Eventually, we started yawning. I lifted her from the pool, wrapping her in a towel and drying her carefully, stealing kisses along the way. “Time to get you to bed,” I said, my voice rough with lingering want. “You need rest for tomorrow.”
She nodded, leaning into me as I carried her out of the cave, through the quiet village, and back to the cottage. Thesquare was still deserted, the bonfire embers glowing faintly like dying stars.
Inside, I tucked her under the quilt, sliding in beside her. She curled against me, her head on my chest, one leg thrown over mine.
“Raoul?” she whispered in the dark.
“Hmm?”
“I’m sorry my magic explodes all the time. I can’t seem to control it. When I’m with you, it just happens.”
“I know.” I kissed the top of her head. “I like that you feel safe enough with me to let go of control.” I tipped her face up so I could see her eyes. “I like that your magic responds to pleasure. That I can make you feel so good you create blizzards.”
Her cheeks flushed. “That sounds kind of wonderful when you put it that way.”
“Everything about you is wonderful.”
She made a soft sound and buried her face against my chest. “You can’t just say things like that.”
“Why not? It’s true.”
“Because.” Her voice came out muffled. “I might start believing you.”
“I know we agreed this was political. A practical arrangement. But somewhere between your blizzard in the council chamber and watching you solve atmospheric riddles while riding on my back, I…” I paused, trying to find the right words. “I like you, Adele.You.”
“I like you too.”
We snuggled together a bit before I spoke again. “We should sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be demanding, and you’ll need your energy for the cloud seeding.”
“Practical,” she said with a teasing smile.
“Very practical.”
I pulled the blanket higher over us and arranged her in my arms, her head on my shoulder, her hand over my heart.
Within minutes, her breathing evened out into sleep. I lay awake longer, feeling her heartbeat against my ribs.
I’d told her I liked her, but that wasn’t quite accurate.
I’d fallen in love. Spectacularly. Irrevocably. In a way that changed everything. Somehow, she’d made her way past my walls, and there would be no shoving her out.
Tomorrow, I was going to help her save an entire valley. I couldn’t wait to see her smile when she succeeded.
Professional partnership?
There was nothing professional about the way I felt.
But I wouldn’t change it for anything.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ADELE
Iwoke slowly, piecing together my surroundings one sense at a time. The scent of pine and soap. The solid warmth of Raoul holding me close. The heavy weight of an arm draped over my waist. My hand rested on his chest, right over his heart, feeling the slow, steady rhythm of his beat.
Last night wasn’t a dream.
The memory of what we’d done, the wild magic, and the slick heat of him in the cave sent a blush up my neck. I’d lost control. Utterly. And he hadn’t only been alright with it, he’d reveled in it.
