He dipped his head, and the next words were spoken brushed against her lips. “No. What I worry about each day is whether I’ll find this field empty, or if I’ll find you here, bleeding from theinside out because of whatever that bastard is doing to you. I know, little goddess. There is much you don’t tell me, but you don’t need to keep trying to protect me.”
She didn’t know what to say. Half of her wanted to argue with him, to call him an idiot for not fearing what could happen to him if they were caught. But another part of her, a softer part, won out. She curled her fingers in the coarse fabric of his shirt and pulled him even closer. His eyes flared, and he threaded his hand in the hair at the nape of her neck, tilting her head back, taking some control. She liked that, especially from him, because she knew he would never use that control to hurt her, only to please her.
“I want to show you something,” he murmured just before he kissed her.
She sighed softly, melting against his touch as he dipped his head and sucked on the sensitive skin just above her collarbone.
“Fine,” she said, her eyes fluttering shut.
He pulled away, and a whimper slipped past her lips before she could stop it. He chuckled darkly but took her hand, leading her through the field. She tried to focus on her surroundings, but her eyes kept wandering to the strong muscles in his backand ass as he moved, to what his body might look like without the clothes, moving above hers?—
“Patience, goddess,” he said, looking back at her with a smirk. “You’re burning up.”
She realized they were by a small creek bed now. Here, without the tall grasses of the crop obscuring her vision, she could more clearly see the towering peaks of the Ellys Mountains caging the valley.
“Swim?”
She swallowed. “Fine.”
He grinned again, and she cursed the fluttering in her chest.
“Don’t act as if you weren’t already trying to get me to take my clothes off.”
She swatted at him as he pulled his shirt off, displaying a torso taut with muscles that spoke of all the years of his work. Her focus shifted as she looked at him, and he took advantage, picking her up easily and pulling her into the icy mountain water.
She gasped at the cold but relaxed in his arms wrapping around her from behind. He nibbled on her earlobe, and she arched into him. Her breasts heaved, nipples hard and visible in the thin, wet fabric of her dress. He slid his hand up her torso, eliciting a moan from her as he cupped one.
“Tell me your name,” he rasped.
She moaned again as he played with her nipple but managed a broken, “No.”
“You’ll need mine, though, little goddess. Fair is only fair.”
“Why?”
Slowly, he turned her so she was facing him. She shuddered as he leaned in close and whispered, “Because I want it on your lips when you come for me. And when you make me come, I need to be able to say yours.”
She should turn away now, protect him and herself, but she was so lost in him, she feared it was far too late. She opened her mouth to finally tell him?—
Soren opened her eyes. Her core was pounding, and her breasts felt heavy. The dream had felt so real. Seeing the man again only reminded her how much he resembled Vane.
Vane, who she hated for making her kill. Vane, who had held her afterwards, as if he knew she would need it. Vane, who she was suddenly imagining with his fingers between her legs.
She sighed sharply in the quiet of the tent. The princess was asleep, or at least pretending to still be, so Soren quickly dressed and crept out of the tent. The air was even colder this season, and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as she walked through the quiet camp.
Vane wasn’t there yet when she arrived in their usual spot, so she started her strengthening circuit, eager to get it over with. She was nearly finished when Vane’s voice caused her to jump.
“You’re still weak.”
She looked up. He was towering over her, wearing the same leather armor he always did, his hair carelessly tucked back and held by a slim dagger, of all things. But there was something off about him. Shadows circled his eyes, and he was favoring his right leg.
“Did you sleep at all?” she blurted before she could think too much about what she was saying.
His pierced brow raised, and slowly, he tilted his head. She swore the irises of his dark eyes lightened in strange fractures, but she was probably just imagining it.
“You’re too observant for your own good,” he said, crouching beside her. “It’s going to get you in trouble. I’m surprised it already hasn’t.”
She looked away. “You’re injured. Is that why you showed up late today?”
