Page 225 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“Is he not alive?”

“No, he passed from illness when I was younger.”

She halted her chewing. “And your mother?”

“My mother was a strong woman, from what I have heard at least, she passed as well when I was no more than five,” I confessed, and she dropped her spoon, her eyes locked in my gaze. One thing we both would somewhat relate to, losing your mother was never easy despite when and how you did.

“Forgive me, for never asking.”

“It is not something I usually enjoy sharing.” I never spoke about her. The memory was heavy, but the longing was heavier. “My city,” I said, raising a hand to trace her features. “It pains me to say this to you but is a paradise of warmth, sunlight, flowers, bright round moons and clear star glazed skies.” She would have loved it if her eyes had not been blanked by the hate she had for its people.

She put a finger on my chin. “Like you, your city is like you, at least what you remind me of,” she said, and my chest rose furiously.

My heart commanded to her, but my body stilled, I wanted to pull my lips to her plump ones, to trace every inch of her body with them. To make her mine over and over till we both grew hoarse. A promise, I made it for the both of us no matter how tempting it was to break right now. She smiled as if she knew what she was doing to me.

“Don’t tempt me, little beast,” I said, as she traced my jaw with her finger, excruciatingly slow.

“It is not my fault you are easily tempted.” Her hands slipped to my jacket, pulling me closer to her. Our faces not even an inch away as she studied me with a soft smile. Her eyes dropped to my lips and just about as my urge to commit to both of our thoughts was about to take over, she nudged my nose with hers before she diverted, tracing small warm pecks along my jaw and down my neck. My limbs weakened at her touch. She was right, I was easily tempted and absolutely aching for her. My will was of gods, while I held still, my lungs were running out of air to breathe under the flame of her soft lips and the warmth of her breath hovering my skin. She reached over my ear, lips gently smoothing over there. “Mal is right, you are made of rock.”

I stretched my neck, the pressure keeping me still was pounding behind my head. “Part of me feels like it, especially now and a few other times when you are around.”

Her eyes glanced down between us for a moment as she bit her lower lip, driving me mad. “There are ways without kissing or for you to be inside of me to please my man.”

Fuck. “Snow, I will not put my cock in lips I have not kissed yet.” She frowned and begun to speak. “Certainly not on your hands either to taint scars that were dug because of me.”

Almost all days going to sleep I had laid thinking of her wanting to release the state of pleasure she’d put me on. I imagined myself inside of her, those rosy lips around me, her moans around the room, her hips riding me as she had ridden my fingers that day, but I’d never let myself do it. She was not only the object of my desires, she was my desire and I’d treat her as much.

She groaned in anger, tilting her head back in frustration. “You are the only man who has ever made it this difficult for himself.”

“I am a fool, but a fool who does not want to hurt you.”

“For someone who has already been inside of me you speak on very rough blurry lines,” she moaned, blowing a heavy breath.

“That was appetizer, my dahaara.”

She rolled her pretty eyes at me and groaned in frustration once more. Kissing two of her fingers, she put them to my lips, my whole body gleaming in warmth. “I don't want to regret not having given you one.”

I pulled her hand again and kissed every inch of it. “There is so much I regret too, Snow, unforgivable things.”

“Is it because of your king? Or because I am still the ybris?” Her eyes shot wide. “For the love of heavens, tell me you don’t have a wife with a child on her hip waiting for you there?”

Her last guess made me erupt in laughter, but her eyes narrowed on me in slits as if truly doubting that to be true, and waiting for negative confirmation. “No wife, no child, no lover. It’s not you, my heart, the one who is being selfish in this it’s always been me—”

The bedroom doors flew open. Pen marched inside nonchalantly, several dresses draped in her arms.

Snow sighed in anger, “Pen, for the love of Nubil, knock! What if you had entered to see us both naked, and in compromising positions even?” she exclaimed loudly in a scowl. My dramatic dark head, not shifted from her ways not one bit.

Pen lifted her chin up. “Well, I have seen you naked and should most certainly not be expecting to find him naked in your room, let alone in said compromising positions. Should I now, you ragged princess?” she huffed in anger, moving towards the dressing chambers.

Snow groaned in her hands in anger, and I shook in laughter at both of their ridicules. “This girl, draws fire from me.”

“Don’t get frustrated, you have basically made her a second you. You are to blame.”

“She has agreed to come with me.”

“I had a feeling,” I admitted. They had grown very close and comfortable with one another. Penelope saw Snow as an older sister figure, it was expected she would go with her. I also doubted she would let any Adriatian servant touch her even, let alone dress her.

“Stay,” she asked. “Stay tonight, just hold me or even stand at a corner if you don’t want to be near me. Or just…hold me better, please.”