“That’s my point.” The humor eased something tight in his chest. He adjusted his weight, painfully aware of how close she was, how easily he could lose focus if he let himself.
“And Taryn?” Nadia asked.
“I respect her,” he said immediately. “I’d trust her to work as an enforcer, but I don’t want her as my mate.” No games. No hesitation.
Nadia nodded once. “You’d better tell her that.”
“I did,” he replied. “I told her I wasn’t playing around.”
Nadia moved again, unintentionally brushing his aching cock, and he bit back a reaction. Focus. Not now. “So this is it,” she said. “You’re asking me to stand with you.”
“Yes.” His voice was steady even though something inside him wasn’t. “All in. Or not at all.”
She didn’t answer right away. He let her take the time. He respected that.
Finally, she said, “If we do this, it has to be about more than an arrangement.”
“Explain,” he commanded.
“I want the whole thing,” she said. “Not just duty. I want love, romance, babies. The whole life.”
Something eased in him at that. Not relief exactly. Certainty. “I’ll give you everything I have. I don’t know that I understand love the way you mean it. I didn’t grow up with it.” He paused, choosing honesty over polish. “But I know loyalty and commitment. That’s what I promise you.” Was he even capable of love like she wanted? Did it really exist? Oh, he felt something for her, something new, but it wasn’t soft or kind.
Her hand slid under his shirt, grounding him, anchoring him to the moment.
“Just be open to it,” she said.
He nodded, helping her by yanking off the material and dropping it to the floor. The soft hum of pleasure she made when she placed her chilled hands on his heated chest centered him. “I can do that.” For the first time since the trials had begun, the future didn’t feel like a threat waiting to strike. It felt like something he could actually choose.
“My shirt is off, so yours should be, too,” he murmured, snagging the bottom of her top and lifting it over her head, revealing those high breasts and already turgid nipples.
“You hoo,” Bussy called out from the hallway. “Nadia? I have more tea for you.”
Panic barreled through him and he jumped up, tossed Nadia back on the bed, and looked frantically around.
Nadia slapped a hand over her mouth, chortling, her eyes glimmering.
Shit. The closet. He leaped across the entire room and ran into the closet, turning as she pressed against him.
He shut the door. “What are you doing in here?” he whispered.
Her eyes widened. “I don’t know. I panicked.”
He put a finger to his mouth to shush her, feeling like a complete idiot. What was he doing hiding in a closet?
“Oh my,” Bussy said from the other side of the door.
Something clunked against the dresser. A tea pot? Tray? The sound carried through the slats.
Nadia leaned against him, laughing silently.
Oh yeah? All right.
He dropped to his knees and tore down her flannel pants and light green panties. Her body jolted, but she didn’t make a sound. Yeah, he could make use of that. Leaning forward, he put his mouth on her.
She jerked and dug the nails of her uninjured hand into his shoulder. He ignored it. She tried to push him away. There was nowhere to go. He went at her while Bussy fussed around the room, talking to herself and doing what sounded like light cleaning. She tasted like every sweet dream he’d ever had.
Spicy and delicious.
