I smiled. “It’s good to see you, Rose.”
“You too, Rissa.”
We stayed like that for a little while, watching the last of the flames slowly turn to embers, until I no longer saw the shadow of a fox in them.
36
Clarissa
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I opened my eyes a fraction, surprised to find my room still bathed in moonlight.
Knock. Knock.
Was it the middle of the night? Who was coming to my door so late?
Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I grabbed my silk robe off the door to the bathing chamber, wrapped it around my nightgown, and padded across the floor.
When I opened the door, I sucked in a breath. “What are you doing here, Thorne?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” he said, his normally light blue eyes now a dark navy, tired and urgent. There was a deep crease in his brow, and his long hair was disheveled. He was usually so calm. So sure of himself. But tonight, he looked…distraught.
“Is everything okay?” I asked. “Did something happen to Marigold?”
“No, she’s fine. It—it’s not that.”
“Then why are you here?”
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Because I’m worried about you. About all of this. And I can’t stop thinking about you.”
I could have sworn my heart stopped. I was barely breathing, my fingers clutching the doorknob so tightly, they turned white.
His gaze flicked from my eyes to my lips. “Being down the hall from you, knowing you’re in here alone after everything you’ve been through, after that night at the fire…I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”
“Do what?” I whispered.
“Stay away from you.” He stepped forward. “Stay in control.”
My pulse pounded erratically as a flush crawled up my neck. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Thorne let out a low growl and moved into the room, shutting the door behind him. I gasped and backed into the wall, only for his large body to hover over me, his scent that was so distinctlyhimfilling my senses. Sweet grass and leather. Late nights in the garden. Masculine and heartfelt, all at once.
“You lie so beautifully,” he murmured. He lowered his head so his beard brushed against my neck. “Tell me you don’t feel this.” His nose skimmed the column of my throat, breathing me in. My eyes fluttered shut as my neck rolled to the side. “Tell me you’re not fighting against every instinct in your body when we’re near each other.”
Lips grazed the sensitive spot below my ear. A shiver raced down my spine, that simple touch sending my heart through my chest. My hand flew to his shoulder, whether to keep him there or push him away, I wasn’t sure.
This was wrong. He shouldn’t be here, not like this, not with Galen mere doors away. But I couldn’t think clearly with his chest pressed into mine. With his hands gripping my waist, strong fingers digging into my skin, the feel of his shoulders so tense with restraint beneath me.
“Thorne,” I breathed out. “We—we can’t?—”
“Please, Empress,” he said, his hand finding the end of my robe and slowly pulling at the fabric. I let out a moan when he kissed my neck, then my jaw. His lips met the edge of mine as he said, “Just one kiss. One taste. One night I can call you mine.”
My mouth parted on an exhale, and his other thumb came up to press into my bottom lip, his eyes focused on the contact like it was the only thing keeping him tethered.
He moved his thumb away to cup my chin, drawing me closer. “Clarissa,” he whispered, right before his lips met mine.
I jolted awake with a gasp. My fingers were clenched around the bedsheets, my legs so tangled, I could barely move. Mia stirred in her sleep and stood to stretch, her tail thumping at my cheek as if saying, “It’s time to wake up.” I squeezed my eyes shut to block out the morning sun coming from the window and buried my head in the pillow to muffle my groan.
