I press a soft kiss to her hair as she begins to stir. Her lashes flutter and open and her luminous eyes meet mine, full of warmth.
“Good morning.” I cup her cheek and trace my thumb across her lower lip before I lean in and kiss her.
It’s soft and tender at first, but it soon becomes more passionate and urgent. I roll her beneath me, desperate to join my body with hers once more. “I need you again,” I whisper between kisses, but a nagging thought enters my mind, and I still.
There are things we should discuss before we do anything further.
“What’s wrong?” Vivienne asks, a slight frown creasing her brow. “Why did you stop?”
Her long red hair is spread out beneath her like a silken halo. She’s so beautiful, it takes my breath away. Reaching down, I trace my fingers across the petal-soft skin of her cheek.
I want her so badly. The temptation to sink deep into her warm, wet heat is almost too much to bear, but I force myself to wait. “We must discuss something.”
Worry flits across her features. “What is it?”
“We haven’t discussed children,” I tell her. “And after last night… I didn’t know if you’d want moon tea this morning before we—”
She presses a kiss to my lips, silencing me. “I don’t need moon tea, Auren. If the gods bless us with a child, I will be happy, my love.”
I hadn’t expected this. Not so soon, anyway.
She continues. “And I’ve already decided that we’ll have two.”
“Two?” I gaze down at her, slightly in shock that she’s already thought of this.
“At least,” she confirms, and then kisses me again.
A soft knock on the door interrupts, and I drop my head to the curve of her neck and shoulder with a low groan as Vivienne laughs.
Sighing heavily, I lift my head. “Who is it?” I call out.
“I’ve come to check on the queen,” the familiar voice of the healer speaks through the door.
“We’ll meet you in the main chamber,” I call back.
“I’m fine,” Vivienne whispers, but I notice the slight wince that crosses her features as she shifts beneath me.
As much as I long to make love to her again, I want to make sure she’s alright. “You’re still hurting, aren’t you?”
“Just a bit,” she reluctantly admits. “But it’s very minor.”
Guilt fills me. “Gods, Vivienne, we shouldn’t have made love last night. Not while you’re still in pain.”
“It’s nothing, Auren.” She cups my face. “Truly, my love. And I wouldn’t change last night for anything.”
“Neither would I.” I give her another kiss. “But I’d like for Meryl to assess you.”
She sighs. “Fine.”
I start to rise from the bed, but she catches my hand and gets up on her knees on the mattress, pulling me back in for another kiss. “After the healer leaves, can the king spend the day in bed with his new bride?” she asks with a playful grin.
Gods above, I’d love nothing better. “If I could spend all day here with you, I would, me’lira. But there are a few things I must do first.”
Starting with informing my warriors of my intent to challenge the Goblin King to trial by combat so he’ll release Vivienne from her father’s bargain.
I hate keeping this from her, but I already know she would try to talk me out of it. I’ll inform her when I return, after I’ve sent a raven to the Goblin kingdom, informing their king of my demands to settle this once and for all.
I won’t let him have her. No matter the cost to myself.
