“It's called a recipe, Father.” Kaspian smirked from me to his dad. “The chef can write down instructions that other chefs know how to follow.”
“Ah. I see. Yes, of course.” And then he was sighing through another bite.
“Shall we take our cookies and run?” Kaspian whispered to me.
“Is it all right for us to leave our party?”
“I'm the King.”
I snorted a laugh. “Aren't we supposed to have our first dance?”
“Our first dance?”
“It's a human thing. They do it at weddings. Their first dance as a married couple.”
“Ah. There will be dancing in a little while. We could stay and have our first dance if you wish.”
I looked around. As much as it was nice to have the party and the thought of dancing in public was great, I wanted to be alone with Kas. Then the dancing could get dirty.
Grinning, I looked back at him.
Kaspian grabbed one of the platters and stood up. The room went silent.
“My people, thank you for traveling across the kingdom to welcome my mate into our dread. I have said this many times already, but I want you to remember that I have him because of Ensarena. Many of our kind have felt betrayed by our goddess after discovering that she entrapped our god. She did not react well to his release, and she did some terrible things to Dragons, including a Dragon king. But she is still our goddess, the divine force who gave us life. The arguments between gods are not for us to judge. I continued to give respect to Ensarena because of this, and she blessed me for it. I urge all of you to show her love now when she needs it most.” He took my hand and lifted it. “Here is proof of her love for us!”
The Dragons got to their feet to applaud, several cheering as well.
When the noise died down, Kas said, “And now it's time to show my mate some love. Goodnight, everyone.”
The cheering came again, this time with some good-natured laughter. Rasc and Taneya stood up to hug both of us before we left. Then, with one hand carrying the cookies and the other holding my hand, the Dragon King of Aravult led me out of our celebration feast and to the royal bed.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
We ate our cookies on the balcony because cookies were not meant to be eaten in bed. The last thing I wanted was a bunch of crumbs getting in the way of my naked-Kas time. Honestly, it was nice to not go straight to the sex. For a while, that's how it had been with Kas. I even appreciated it at first. But when things started to get more serious for me, the focus on sex stung.
That sting had become a thing of the past.
We had our chairs set together, and I leaned against Kaspian's shoulder as we ate cookies and stared at the moon. He was stunning in the moonlight, his hair all aglow like a halo. What an image. No, he wasn't an angel. Thank the Gods for that. But what a divine contrast he was in all ways. That white hair and bright green eyes against his bronzed skin. The arrogance and the humility. His strength and his mercy.
Scratch the mercy bit. Those Tyasmorans who survived the fire? He had them executed. I suppose it was a better way to go, but dead is dead. I understood. Kas had done it to protect me. He didn't want them spreading rumors about my world. Or about me.
I took a bite of cookie and looked up at him. He was a savage king of an alien world. But there was also civility in him. A moral code. Justice. This was not a lawless planet, and that was mainly because of Dragons.
And now, I was one of them.
“Keep looking at me like that, and the cookies will get cold.” Kaspian shifted a smirk my way.
I shoved the rest of my cookie into my mouth and jumped to my feet. Since my mouth was full, I couldn't tease him, but I figured he'd understand when I got undressed.
Kas didn't even need that clue. As soon as I stood, he followed my lead and finished his dessert with one bite. Then he gave chase.
Braying with laughter and spraying cookie crumbs, I dashed through the bedroom and around the circular bed. When he came for me, I tossed my tunic in his face and darted away. He responded by yanking his tunic off. And so it went until we were circling the bed naked, giggling like kids. But the chase got old.
Kaspian paused across from me, arms extended. He faked right, but I knew him too well. I went in that direction as he dashed left. With a growl, he leapt across the bed. And it was a big bed.
I yipped as Kas picked me up and tossed me onto the bed. He quickly followed, surmounting the few steps with his leap, and then he pinned me to the mattress.
Growling, Kas leaned his face down to mine. “I was going to do this tenderly. Show you how much this day means to me.”
