“These are your rooms.” Idalia smiled widely and pushed the double doors open. “Since these quarters are reserved for royal guests, you have a private lagoon.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me with a smirk.
I fought a blush, biting my lip and as I tried to contain a laugh, but actually seeing the room had the laughter dying in my throat as I took in the gorgeous space before me.
The living space was open to the lagoon outside, with accordion-style doors that let the breeze blow off the water. The sun lit the white tile floors, which were partially covered by a teal and pink rug under the main seating area. The wall opposite the lagoon was made up of wide arches that went to the ceiling, each filled in with different designs in pink, blue, teal, and purple.
A sparkling crystal chandelier fell over a low, round coffee table crafted in the same colors. Long swaths of teal fabric fell around the room, billowing out from the chandelier across the ceilings to the walls. A crushed velvet lilac sofa the same color as Calix’s eyes sat lower to the ground than normal. A pink chaise lounge sat opposite the sofa, and teal ottomans were scattered throughout. Tons of pillows were tossed across the sofas, and even several large ones had been put on the floor for additional seating options.
A peek out at the lagoon revealed that they had added tiles with cobalt blue spiraling designs under the crystal-clear water. The columns surrounding it had been grown over with jungle plants that made the space completely private.
“I’ll leave you two to settle in.” Idalia smiled widely as she glanced between us. “We’ll be having dinner together in a couple of hours, but please, enjoy yourselves until then.”
With a final wink, she showed herself out, and I was left staring at the lagoon until Calix came up behind me, his arms snaking around my waist and pulling me into him.
“Hmm.” He rumbled into my neck, pressing a kiss to it that had me tilting my head to give him better access. “However shall we pass the time?”
“Well.” I drew the word out, putting my hands on the arms he’d put around me. “I must first insist you get me out of this heavy dress. It’s much too hot.”
“Gladly,” he growled, but as his hands went to tear it, I laughed and quickly grabbed his hands.
“Without tearing it.” I insisted, his disappointed sigh echoing in my ear. “I’m as saddened by that as you are, my dorchadas. But I do like this dress. Just not for this heat.”
He chuckled, and laced his fingers with mine. “Come on then, grá.”
“You never told me what that actually means.” I reminded him as he brought me toward the bedroom.
I was momentarily distracted as I took in the bedroom. This room was primarily done in pink and white, making the room feel very light and airy. It was open on one side to the lagoon as well, contributing to that feeling. The floor itself was completely teal, but that was it. The walls were white and draped with pink fabric, while the bed was done in pink silk, except for the white frame that mimicked the columns outside.
Calix pulled me into him and lifted my chin with his finger. His eyes were full of color as he smiled at me. “It means love in ancient Fae.”
I melted a bit, which wasn’t really difficult to do in this heat, but his words had me grabbing his face to kiss him.
“Wait, wait.” I quickly forced myself to pull back.
“What’s wrong?” Calix asked, his brows furrowing.
“It’s too damn hot. Let me change and meet you at the lagoon?” I smirked as his eyes lit up.
He growled as his lips quickly crashed into mine before he disappeared just as fast, a breeze blowing in his wake.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Calix
I hadn’t beento Sunrise in many years, and while their lagoons could never compare to Nova Falls in my mind, I appreciated the chance to steal away here with Asteria.
Just because this was an important diplomatic trip didn’t mean we couldn’t take advantage of all it had to offer.
As Asteria walked out to the patio in nothing but a light, flowing robe, I sent my thanks to Nox and, by the Otherworld, even Ausrine, for making this possible.
I watched, completely transfixed, as her legs peeked out from under the robe when Asteria walked down the steps into the water. Letting the robe fall behind her, exposing herself completely as she let the water cover her instead.
Fuck, she was perfect.
All of that smooth skin had turned from her usual porcelain to a lightly tanned golden shade from the sun. Slender shoulders gave way to full breasts with nipples I couldn’t help biting every time they were exposed. Her waist dipped in only to curve back out at her hips. And then her ass, that perfect, spankable ass, followed by long legs despite her short stature.
The smirk on her lips as she made her way to me was matched by the playfully swirling starlight in her eyes when she reached me. I held myself back, wanting to see what she would do.
I wasn’t disappointed. She circled me in the water, her hands reaching out to caress and trace every tattoo. Her fingertips smoothed over the soulmark on my back, making me shiver, before slipping to my bicep and following the scales across my chest. Her hand slid from the other bicep down to my forearm, where the shining silver runes banded around it.
