“Yes. The whole truth. Nothing but the truth. Very honest, me.” He grins, teeth flashing, so I guess he’s still getting off on whatever high bringing him a sandwich while he was streaming caused.
Hopeful that I might crush his dreams and that smile of his into dust, I inform him that, “Wearenothusband and wife.”
Undeterred, he declares, “What an odd thing to say.”
I wrestle myself free of the sensory swing, march to him, and slam my hand against the back rest of his chair.
“Oh…my…” he murmurs, suggestively.
“Can it,” I snap, fisting my free hand in his shirt, because—historically—that goessoowell for me. “You can’t just tell the universe that I’m your wife. There are rules. Government procedures.”
“Rules and government procedures are ever so romantic.”
I twist the fabric of his pretty ice blue dress shirt. “It’s not aboutromance. You lied. To the world.”
“Did I?”
“Yes!”
“Or do I just consider you to wholeheartedly be my wife?”
“Again, that’s not something you get to decide all by yourself.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Kyran, so help me—”
“You’re my wife, Morana. I’ve already made that vow to you in my heart. Whether or not I become your husband, whether or not we let the government know, that’s another thing entirely. But, to me, you are the only woman I will ever consider for marriage. My life is already yours. So…” He grips my hand.“Are you going to tell me your thought process as to why you specifically interrupted my stream, or am I going to assume you wanted to be my girlfriend but were too shy to ask?”
I sneer. “Do I really come off asshyto you, Kyran?”
“You know something? I think the fact that you’re shy is as deeply hidden a secret as the fact you like pink.”
A flurry of emotions riots in my stomach. “I interrupted your stream because I wanted to see what would happen. I wanted to see if you’d get mad at me.”
“Mad? Me?” His brows rise. “At you?”
“Do you want me to be honest?” I ask, voice wavering.
“Of course I do, Morana.”
“I’m trying to get you to give up on me. I’m trying to push you off the edge and make you realize I’m not worth it because I’m annoying or inconsiderate or needy.”
“And your grand scheme for that was…to make me a sandwich for lunch?”
I close my eyes. “I am. Also. An idiot.” I release him and step away, but he catches my hand and won’t let go. I continue my muttering, “It’s probably why my name isMorana. Do you even know what my name means?”
“Yes.”
I scoff. “You’ve gotMaelin, literally meaningprincess. And then? You’ve gotMorana. A total moron. Death, illness,nightmares.”
“Goddess,” Kyran says. “A winter goddess. A queen over death, and inevitable rebirth. A symbol of duality. You are as much adreamas you are a nightmare. And despite the English closeness, your name has nothing to do with being a moron. It’s a powerful name, mistress.” He tugs my hand until my fingers are at his mouth. “As someone plagued by nightmares and embedded deep in winter imagery, I find it poetic how well your name matches me. It’s as though you were made to be mine.”
Heat swells, cutting the chill and stealing my strength.
Kyran takes advantage of it immediately, yanking me onto his lap and circling his arms around my body. His whole palm clamps to my thigh, and I suck in a breath as our eyes meet. “My goddess,” he whispers, “test me if it brings you comfort. I am but a mere vessel of love for you. My purpose dwells in the fulfillment of your whim.”
“St…” I bite my tongue.
