“Thank you, Xaedren,” Rath said.
Over his shoulder, Xae said, “You can call me Xae.” Then he went inside and shut the door.
Rath and I widened our eyes at each other, then headed down the hallway hand-in-hand.
“I told you he's a better man than you thought,” I said.
“I've always known that. Jealousy made me say terrible things that I didn't mean.” Rath opened my door and ushered me in.
“I said terrible things too. I'm sorry.”
“You already apologized for that. Let's just forget about it and move on.” After locking the door behind us, he drew me into an embrace. “This has happened fast. Are you all right?”
“Fast?” I laughed. “We've been dancing around each other for months.”
“I mean the three of us. You having more than one lover. I know it's not what you wanted.”
“But I wanted both of you, so maybe it is. Areyouall right? I'm the one who got the best end of this deal.”
Rath grinned and started unbuckling my belt. “I'm better than I've ever been.”
“Sounds like we're both good.” I started on his belt, but just ended up getting in the way.
“We could be better.” Rath backed up to work on his own clothes, leaving me to undress on my own.
I did just that as I headed to the bed. Someone had come by and changed the sheets, bless them. When I finished undressing and pulled back the covers, a fresh scent wafted up to me. It was great to have clean sheets, but I kind of missed the smell of my men.
“My men,” I murmured as I stared at the bed.
“What was that?” Rath asked as he climbed onto the mattress from the opposite side.
The sight of his sleek body prowling across the white sheet to me, his hard cock bobbing beneath him and his hair released from his ponytail to trail over his shoulders, rendered me speechless for a moment. Rath grinned, knowing exactly what he did to me. Going to his knees before me, he pulled me forward, his hands sliding around my waist to knead my back as he kissed me.
I moaned into the kiss, clinging to Rath before sliding my hands up into his hair. The silken weight was priceless but so was the feel of his sculpted chest pressing into mine and his eager flesh below. I moved my hips forward to meet his hardness with my own, and Rath slid his hands down to my ass to squeeze my cheeks.
“Fuck,” Rath moaned as he drew out of our kiss. “I love your ass.”
“Yours is pretty nice too.” I grinned.
“Why, thank you.” He drew me down onto the pillows with him, both of us on our sides. Then he brushed back my long bangs. “I saw you standing before the Corrupter today and my heart stopped.” He cupped my cheek to add, “This is exactly what I was trying to avoid.”
“Worrying about my death?”
“That and loving you so completely I know I'll never survive it.”
“What?” I whispered.
“When you die, be it in war or of old age, I will die too, Ember.”
“No, you won't. You will live for me.” I took his hand from my face and pressed it against my chest. “Because you'll know that's what I want. Dying won't be so bad if I know you'll live on.”
“I can't. Don't ask it of me.”
“Stop it!” I sat up, pushing his hand away. “You're being dramatic. You will mourn me, then get over it, and move on.”
“Is that really what you think?” Rath sat up and crossed his legs to face me. He didn't sound upset, just curious. “Do you think that's why I fought against us for so long? Because I might mourn you a bit? How cowardly you must believe me to be.”
“Of course, I don't think you're a coward.”
