Llinos snickers. ‘I’m not sure, actually,’ Llinos says. ‘We all got a bit … distracted. Distracted. That’s the right word, wouldn’t you say, Rosey?’
I hate her. She’s my best friend and I hate her.
‘From what I hear, they just wore each other out,’ Benny joins in. ‘Or they’re definitely going to in the future.’
Llinos and Benny both stifle laughs. I want to glare at them, but honestly, I’m just pleased to see them getting on, even if I need to be the butt of the joke for that to happen.
‘Are you sure everything’s okay?’ I ask Jonas again, because he’s looking nervous and weird.
He blinks a couple of times. ‘Yes, yes, it’s all fine. Just maybe you and I could …’ Whatever it is he wants us to do, I don’t find out, as his voice trails off, and his eyes fix on something past my shoulder. ‘What is he doing here?’ Jonas frowns. ‘And why is he walking this way?’
Benny turns to look, but I don’t need to. There’s a trickle of static along my collarbone that tells me exactly who is approaching.
‘Mind if I join you?’ Kyor asks, the query barely a question.
Gods, why is his voice so attractive? Maybe if I could just imagine it in a different way – high-pitched or too nasal or something – it wouldn’t make my muscles clench at the sound of it. The thought of him whispering in my ear again—no, I will not think like that. Even if it was all I was thinking about when I fell asleep last night, not to mention several times since our battle earlier.
‘Not sure we can say no to the prince, can we?’ Jonas mutters from his seat.
‘Rose can,’ Llinos quips.
Benny snickers, and I elbow him in the side.
‘What are you doing here, Kyor?’ I say.
‘You always seem to have so much fun. Thought I could join you. Not distracting you, am I?’
I swallow. ‘Of course not,’ I say defiantly.
Not needing any more of an invitation, he slides in next to me, only for the conversation to stall entirely. Though if Kyor notices, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he picks up his fork and begins to eat, shifting slightly so that his thigh presses close to mine.
The effect is instant. The heat. The dampness. Trying to keep my expression as neutral as possible, I move away by a fraction, only for him to immediately spread his legs so that he is still touching me. My breathing tightens. I don’t want to scooch along the whole bench, so I grit my teeth and try not to think about just how good that pressure feels against me. And how much better it would feel in other places.
‘Well,’ Benny says flatly a couple of minutes later, after Kyor’s still not said another word. ‘That was a great dinner, but I think I’m done.’ As he stands to leave, Llinos quickly copies him.
‘You know what? Me too. Jonas, you coming?’
‘Me?’ Jonas looks at her, a confused frown on his face.
‘Yes. I wanted to talk to you about that thing.’
‘That thing.’
‘Yes, thatthing.’Without waiting for him to respond, she grabs Jonas by the arm and hauls him away. Once again, Kyor and I are alone, and even though there’s more than enough room on the bench, neither of us moves.
Only when Kyor’s plate is empty does he turn and look at me.
‘Tomorrow morning. I expect tosee you there.’
‘To train?’ I ask, wishing my voice wasn’t so breathy.
‘To train,’ he confirms.
‘I can’t,’ I blurt.
‘And why is that, Thorn?’ he purrs.
Irritation sparks at his obvious delight. ‘What do you want, Kyor? Do you want to hear that you’re a distraction to me? You are, okay? Do you want to hear that there’s something physical between us? Because we both know there is. And I just, I can’t do that. With you.’
