I yanked my leather tie out of my hair and it fell heavily to my shoulders. I'd expected Tae to laugh at my eagerness, but instead, his eyes widened in appreciation, and his fingers instantly slid into my shoulder-length locks.
“Beautiful,” he murmured and weighed a hank of it in his palm.
“Says the man with golden hair.”
Taeven grinned and brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear. “I'm glad you like it.” His finger trailed along my jaw, then down my throat to rest in the hollow at the top of my collarbone. My heartbeat sped up as he began to lean down toward me.
“Here you are, my lords,” Revana declared.
Tae straightened, giving me a smug smile when I made a disappointed sound.
Revana set a small wooden case on the counter before me. “I've packed the spice bottles in this to protect them since I assume you're continuing on to the Falcon Kingdom.”
“Yes, we are, thank you, that was thoughtful,” Taeven said. “And do you have any bottles of amaronth syrup?”
“Yes, of course. How many would you like?”
“Enough for my valorian and his friends. So, that would be seven, right?” He looked at me.
“Yes, seven. Thank you.” Emboldened by Revana's behavior, I stretched up to kiss his cheek.
Taeven grinned broadly. “You're welcome.”
With a delighted smile at our interaction, Revana spun around and took seven bottles off a shelf behind her, then tucked them into the box with the spices. I sighed in delight when I spotted the little bottles bundled into groups for my friends. Once the box was closed and latched again, Tae paid Revana with Varalorrian coins.
“They're all labeled and grouped.” Revana tapped the box. “The two that are different are for you and your fellow baker.”
“Thank you, so much,” I said. “This is fantastic.”
“Wait till you try them.” She winked at me. “The gerris powder is so delicious that it practically turns every dessert into an aphrodisiac.”
“Well, I guess that means I'll have to make you a dessert,” I said to Tae.
“The way you said that makes it sound as ifI'mgoing to be the dessert,” Tae teased.
I lifted a brow at Revana.
“Oh, yes, go ahead and sprinkle it on him as well,” she said. “I guarantee you'lllovethe result.”
“You're naughty!” I declared in delight. “You must be a chef.”
Revana laughed. “I am at that. And I'm thrilled that my spices will be traveling to Stalana, straight into the hands of a valorian's friends.”
“Not as thrilled as they're going to be to receive them.” I tucked the box into my satchel. “Thank you again.”
“My pleasure, my lords.”
“Thank you, Tae,” I said to him again as we stepped outside.
“My pleasure,” he repeated Revana's words but in a low, sensual tone. “Or it will be.” He put his arm around my shoulder.
I looked at him in surprise.
“After buying you presents—and presents for your friends—I think I should get to hold you closer.” He winked at me.
“Hold me as close as you want, babe.” I slid an arm around his waist as we strode off. “I think I'm going to love it here.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
