Page 38 of Blood & Roses

I had not been prepared forthat.

“You what?” I gaped, catching his hand and holding it as he gave me a bemused grin. “What about your brother? The guards?”

“Why do you think I’ve been working so hard to train them this week?” he asked, a lazy smile gracing his lips as he closed the distance between us, leaning into my space and snaking his arms around my waist. “To make sure they will be steadfast and loyal?”

“You—” I cut myself off, shaking my head once to try to clear the confused, excited buzzing that made hearing difficult. “You’re not staying?”

“Did you really think you’d be rid of me that easily, Miss Nightshade?” Rowan teased, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips, then leaning back on his forearms to grin at me. “You’re stuck with me.”

“For how long?” I breathed, trying to control my racing heart as my brain struggled to catch up to it.

“That’s up to you,” Rowan said, his grin turning tender as he reached up to stroke my cheek. “I intend to see where this goes, Isolde. If you want me, of course.”

“Yes!” It was a more eager exclamation than I’d intended, and Rowan laughed as I fell on him and kissed him. “But why?” I asked, a little breathlessly when I could bring myself to break away from him. “You love your brother.”

“I do,” he agreed, pushing the hair from my face with gentle hands as he continued to smile at me, his scarred brow giving him a devilish air that I didn’t hate. “But he’s not the only person I’m allowed to love.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to this declaration, but Rowan saved me by adding, “I told you already, Isolde.” He cupped my face, calloused hands so gentle on me. “You are brave and strong. Smart and caring. Beautiful.” He stroked his thumb over my lip, and I hummed in appreciation. “And,” he added with a chuckle, “it means something that we found each other the way we did. So, like I said, I want to see where it goes.”

“It will be very boring,” I warned him, breathless again as he sat back up, winding his fingers into my hair and pulling me close for a kiss.

“I think I’d like a boring life,” Rowan murmured, brushing his lips against mine. “With you. For however long you’ll have me.”

My heart cracked a tiny bit at this, his belief that I wouldn’t want him forever.

“You asked me why,” I said, swallowing my fear as I pulled back from the kiss. “Back in the inn.”

“I did,” Rowan agreed. “But you don’t need to tell me—”

“Because you’re strong and brave, too,” I blurted out, willing myself to say it before I lost my nerve. “You love fiercely and protect those you care for, and you challenge me. And I think I’d like a boring life with you, too. For however long you stay.”

Rowan didn’t kiss me as I expected, just looked at me a little stunned, his eyes warm and piercing. “Life with you will be anything but boring, Isolde Nightshade,” he said, his breath a whisper against my lips. “And I think I’ll want to stay forever.”

He kissed me then, pulling me to him and brushing his tongue over mine, a claiming and a request and a promise of more. Of a future together, whatever it might look like.

“You’ll have to do the dishes,” I gasped as his lips traveled down my throat and toward my breasts. “And chop wood.”

“I can live with that,” Rowan murmured, taking one peaked nipple into his mouth and sucking gently. I moaned, feeling pleasure lick down my spine. “But I’m building us an addition to the cottage. For privacy.” He moved to the other breast and I wove my hands into his hair, moaning again at the pleasure he wrung from me.

He rolled us over and sheathed himself within me to the hilt. I gasped as he waited for me to adjust, meeting his eyes as he gazed down at me.

“With very thick walls,” I agreed, writhing against him in a request to move.

He grinned, obliging with a gentle thrust of his hips that made me moan and beg for more.

“And a workshop for your potions,” he suggested, kissing my neck as he moved again. “I refuse to eat dinner at the same table where you mix poisons.”

“Deal,” I gasped, reaching between us to tease the spot where I needed more friction as he moved in me. He replaced my fingers with his own, and I moaned again as pleasure began to flicker within me.

I planned to say more, to make some remark about how retiring from crime meant there would be little need for poison, but he captured my mouth with his and kissed me fiercely as he teased and thrust until glorious release was spooling out of me in great waves. I dug my nails into his back as he found his own pleasure, panting my name against my ear in a reverent prayer as he held me fast, both of us sweaty and spent.

“You’ll have to help me plan the handfasting,” I said finally, once we’d recovered enough breath for him to roll off of me and tuck me into his side. He looked at me with a raised brow, and I flushed. “Lis and Orson’s handfasting. Not—I didn’t mean—”

He silenced me with a kiss, making my bones shiver in delight all over again as he replied, “I’m glad you’ve learned to let me take care of you.”

Epilogue

Captain Everett Everhart