Magnus stood in the center of the room, completely naked, water sluicing down his body from the bath he'd clearly just stepped out of. He froze when he saw her, one hand reaching for a towel.
"Ada."
"I'm sorry! I dinnae ken ye were bathin’. I thought ye'd still be…" Ada spun around, presenting her back. "I'll leave."
"Ye dinnae have tae leave. It's yer chamber too." The sound of fabric rustling. "Just give me a moment tae dress up."
But Ada couldn't help herself. She glanced over her shoulder.
Magnus had wrapped the towel around his waist, but his chest was still bare, still dripping water.
Their eyes met.
The air between them went thick. Charged.
"Ye're starin' again," Magnus said quietly.
"I came tae tell ye somethin'."
Magnus moved closer and stopped directly in front of her. Close enough that she could see water droplets clinging tae his collarbones.
Magnus's hand came up to cup her face. "I'm really interested in why ye're in our chamber in the middle of the mornin'. Thought ye were goin' tae see Mairi."
"I was. But then I saw ye trainin', and then I saw something, and—" Ada stopped. Her face was heating again. "And I had tae tell ye."
Magnus's thumb brushed across her cheekbone.
"I've been thinkin' about that bet we made," Magnus said. "The one where I won because yer horse stumbled."
Ada blinked. "That was days ago."
"Aye. And I still havenae claimed me wish." Magnus's gaze dropped to her lips. "I ken what I want now."
Ada's breath caught. "What?"
"I want tae kiss ye."
The words hung between them. Simple. Direct. Devastating.
"We've already kissed," Ada managed. "At the weddin'."
"That was fer show. Fer witnesses." Magnus's hand slid to the back of her neck. "This would be fer us. Because I want tae. Because ye want me tae."
"I didnae say so."
"Dae ye want me tae, Ada?"
She should say no. Should remind him that they'd agreed to take things slowly, that she wasn't ready, that this was moving too fast.
But none of that was true.
"Aye," she whispered. "I want ye tae."
Magnus's mouth curved into a slow smile. Then he bent his head and kissed her.
It started gentle, just a press of lips, soft and questioning. Ada's hands came up to rest against his chest, feeling his heart hammering under her palms.
Then Magnus deepened the kiss, his mouth moving against hers with deliberate slowness. His tongue traced the seam of her lips, and Ada opened for him without thinking. The kiss turned hotter, hungrier. Magnus's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
