I pinch one of his nipples.
“I like my nipples pinched, even though I prefer when they’re pinched by much larger hands.”
I wrinkle my nose and laugh, but then I stop laughing and just keep hugging him. “I love you, Pheebs. I love you so much.”
A sigh lifts his hard chest and then one soft hand lands on my forearm and squeezes it.
“Say you forgive me?”
Slowly he turns in my arms and cups either side of my face. “I love you too, Picolina. As for my forgiveness, you— Actually . . .” His mouth curves with a devious smile. “You’re going to have to grovel.A lot.”
My heart slow-twirls—two-parts relieved and one-part alarmed.
“What is my friendship and forgiveness worth to you?”
“Everything.”
“Fabulous.” His grin broadens, lighting up the green irises that look so much lovelier on him than they look on any other earth-Fae.
Except for Nonna.
“First things first, you will disrobe and join me in the Baths.”
I gulp. “What?”
“You said you’d do anything. The first thing I want—since I just got here and want to hear all about Luce—is for you to macerate in this delightfully tepid water with me.”
I unbind my arms from around his waist and gape at the naked crowd. “I, um, I—”
“Let me help you out of your dress. Which, by the way, resembles a paper bag without the leather corset that goes over it.”
“I didn’t find a corset.”
“Did you look for one?”
“I preferred to look for you.”
“At least, you’re wearing Crow clothes.” He cocks an eyebrow. “Which begs the question . . . how long have you been back if you’ve had time to stop by your room for a change of clothes?”
“Apparently, I’ve been back a week.”
“A week?!” He sputters.
“I woke up only yesterday.”
“All right, you lost me.”
“I was shot with a poisoned arrow while sailing around the capital with Eponine.”
“I’m sorry . . .what?”
“Syb and I attended a lunch in Isolacuori where she ‘bonded’ with the Nebban princess.”
Phoebus blinks. “I’m sorry, what?”
I repeat all the words I just said, then add a few: the Meriam-carrot Eponine dangled over us which led to the shopping trip, which led to Syb’s boozy dinner idea, which led to the boat ride and the arrow through my thigh.
I’m about to tell him about Catriona but stop talking because his jaw keeps dropping and dropping, warning me that my friend’s brain is nearing dangerous overload.
