingly aware of every inch of contact between us. Every brush of skin. Every rustle of fabric against fabric. I wasn’t quite so tired anymore.
It took ages, but eventually, sleep claimed me.
CHAPTER 24
Tandor
Iwatched Kizzi as she weaved through the town’s central market, hastily examining the wares at each stall before moving onto the next.
I couldn’t help but notice the way her hips swayed, the way her hair lifted in the gentle breeze.
I was still reeling from last night. She had asked me to lie in the bed next to her. Used me for warmth. Wecuddled. My heart sped just thinking about it. She needed my body heat, sure, but I couldn’t help but hope that it might have been more than that.
Tidegrove’s central market was wonderful—full of fragile-looking colorful tented stalls sporting all sorts of things for sale. There were food and drinks, clothing, odds and ends, and even pets. I warily eyed the vendor selling small furry rodents in wire cages, determining if I wanted to set the critters free or go and get one for myself.
The stalls changed every morning and packed up again every night. Some vendors returned daily, but some only returned occasionally. It was like a treasure hunt, finding what you were searching for.
I knew Kizzi was on the lookout for a massive cauldron, but she wouldn’t tell me what else she was hoping to find. It prickledat me, not knowing. It got under my skin. I couldn’t tell if it was the genuine curiosity or the strange ache to help, but something about it bothered me.
I asked her over and over, of course. She never cracked.
I picked up a few items for myself as I wandered through the market, but I never let Kizzi too far out of my sights. I found a lovely herb basket, a few small taster glasses for my cider brews, and some aged peppercorns that would make a great spicy addition to some of my recipes.
Kizzi had her arms full as well. She struggled to hold her items as she browsed, constantly dropping the new pair of soft boots she had purchased.
I couldn’t resist—I had to help her.
