“Even though I’m a soldier, Keely?”
Keely bit her lip, but she didn’t look away. “Yes.”
Gods. He wanted to believe that he was enough. Wanted it to be true so badly.
He ran his thumb slowly over her reddened bottom lip, wishing she had never been hurt by him or anyone else. Then he threaded his fingers through her hair and cradled the back of her head as he looked into her beautiful jade eyes. “The last weeks have been terrible. I should never have let you go without begging you to stay. Not outside Eshcol, not for all those weeks, and definitely not from Kaerlud. Will you give me another chance?”
“Yes.” She didn’t hesitate. “That’s all I want.”
There was more to say. Much more. He needed to ask what she wanted. Whether she still planned to live in Verturia. And how that might work given his commitments to the Blues.
Deeper, so far down that he was hardly even aware of it, he wanted to ask her why she wanted him. To ask for some reassurance that he was enough. But he was drowning in feelings he had no idea how to deal with. What they had was fragile, and he didn’t want to say the wrong thing. Again.
Instead, he tightened his arms around her, grateful beyond words that she was giving him another chance.
Chapter Thirteen
Keely held Tor,reveling in the scent of him, strong and male, as well as the pinpricks of teasing pain along her scalp from his fingers sifting through her hair. The deep rumble of his voice as he murmured her name and the gentle scrape of his beard. It was the first time she’d ever seen him unshaved.
He had come for her. He had come forthem.
He had looked so impossibly serious as he’d jogged up toward her. Dark rings under his eyes, mud splattered over his breeches. He’d ridden long and hard to get to her. And he had made the choice to do it.
He was wrapped around her, his hand in her hair and his lips pressed against the top of her head. And she couldn’t help thinking about the last time he’d had his fingers on her scalp… the last time they had been so close.
The warmth between them grew, his heart rate picking up under her ear, and she lifted her face to press a kiss onto his throat, and then ran her lips up, along his jaw, and finally onto those full, firm lips.
Tor groaned. His mouth opened under hers, and he kissed her back, running his tongue along hers in a long, leisurely taste.
For the first time in long weeks, she felt like herself. But perhaps a new version of herself. Somehow lighter, more vulnerable but also more alive.
Tor deepened their kiss, and she twisted, feeling his length pressing into her thigh, warmth rising through her belly. Yes. This was what she wanted. To touch him and feel his skin. To reassure herself that this was real.
She whimpered, pushing herself closer, and suddenly found herself pulled back, gripped in his big hands, while they both panted.
“Not here.” He tilted his head to the side of the farmhouse, and she remembered the two guards who had watched her climb the hill.
“My room?” she asked quietly.
“Gods, yes.”
She scrambled off his lap and gave him a moment to adjust his breeches before leading him down the slope. As soon as the path widened, he came up beside her, matching his pace to hers. His dark eyes crinkled at the sides as he threw her a small smile, and she couldn’t help smiling back as they hurried down to the old farmhouse.
They emerged into the front courtyard to see that several of the guards were milling around while Alanna and Val conferred quietly with Rafe and Jos.
Damn. She hadn’t expected a committee.
Tor settled back into a more stoic, shuttered expression, his shoulders slightly hunched, the warmth that had been growing between them now cooling under the watchful looks of the Hawks as they joined their friends.
“Tor.” Val nodded, but he didn’t smile.
Rafe, however, was more welcoming, clapping him on the back. “It’s good to see you.” He grinned at Keely. “I think we’re all very pleased you’re here.”
Val grunted and opened his mouth to say something, but Alanna nudged him with her elbow and spoke first. “Weareall pleased to have you here.”
“Took long enough,” Val muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear, and Alanna winced.
Keely could feel the tension thrumming through Tor and she turned and gave Val her strongest smile. “He came, Val. Be glad for us.”
