AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His lips drop down to brush against mine as he says, “But not right now.”
And I easily give into him as he begins drugging me with kisses, nibbling on my bottom lip as he massages my waist with his strong, sure fingers. Dragging me into him as we lay down sideways on the pillows, facing each other. My leg lifts to wrap around his hip, and his wing sweeps over me, cocooning us. My heartbeat starts to race, and suddenly, I don’t feel the least bit tired.
Maybe he’s right. Maybe the rest of the world can just disappear for a little while longer.
Maybe there can be just me and him. And this.
God, I want this to be real and not just the escape I’d hoped for. I want this to last. I want the realness. I’m starting to not just want to escape but an actual life here. A real life. This life, with this person, the little bits he shows of me at a time.
All the good things I’m feeling and the endorphins swimming around my body feel intoxicating as Remus holds me. He’s always finding a way to touch me. While we go for walks, or while I was baking cookies yesterday after the lake. I mean, sure, it’s great that he can get fine cuisine from anywhere in the world, but a kitchen that nice deserves to be cooked in. And I love baking; I’ve always found it relaxing.
This morning, he asked if I trusted him, and when I said yes, he took me flying.
I immediately backed away, but he laughed and reminded me that I said I trusted him. “I’ll go slow,” he said, “so you can really see.”
It was different. He held me to him just as tightly, and his tail wrapped around me for security. His wings were like a paraglider above as we coasted over the most beautiful countryside. The greens of the trees were so green, the sky so blue. The lake below glittered like a sapphire.
My breath was taken away by the magical experience—and by the terrifying heights—but strangely enough, I did trust him, even after knowing him for such a short time.
When we dropped back down to the earth, and my feet hit the ground, I still shyly clutched his arm as we walked back to the castle.
These last few days have been like the most amazing extended date. I can’t explain it. It feels like I’ve known him forever, even though I just met him, and our worlds couldn’t be further apart.
And maybe because of that closeness, I want to leap on him and take him back to the ground every other moment. I want to explore his body the way he did mine by the lake and ask him a thousand questions. I want to understand his mind and see if any of the things I’m thinking about him are real or just a wild romantic figment of my imagination.
Because more than anything, I want him to be real. I want this to be real. Which is probably just wishful thinking.
“You are quiet,” he says, breaking the long silence between us as his wings drop, allowing the rest of the world back in. The sunrise turns a brighter pink through the window behind him. “What is happening inside your head?”
I laugh and drop my head bashfully. At the same time, I’m very aware of my leg around his hip, opening myself to him.
“Well, actually, I was sort of wondering the same thing. What we did by the lake. . . and just all of this. Getting to know you. This has all been a really intense experience. I’m wondering. . . who you are.”
He frowns in confusion. “I’ve told you and shown you. I’m Remus, god-born from the life spark stolen from the Great Hall—”
“No,” I laugh. “I mean, I’m starting to get that. Not that I can really wrap my head around it, but I get it. I’m talking about who you are.” Suddenly self-conscious, I pull my leg back, pressing my hand to his chest instead. He captures it, holding it there. I try to keep breathing as I continue, “On the inside. Who is Remus? What kind of person are you?”
He frowns again. “No one’s ever asked me that. I have only been myself. Brother to my brothers.”
“Who would they say you are?”
I flip my hand to take his hand. He looks down at our hands in surprise, and I almost pull mine back, embarrassed, but then he squeezes it before I can.
He moves close so that there’s barely any space between us on the bed. I can feel the heat of his hard body. When I dare to glance up at his face, I don’t miss the smile there, smaller than the wild grin he sometimes has. As if he looks. . . contented. At least until he begins to speak about his brothers.
“My brothers might not have the kindest words to say about me.” He winces, pulling back again. I’m both frustrated and enticed by what feels like a tug-of-war between us. We’ve been so close all night, but just when I think he’s about to make a move, he doesn’t. “Battle was the only language our father understood. Brothers fight, naturally. And our father thought we could only become the best if we fought the best—which was each other. Our epic battles could span days, weeks, months, even in the worst cases, and destroy huge swaths of land before our father finally declared a victor.”
“Months? Just fighting each other?”
He nods as if it’s the most ordinary thing in the world. “Lately, it has been different. We have been. . . more friendly. But that’s new. We’re all very strong in different ways. And our father was very demanding.” His mouth twists down.
“But what about when you weren’t fighting. What was your family like, then?”
He frowns down at me, as if he doesn’t understand my question. “All I’ve known is war.”
“Is that. . . what you want?” Some of the nice feelings in my belly start to fade, and I let go of his hand.
His eyebrows draw together and he immediately reaches to take back my hand, interlacing our fingers in between our chests. Does he notice I’m breathing heavier, my breasts all but busting out of the lace-topped nightgown as we face each other on the bed?
