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Cal’s hands kneaded Relian’s muscular back and shoulders. She sat behind him on the ledge of the spacious stone tub that dominated his bathroom, entranced by the feel of his slick skin under her fingertips.
“That feels good, my love, but the water’s getting cold, I fear. Our food will also soon arrive. Since I can’t satisfy one kind of bodily hunger, I’ll have to provide nourishment for another kind.”
Cal gaped at him. How did he expect her to behave when he talked like that? “If you’re so randy, we can take care of that.”
He turned his head to look at her. “We should bond first.”
She sighed. Half the time, she was of a mind to just do it, but something held her back. Her old life back on Earth? She didn’t have an answer but knew she needed to find it soon.
“It still feels too soon to make a decision one way or another,” she protested. Just being in his presence rejuvenated her, though. Was that their bond at work? If so, how could she ever possibly turn away from it?
“Ah, I don’t agree.” Before she could reply, he stood up. Rivulets of water cascaded down his body. His sculpted body. She swallowed thickly as those drops created fascinating trails over his lightly tanned skin.
She snapped out of it when he pulled her up and said, “I think someone else also has a hunger of a different kind than the one we go to feed. If we bond, my love, you can have me any time of the day—or night.”
“Ugh, blackmail.” When he stepped out of the bath, she stuck her tongue out at him and kept her gaze above his navel, which was a very difficult thing to do.
He took her teasing action as an invitation to pull her up off the tub and delivered a soul-scorching kiss that left her weak in the knees. She ignored the wetness of his skin seeping through her dress and pressed closer to him. Their mouths opened fully as their tongues danced around each other.
He released her abruptly and grabbed a towel. “I need to dry off.”
Her lust-addled brain blanked, and her throat went dry.
He smirked after wrapping the fluffy cloth around his waist. “I see you’re not unfazed. Neither am I. Time to get dressed before I end up stripping you.”
She gritted her teeth and swore he was repaying her for not bonding with him yet. But his tone couldn’t mask the huskiness in his voice or the flush on his cheeks, which pleased her. “Was there any doubt about whether you affected me?”
He shrugged and grabbed another towel to dry off. As she watched him, she groaned. He’d make a great masseur with those hands of his. She couldn’t wait to see if the experience lived up to the fantasy.
“So what have you occupied your time with since I’ve been gone?” He glanced at her from his bent position, the play of his sensuous hands over his body relaxing her until he posed that question. Then it all came rushing back.
How could she forget about the prophetic scroll she and Maggie worried about for the past two days? Well, all clues pointed to love—oh, God, love. Did she love him? It certainly felt like she could. Apparently, falling for someone played havoc with one’s memory. And engendered stupidity, at least in her case.
She stuttered a bit. “Oh, well, about that... I have to talk to you about something. But can we wait until after we eat lunch?” She prayed for that reprieve. Though she knew she shouldn’t be scared, what if the scroll revealed something that could be more harmful to her or Maggie than she’d suspected?
Relian wore a look of concern on his face but agreed readily to her request. As they ate, she tried to keep her mind on the conversation but found it challenging. He noticed her monosyllabic answers all too soon and sent her searching glances.
Blanching, she knew she needed to talk to deflect attention. “I didn’t hear any commotion coming from the main courtyard. How did you manage to arrive so quietly?”
He smiled, taking the bait or, at least, humoring her. “Even though my rank is higher than a mere messenger’s, I was chosen to serve in this very capacity. I brought news of our battle and how those who are wounded fare, so everything can be readied for them.”
She grabbed onto this. “Why were you picked for this if it’s beneath you?”
“I’d never say it was beneath me or anyone else to carry out this post. The simple reason I was chosen was because of my growing bond to you. Couples that are binded fare better together than apart until the link is fully completed.” His cheeks flushed. “Besides that, everyone seemed aware of my great need to see you, to be with you in some way.”
Her heart dissolved into a puddle of goo. She couldn’t resist him when he said things like that. Too soon, however, that feeling gave way to dread as they finished eating. Now came the hard part. Even if she decided she wanted to leave Eria after her year was finished, would he—and the veil—let her once this was known? Still, she couldn’t remain silent out of mere fear for herself.
