Today was the Summer Solstice.
She still couldn’t quite believe how much had changed in the half year since the Winter Solstice. Not just in herself, buteverything. The whole world felt different now.
The bed shifted, a familiar warmth wrapping around her, a head with thick onyx-black hair nuzzling into her neck. Rain and cedarwood filled her lungs.
Her lips tipped up in a smile. Maybe not everything had changed. Somehow, some way,thishadn’t managed to slip through her fingers.
Not yet, anyway.
She wound her arms around Andrian’s shoulders and hooked a leg over his hip. He lifted his head, brilliant eyes meeting hers, still hazy with sleep.
Mariah wondered when he’d last slept so well.
A thrill raced down her spine at the memories from last night. The Leuxrithian performance. The splendid music. The delicious feast.
The way she’d paid attention to none of it, instead dropping to her knees under the table to torment the man beside her.
She’d expected him to return the favor the moment they arrived back in their rooms. Gods, she’d been so desperate for him, she’d practicallybegged. But Andrian, of course, did what he’d always done.
He’d frustrated her.
With a wicked smirk, he’d held her away from him, kissing her gently on the forehead before quickly falling asleep. She was left breathless and wanting and dissatisfied until she’d eventually found sleep herself.
They’d both suffered enough. Why was he pulling away from heragain?
No; she wasn’t going to let him do that. Not again. His skin was hot against hers, heating her blood. Warmth settled deep in her core, and she shifted closer to him, tightening her grip on his skin.
A mirrored heat flickered in his gaze, just before the sleepy haze cleared. Mariah’s breath caught in her chest, waiting for him to lean closer?—
The crushing blue of his eyes filled with a familiar devilish glint.
She tried to hold onto him, but he was too fast. Andrian untangled from her, pulling away with a smirk.
Mariah couldn’t stop her scowl. “What’s the matter with you? Is there something wrong?”
Andrian chuckled, pushing up onto his elbow. He leaned over her and placed a gentle kiss to the furrowed skin of her brow. “Of course not. I’m impossibly happy. And good morning to you, too, by the way. Happy Solstice.”
“Happy Solstice,” she said slowly, scanning him. The muscles in his shoulders and chest were flexed, his dark hair messy and ruffled. She slid a hand up, ready to run a nail down his skin and over the ridges of his abdomen?—
He caught her wrist, tsking.
She nearly growled at him.
“As much fun as it is watching you squirm,nio,” he murmured lazily, pushing her hand back to the mattress, “I promised you a lesson. You can’t be the one doing all the teaching.”
Heat flared across her cheeks.
She swallowed. “A lesson in what?”
His eyes flashed, more heat rushing into her body. “Patience.” He lowered his head, lips grazing her ear. “I have something deliciously special planned for you. But only if you’re good.” His mouth skated across her cheek, breath mingling with hers. “Can you be good, Mariah?”
“Yes,” she answered on an airy exhale, and gods, she wasburning. He had so many nicknames for her—nio, princess, queen—but the sound of herrealname, her given name, on his lips…
She was embarrassed, truthfully, to admit how much it affected her.
“Good.” He kissed her gently, chastely, delicately, but it was enough to almost have her crawling out of her skin.
He vanished, the space above her suddenly empty and cold. Andrian strode to the bathroom, giving her a delicious view of his ass.
