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“I am happy to take them in whatever way you will give them to me, as long as I get to spend those days with you.”
He’s making me blush. More than blush—I feel like I’m glowing from the inside out. I can’t stop smiling, and I lean in, hoping for a kiss.
Sinath clears his throat. “The tree—”
“Oh! Right!” I gesture at the window near my kitchen. Most of the small houses are built the same, so mine is very similar in layout to Liesje’s. I open the shutters on my window and slide a chair away so he can set the plant down. “Place it here.”
He does, and I turn the pot, trying to get as many leaves close to the sunlight as possible. It’s winter, and I worry it won’t get enough. Now that I have a tree to care for, it suddenly feels important that I keep it alive. I should turn it in the middle of the day so both sides can get light, I decide. Maybe a covering for the dirt so the roots will stay warm…
I turn around to thank Sinath, and he’s standing directly behind me, a bundle of herbs in his hand. He holds it over my head, his tail swishing behind him. “Is this how you ask for a kiss?”
“All you have to do is ask me.”
“Here I thought you liked holiday traditions.” He grins, sliding an arm around my waist. His tail curls around my lower leg, as if he’s pulling me in toward him, and I remember what he said about being clingy. Being caressed and petted and loved on every day by this big, handsome, funny man? I’d absolutely love that.
“I love the holidays,” I agree. “But kissing should happen every day, not just during the Christmas season.”
“I like your idea,” he says, and tosses the bundle of herbs over his shoulder. Leaning in toward me, he brushes his knuckles gently over the side of my face. “May I kiss you then, my merry Devin?”
“Absolutely.” I wind my arms around his neck, and he bends down a bit more to brush his lips against mine. It’s wonderfully sweet, this brief kiss, and I find myself smiling up at him. “I really didn’t know if you liked me or not. If you were just kissing me because you wanted to experiment.”
Sinath makes a face, shaking his head. “I actually thought there was something wrong with me because everyone else seems to enjoy kissing humans so much and I thought it was terrible. At least, I thought it was terrible until I met you. Now I’m convinced they were on to something.” He rubs his nose lightly against mine. “Because after I kissed you? I was just as obsessed as anyone else. I couldn’t think of anything but kissing you again. Touching you again. Hoping that I hadn’t scared you away by coming on too strong.”
“Coming on too strong?” I tilt my head, regarding him. “In what way? You’ve been a perfect gentleman so far.”
He makes a face, then rubs the base of one of his horns, and I realize he’s embarrassed. “Well, I did have quite the plan for today.”
“Oh?”
Sinath nods, his expression as solemn as he can make it…which means it’s not very solemn at all. He’s doing his best not to smile but his lips are curving anyhow. “Yes. I would bring in the tree, and you would be uncertain about my intentions. You would blush and prance—”
I sputter. “Prance—?”
“—as humans do,” he continues, his grin growing wider. “So then I would ask you to get me a towel—”
“To clean up all the bullshit you’re spewing?”
“—or something from the other room.” He continues on, blithely ignoring my faux outrage. “When you returned, I would be underneath the tree.”
My brows go up.
“Naked, of course. And if you asked what I was doing, I would tell you that I had put Sin under your tree.” He grins at me, delighted. “Clever, eh?”
“If by ‘clever,’ you mean that is the corniest line I’ve ever heard, then yes. Well done.” With a shake of my head, I break into laughter. “Amazing. Just amazing.”
“I thought it was quite good myself.” Sinath smiles down at me, and then his gaze grows intense. “I’m glad I’m here.”
“Me too. I’m also glad you didn’t break in and put yourself under my tree. Naked.”
“The idea isn’t to scar you. It’s to make you feel arousal.”
“Then I’m really glad you told me about your plan before you enacted it.” I shake my head. “You don’t need a bow or a tree or anything. I just need you to talk to me and tell me how you feel about me. I need you to want me.”
“Devin,” he says in a ragged voice. “I want you so much that I’m shaking.”
ChapterSixteen
DEVIN
