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“It?”
“What we discussed at dinner.”
“Do you want to talk about it right now?”
“No. Yes. I mean, we probably should.”
I sat up, giving Raven my full attention. “Alright, but first answer a question for me.”
She sat up straight, as well. “Okay.”
“What were you thinking when you approached me earlier?”
“When I came out of the closet?”
“Yes. When you decided to carry the robe instead of covering yourself with it.”
“Are you complaining?” she challenged.
“Not in the least. Things have been rather volatile, especially the fluctuations we’re having emotionally thanks to the bond. I’m just trying to gauge where your head is.”
Raven twisted her lips. “I was thinking I’d really like to get you into the bath with me.”
“Why?”
She gave me a withering look.
“Obviously we’re extremely attracted to one another, Raven. The bond is tugging hard on that front. I’m trying to get at what changed. What brought this boldness out at this particular moment?”
Her fingers rubbed across her clavicle. I held my tongue, giving her time.
“Distraction,” she finally replied. “I think I needed a distraction.”
I pushed away from the wall, placing my hands on either side of her head. She was cornered but we weren’t touching. “Is that what I am? A distraction?”
She shook her head.
“Are you really going to give this mating a chance, even after the discussion we had over dinner? Or did your answers to Draven’s questions change things for you?”
“Wow. You just get right to the heart of it, don’t you?”
I pressed in closer. She readily adjusted her legs, allowing me between them.
“Not always. Not when a slow hand is far more important.” My fingertips ran up and down her outer thighs. I refrained from touching anything else, holding myself in check while I waited for her to answer my question.
Raven blew out a puff of air. “I won’t ask you to leave Embour. I would never do that to you. This is where your family is, why would you ever want to leave them? I know that I’ll likely have to be the one to hold the Faelands together. Kol’s too young and Father would be miserable. I know ruling over the fae isn’t something you want. It’s not something I truly want, either, but I’ll do it because I don’t want the Faelands to fall into a state of chaos.”
She took a breath. “I’m also terribly and unjustly selfish because there’s a high probability I’ll have to leave Embour and face Sersha. There’s no guarantee I’ll come out on top, especially since she has no honor and will stoop to deceptive tactics that could get me killed. Knowing the odds weren’t great didn’t stop me from trying to seduce you, to have you for at least for one night.”
“It seems you know an awful lot. I didn’t realize you were both a mind reader and a martyr.”
Her pupils constricted. “I’m not wrong.”
“Perhaps, but you’re also not right.”
Grabbing her hand, I lifted it out of the water and placed her palm over my heart. My own landed just above her left breast. I stared intently into her eyes, feeling our heartbeats sync and settle into a single, steady rhythm.
It was something only mated pairs could do. Though we weren’t soulbonded and marked with the double daggers, our predestined link indicated we were already joined to some degree.
