“What would you possibly do with a pair of my underwear?”
Bohdan pushes his tongue to his cheek, eyes dark. “I’m not sure you want the answer to that.”
“How improper.” I tip my chin up.
“Why don’t you slide that dress back off and I’ll show you improper?” Bohdan’s gaze tracks across my chest, his eyes feel a bit like a caress where my waist meets my hips, and they land on the hem.
I reach down, maybe ready to pull the whole thing off again, or cover up more of my legs to try and drive him crazy, when a hand crashes against the door again.
“We can fucking hear you, you know.” Talon sounds like he’s cringing.
Bohdan’s eyes stay on me. “Then leave.”
“And to think I’d forgotten it could get like this,” Talon mutters and the door handle shakes. “Guys, the disco waits for no one.”
Jay groans, before he starts smacking the door in rapid succession. “As happy as I am for you both, could you please, please hurry up so Tia and I don’t have to listen to him say things like ‘the disco waits for no one’ all night?”
I roll my eyes, but a tiny, fond smile blooms on my face and I scrunch my nose at Bohdan, whispering, “Later?”
He nods, tucking a wisp of hair behind my ears. “Later.”
He whispers it—voice low, gravelly, rough—all the ways I’ve liked him sounding the best, and all full of promise.
His lips brush mine, and that kiss is full of promise, too.
I’m not sure how many promises he can keep in two days, and I should really only care about that one waiting for me at the end—the chance to finally move on—but promises shaped like his mouth and his body against mine seem far more important.
There’s another smack on the door and Bohdan groans, tipping his head back before gripping his jaw. “I’m coming.”
He throws the door open again, and they don’t all tumble in this time, but they stand side by side, each wearing their emotions and assessments clearly. Jay, quietly happy, with eyes brighter than usual, the ghost of a grin while he tugs on the chain around his neck aimlessly.
Tia, head tipped to the side, blinking in assessment.
Talon, a wide, childlike smile. He gestures between us before rubbing his hands together. “So ... you two? The river cruise worked its magic?”
Jay bites down on his cheek, looking like he’s in physical pain trying to restrain himself from pointing out that we aren’t on a river.
Bohdan shifts beside me, carved angles of his face sharp, and a muscle jumps in his jaw. He cuts me a sideways glance, waiting.
I bounce back and forth on the balls of my feet, folding my arms across my chest. “Not that it’s anyone’s business, but we’ve expanded the terms of our agreement for the next few days.”
“A few days?” Tia gives me a dubious look.
I give her a tight smile, shifting again on my feet when Bohdan’s thumb sweeps across my shoulder. “Yes. A few days. The remainder of this cruise that’s definitely not on a river.”
They all wear these emotions, too.
Jay’s eyes go wide, flashing with the tiniest bit of doubt, before they find Bohdan, and whatever worry lines his face softens and his smile grows.
Tia’s nostrils flare with an inhale, her eyes flick back and forth between us before they land on Bohdan’s thumb, still tracing patterns across my skin. They cut down to my body, to the new dress and noticeable absence of sequins. She squeezes hereyes shut, cheeks pinching, like the idea that maybe I’m putting myself at risk hurts her. But she opens her eyes again, the amber in them melts just a bit, and she looks at us the way she used to.
Talon tips his head back and howls like a fucking wolf.
Bohdan cringes, hand leaving my shoulder to press over my ear, but there aren’t enough hands or earplugs in the world to block out that sound.
Talon has the sense to look apologetic for all of two seconds when I wince.
“This was so worth the delay to disco night.” He claps his palms together, a hollow sound echoes, and he throws a thumb towards the living room of the suite. “But the delay has gone on long enough, so you know, chop-chop.”
