He gave her his brightest smile, hoping she could see the sincerity beneath his teasing. Destiny quirked an eyebrow at him, then proceeded to short circuit his brain by pulling her sweater dress off. Xander had seen his fair share of naked women, but never had he seen a body he wanted to worship more. And she wasn’t even naked, wearing a camisole and leggings that molded to her generous curves like a second skin.
God, her skin. Xander’s eyes traced every inch of her bare arms and chest, the swell of full, perky breasts, all of it thewarm tawny brown of fallen leaves. When Xander finally got the chance to peel off her clothes, he’d probably embarrass himself. His cock was already painfully hard at this glimpse of skin. He couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t cream his pants at the sight of her naked form.
Xander realized he was staring, and Destiny’s smirk told him she’d noticed, had let him have a good, long look. He licked his lips, trying to remember what they’d been talking about. His brain was definitely suffering from the fact that all his blood had rushed to his dick.
“Take your shirt off, Princeling,” Destiny demanded, gesturing at the offending article impatiently. “Don’t you know anything about preventing hypothermia? Skin to skin contact. Duh.”
Xander’s mouth fell open. He could see what she was doing—giving him the intimacy he craved, wrapped up in their safe, playful antagonism. It was a gift, an acknowledgement that she saw him. Therealhim.
“If you wanted my clothes off, all you had to do was ask. This wouldn’t be the first time I gave you a strip show.” Xander hoped she felt the gratitude beneath his words, because he was suddenly so incredibly grateful for this omega and the profound impact she’d had on their lives. “Get over here. The anticipation is killing me.”
Xander whipped his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, and then she was beside him, her skin warm and alive against his. Xander pulled the blanket over them, breathing her in greedily. Her scent was so much like her personality—sweet with a spicy streak beneath. Peppermint and cinnamon with a hint of ginger.
“You really are a brat, aren’t you?” Destiny griped, snuggling close, and resting her head on his shoulder. “Poor Hunter has his hands full with you, huh?”
Xander chuckled, absently burying his face in her hair. He stroked his hands over the goosebumps on her arms. Though he was happy to help her get warm, he was even happier to rub his scent on her, and to get hers on him. It was soothing, the way her scent was becoming more prominent in the packhouse, mixing with theirs like it was meant to. He sighed out a contented breath and felt her shiver. Xander didn’t think it was from the cold.
Just to be sure, he breathed his reply into her hair. “Hunt has big hands. There’s room for another brat.”
Destiny shivered again, her breaths speeding up when Xander followed his words with a soft kiss against her temple. She tilted her head up to look at him, her moss green eyes darkening as her pupils dilated. The thread between them went taut—that pull of awareness tugging him inexorably toward her. Xander lowered his head slowly, watching her, giving her a chance to pull away, to show any hesitation or anxiety.
“Do I have to go and find some mistletoe?” Destiny said, and the teasing huskiness of her voice nearly undid him.
The castle could’ve been burning to the ground and Xander wouldn’t care. The moment he felt her soft, plump lips pressed against his, he knew that he would not be the one to end this kiss. He would never be the one who ended all the many kisses left to come. Xander would kiss her as long and as often as she’d let him because this was enough. This was infinite. This was joy.
Then her lips parted, and she was letting out a little moan at the first touch of their tongues and Xander thought he might be on fire after all. He was burning from the inside out and nothing would soothe the burn but more of her. As if she’d read his mind, Destiny buried a hand in his hair, pulling him closer, opening her mouth in invitation. Xander bit her bottom lip before plunging his tongue into her mouth, searching, tasting, claiming.
In the end, it was Grey who ended the kiss. “Bloody hell, mate, this is extraordinarily hot, but the tea’s getting cold.”
Destiny pulled back, blinking dazedly. Xander would’ve laughed if he hadn’t been just as wrecked. And with her swollen lips still in easy reach he couldn’t think of anything but kissing her again.
“Thank you for a beautiful day,” she whispered, snapping Xander’s attention back to her siren eyes, which were filled with tenderness—tenderness forhim. Xander would do a great many things to earn that look every single day. “Thank you for sharing your home and people with me. You earned five stars as a leading man. Today was perfect.”
Xander swelled with pride and satisfaction at the praise. A purr rumbled in his chest, surprising them both. Destiny smiled at him—warm and without a hint of sarcasm—and any remaining insecurities Xander felt melted away. She liked him. It didn’t matter which of them she’d liked first or gotten closest to the quickest, as long as she still had room in her heart for him. That was more than enough.
She settled against him with her cup of tea, turning her bright smile on Grey. “When did you bring the tea? I didn’t even notice.”
“Five minutes ago, when you were being properly snogged and Hunter and I were watching and salivating,” Grey replied, settling on Destiny’s other side. “I believe I’m the only one who hasn’t had a little smooch today.”
Xander laughed as Destiny leaned over and pressed a kiss to Grey’s pouting lips. She sighed contentedly when Grey took her face in his hands and kissed her again, lingering for a long moment before letting her go. She looked dazed again when he pulled away.
“Drink,” Xander told her, gesturing to her teacup. “It really will get cold if you keep letting us kiss you. Not that I mind.”
Destiny smirked at him, but obediently sipped her tea. They talked awhile about the events of the day and the rest of the festival schedule, then on random topics until Destiny’s eyes began to droop. When she yawned for the third time, Xander pulled her to her feet.
“You need sleep,” he said, his protective instincts kicking in. “You’re welcome to stay here, or I can walk you to your room.”
Destiny grinned sleepily. “Your groveling skills weren’t impressive enough to get me into your bed.”
Xander laughed. He might’ve finally met his match in the brattiness department. They were going to have so much fun.
“Let’s go,” he growled, pinching her rear and enjoying how she yelped in response.
It was late and the castle corridors were mostly empty as they walked back to the guest quarters. When they reached her room, Destiny threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. She was warm and soft and wonderful, and she fit against him so perfectly. He never wanted to let her go.
“Good night, Princeling,” she said. Then she pecked him on the lips and disappeared into her room.
Xander was practically floating as he turned away, which is why he nearly collided with the person emerging from the room beside Destiny’s. When they let out a surprised squeak, Xander saw that it was Mina, looking uncharacteristically rumpled. Her eyes widened comically when she saw who he she’d run into.
