“That won’t be necessary,” Auren replies and I stifle a laugh as they both breathe out a sigh of relief and then quickly excuse themselves.
As Auren adjusts Vaelen’s saddle, he glances over his shoulder at me. “He says he caught a hare this morning.” He smiles at Vaelen. “It sounds like you have a fine breakfast then, didn’t you?”
Vaelen chuffs and nuzzles his side.
Watching them interact, I realize Auren’s speaking aloud for my benefit. He doesn’t need words to speak with his wolf, and yet he makes sure to include me in their conversation.
It warms something inside me that he’s considerate enough to make sure I don’t feel left out.
When he’s finished, he wraps his strong hands around my waist and lifts me effortlessly onto Vaelen’s back before swinging up behind me. A warm flush creeps up my neck as his thighs bracket mine, his chest pressing against my back while he gathers the reins.
Heat scorches my cheeks as his warm, minty breath skims across my face as he leans in and murmurs. “We’ll be riding hard today. But if you need to rest at any time, let me know and we’ll stop.”
I nod.
Vaelen surges forward, and Auren tightens his arm around my waist, steadying me.
As we ride, I tell myself I am not leaning back into him; that I’m not aware of his masculine scent, and that I’m not noticing how my body hums in awareness of his.
He is merely… convenient. Warm. Strong. That is all.
Absolutely nothing more.
CHAPTER 13
VIVIENNE
The farther we ride from the inn, the quieter the world becomes as the forest thickens around us. Wind whispers through the trees and sunlight filters through the dense canopy overhead.
I sit rigidly in front of Auren, telling myself I’m braced only because Vaelen’s stride is vigorous and uneven. Not because every rustle in the underbrush sends a small spike of awareness through my spine.
Auren’s arm is firm around my waist, making sure I don’t fall off Vaelen’s back as the wolf carefully navigates the rough terrain.
I pretend I’m not comforted by the way Auren’s solid warmth seeps through the thin fabric of my tunic and that I’m not subtly leaning back into him when the path narrows and the shadows alongside us feel much closer than I’d like.
I pretend a great many things.
We stopped a few hours ago to eat a quick meal, but I’m already hungry again and beginning to tire of this seeminglynever-ending travel. I’m not sure where we are, but there’s no sign of civilization. “How much further to the inn?”
“There isn’t one.”
“What?”I twist back to look at Auren. “Then where will we sleep tonight?”
“We’ll find a good place to make camp,” he replies matter-of-factly.
“Camp?You cannot be serious. Surely, there’s an inn somewhere nearby.”
“There isn’t one along this stretch of road.”
“Well, then we’ll just have to keep going until we find one,” I say primly. “You cannot possibly expect me to sleep out in the wild, Auren. It’s dangerous.”
A low rumbling laugh escapes him. “It will be fine, my dear wife.”
“I am not your—” I cut myself off before I gift him the satisfaction of reminding me that we are, in fact, wed. “I amnotcamping.”
“You are,” he says mildly. “Tonight.”
Infuriating male.
