“Only because you thought waving your arms would help him land better.”
“It’s what they do to airplanes.”
“Huh. Last I looked, this was a bird.”
“Have to get the final word in, don’t you?”
He winks. “Only when it comes to you.”
“Are you two finished arguing over there?” Ryals asks from where he’s standing under a tree. “I could use some lunch.”
Feylin nods. “Let’s eat. I know the perfect place.”
He leadsus to a pond far on the other side of the lawn. Ryals brings a fishing rod and heads over to cast his line while Feylin opens a blanket and smooths it onto the grass before resting a picnic basket atop it.
Inside’s a bowl of fruit, and I grab a handful of pink grapes. A sweetness I’ve never experienced before explodes on my tongue when I take a bite.
“What are these? They’re amazing.”
“Candy grapes,” he tells me. “We grow them.”
I moan. “They’re wonderful.”
“If you like those, you’ll love this.” He plucks a raspberry from a container and offers it at eye level. I open my mouth and slowly slide out my tongue. He eyes my tongue like he’sthinking a million things besides eating lunch, and then gently rests the berry in my mouth.
Another explosion of sweetness skates across my tongue. “Oh my gosh. I could eat fae food forever.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” he jokes.
Our gazes snag again, and the air around us crackles with electricity. There’s no ripping my eyes from him. I’m being sucked in. In fact, I’m tipping closer and closer to him, letting myself fall into his pull. His gaze drops to my lips as we lean to one another and then?—
“I got one,” Ryals calls over.
I jerk back and Feylin flinches. He rubs his hands down his thighs and rises. “Time to gut some fish. I don’t suppose you’d like to learn this, too.”
“Pretty sure I’m going to say no to that one.”
“Don’t move. I’ll be back.”
He doesn’t have to worry, because I’m not going anywhere.
27
“Who’s the other book for?” Feylin asks after we’ve eaten.
I’m lying on my side atop the wool blanket, one hand under my head, facing him. His legs are stretched out, and he leans on one propped elbow.
“It’s for Ophelia.”
“Not for you?”
“No, not for me.”
“That’s disappointing.”
I sit up. “Why?”
“I showed you the library so that you could have something for yourself.”
