"Do they?"
He held the stone up to the light. "One of this size would net you several thousand dollars."
"What?" She couldn't believe it. The red rocks had been all over Muspelheim.
He nodded. "How did you learn to put all these facets in it?"
"Facets?"
"Yeah, the angles you carved in to be able to refract the light so it looks... glitterier."
"Oh... I saw someone wearing one that looked like it once and I... did it."
He stared at her in astonishment. "You should come back to my shop and work with the tools I have."
She nodded. "I'd love to. Thank you."
Thor put the stone back and checked out the other items and books on her shelf. Elle held her breath, afraid he might find something he would recognize as being from Muspelheim, but after a minute, he turned to her.
"I should let you go so you can sleep."
"Of course." She tried to keep disappointment out of her voice. She wasn't ready for Thor to leave yet.
Thor loomed closer, his presence a magnetic force that pulled Elle into his orbit. His steps faltered for a heartbeat, the tension in his jaw giving way to a soft sigh before he enveloped her in his embrace. The warmth radiating from him intoxicating, and Elle found herself sinking into it, her breath hitching as she rested against the solid expanse of his chest.
Her hand fluttered at the small of his back, caught between the desire to clutch onto him and the need to maintain composure. The air around them charged, carrying the scent of ozone and iron- a testament to his power and stability.
Time stretched as they stood entwined. And her magic swirled deep inside her, but not out of fear, out of something else.
Finally, Thor pushed away. His gaze landed on her face and lifted his hand to cup her cheek. "What is it about you?"
Her chest constricted. "What... what do you mean?"
"I don't know. I just... I don't want to leave because when I do, I can't get you out of my head. I want to protect you, kiss you, and take care of you. You're like a sweet bird who is so fragile yet so strong at the same time. I can't put my finger on it. I just... want to make sure no one ever hurts you again."
Elle couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes. No one had ever spoken so kindly to her before. No one had ever said anything remotely close to telling her they wanted to take care of her. Val, though her best friend, wasn't tender. Her way of showing Elle she loved her was to teach her to fight and to help her become as strong as possible. Hugs and laughs weren't something they shared.
Thor brushed a tear from her eye with the pad of his thumb, and her body flushed. He leaned in and kissed the trail the tear had taken up her cheek. Then he kissed across her forehead and down her nose to her lips.
The taste of him made her moan. Embarrassed, she began to pull away, yet his hand rested at the nape of her neck, holding her in place with an unspoken command. Desire pooled in her belly. Heat and need blossomed inside her, and when his lips parted, she let his tongue entwine with hers.
Sensations rushed through her, and kissing him wasn't enough. She wanted his hands on her skin. Wanted him naked and to run her hands down the planes of his body.
Her breath hitched as his palms glided down her spine, pausing with deliberate intent before claiming the curve of her rear. She stiffened, and his grip softened, fingers trembling as if waging a silent battle for control.
Their lips parted, leaving the air charged between them. Thor’s gaze met hers- steady and piercing- before he looked away, swallowing hard.
His husky whisper echoed in the space around them. “Say the word, and I’ll stop.”
Her heart hammered in her chest like a drum. She could hardly think, but she didn’t want him to stop.
Tingles raced over her skin. All the stories she'd read about in her father's library burst into her mind, and she wanted to feel what it was like to make love to someone. But not someone, Thor, God of Thunder.
Thor cradled Elle in his arms. Tasting her sweet lips while her body warmed him from the inside out was almost more than he could take. He wanted more than to make love to her. He wanted her like he'd never wanted another.
Sweet and tender, innocent and kind, she was more than a one-night stand; she was someone he could spend the rest of his immortal days with. Someone he would never tire of. Someone who would bring peace into his chaotic world. Someone to share himself with, someone... to grow older with.
When she didn’t tell him to stop, he kissed her harder. How was it possible he'd found her, and she'd woven her way into his heart so fast? In his thousands and thousands of years of life, he'd never let anyone in so fast.
