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He gave me a soft smile and tugged me close, wrapping his arms around my shoulders as he spoke into my hair.
“I wasn’t questioning you, sweetheart, or doubting you. You know that, right?”
My hands were trapped against his chest between us, his scar obvious beneath my fingertips even through his shirt. I pressed closer, breathing him in as he surrounded me in his warmth.
“I know. Zeke talked to me,” I mumbled against his chest.
“Did he now?” he answered smugly.
“Yes, he did, so you owe him one!” Zeke called from just beyond the entrance, the pair of them trying to give us some space but not having the light to move far.
Noah chuckled and pulled me out into the passage behind him, my light following us when I beckoned for it.
“Question,” Zeke said as we rejoined the main tunnel. “Why didn’t we feel the tripwire alarm? We must have passed it a while back.”
I nodded at him as he glanced back to me. “It’s still there, but it’s sitting on the ground where I put it. The tunnels go underneath, so it won’t trigger if anyone passes through this way.”
A heavy silence fell as we all digested what that meant, the darkness seeming to press close around our small circle of light. All I could hope was that we were alone down here; the last thing we needed was to be blindsided by my mother.
Without the sun to guide us it was hard to keep an accurate track of how long we walked, but my stomach released a loud grumble as we reached the next intersection, making the guys chuckle. I rolled my eyes at them as I gestured to the three passageways in front of us.
“You can’t be surprised that I’m hungry, it must be night by now,” I grumbled as I rocked a little on my aching feet. “Anyone want to vote on which tunnel leads to somewhere we can rest?”
Liam pointed left. “That way is the way on through the tunnels. If we go straight we’ll hit the stairway up. Right is where we can stop for the night.”
I raised a brow at his confidence. “How can you possibly know that? There’s no way you can see that far.”
He winked at me and tapped his ear. “I can hear how the sounds we’re making are echoing ahead.”
He pointed to each way in turn as he spoke. “Long passageway, larger room, small room.”
I glanced at the others to see if he was playing with me, but they nodded in genuine agreement so I shrugged and took the right-hand passage.
“I guess you do have some useful talents,” I teased, earning myself a sharp slap on the butt as he caught up with me.
The chamber we found ourselves in was identical to our previous find, with a large altar to the side, a small, gently running fountain and a set of empty shelves. Dropping my bag onto the floor, I sank down gratefully and kicked off my boots, rubbing my feet with a grimace.
“I am not appreciating these stone floors.”
A warm hand smoothed over my back and I looked up to find Noah offering me both comfort and food. I took the bread and dried meat strips gratefully, breathing him in as he pressed a kiss to my cheek and settled beside me.
“Give them here,” Zeke murmured after we’d all eaten our fill, scooping my feet into his lap.
A soft groan fell from my lips as he pressed his thumb into the arch of my foot, helping to relieve the ache and making my eyes flutter closed as pleasure skittered through me. A featherlight touch on my arm made me sigh, the fingertips trailing soft circles up and across my skin, and I let my head roll loosely to face Noah as I opened my eyes to meet his gaze.
“Did you accept my apology,” I whispered, my pulse picking up at the heat in his expression. “Or do I need to put some more work in to make you forgive me?”
A lazy grin spread across his face as his touch moved across my shoulder and trailed over my collarbone.
“Oh, you’re forgiven, sweetheart, but if you’re offering another apology, I’ll happily take it.”
My stomach swooped at the promise in his tone, a shiver running through me as his fingers skimmed the curve of my breast.
“I’m all yours, babe. Do as you please.”
His brow rose at my husky words. “Well, there’s an offer I’d be an idiot to refuse.”
Leaning in, he captured my mouth in a slow, building kiss, stroking my tongue with his own as his fingers buried into my hair. He took his time, languidly stealing my breath and leaving me gripping almost desperately to his shirt in my attempt to pull him closer. He grinned as he broke away, his thumb stroking down the side of my throat and sending spirals of sensation shooting across my skin.
