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The moment felt too heavy. Then his hand slid up my wrist, the other went to my lower back. It reminded me of the dance we had shared in the Xev palace. I had been too petrified of his presence to enjoy the press of our bodies, or his arms around me once I knew his identity.
He tugged me closer until our bodies brushed.
“Don’t forget that at court there are at least three inches of space separating us,” I said slyly.
He chuckled. “But what's the fun in that?”
My mouth went dry at the roguish grin he sent me. Sahlyn proceeded to pull me even closer, until our thighs bumped together. I had no choice but to put my hands around his neck or they would be sandwiched between our bodies. One of his hands went to my ribcage just below my breast, and the other wrapped around my waist.
He had to feel the frantic beat of my heart.
I slowly let my eyes drift over his powerful chest, up the column of his scarred neck, over the sinister curl of his lips, to those blue-gray eyes that I had complimented him on, despite all his other blaringly appealing attributes. They were the window to his soul, and I was enraptured by them.
It became a little difficult to breathe, and I had a feeling he knew exactly the response he was getting out of me. I was probably just one in the sea of girls that were stumbling over themselves to be in his consuming presence. Typically, that would bother me, but tonight I just breathed in his forest scent and leaned into him. This was a moment in time that I would never have again. I had been suffering through dancing with stuffy old men who looked down at my cleavage far too often and wanted something from me that I would not give.
So, I forgot about expectations, legendary weapons, and the queen. I let myself relish in the feel of Sahlyn's strong arms around me, and that masculine form against my hands. I enjoyed his capable fingers gripping me firmly, and more intimately than was appropriate.
I felt Sahlyn stiffen slightly when my body went fluid against his, surprise etching his features, but then he relaxed and tugged me closer still, until both of his arms wrapped around my back, and it was more of a snuggle and sway, than a dance. It felt glorious. I had never been the cuddling type… probably because Gregoire hadn't been, and I was never really given a chance for snuggling. But after all that I had been through, seeking comfort from another felt monumentally better than I would have ever expected. More importantly, Sahlyn was not someone I had ever expected to gain compassion or comfort from, but the way his arms tightened around me, and his chin came to rest at my temple, I realized that I was giving as much as I was receiving.
When the song ended, Sahlyn slowly, reluctantly pulled away from me and cleared his throat. In the meld of moon gleam and firelight, his hair was like a halo, and his eyes held an uncertainty that I had never seen before. That or it was just my edginess reflecting back at me.
“I think I will retire for the night, my lady. It would be best if you did the same.” His words shattered the poignant moment that we’d been on the cusp of. I shook my head, ridding myself of thoughts I could not afford. Like how soft his tawny hair and lips looked. We’d been skipping around this immense heat all day, and now he was just ending it.
Inwardly, I berated myself. Mixing business and pleasure was a bad idea. We had a journey to complete together, and romancecouldn’tbe part of that.
“Why? There are so many eligible men here for me to shack up with.”
A brow raised and his lips thinned. I’d expected a quick-witted come back; something about the shortness of the dwarves in relevance to their cock, or something equally crude, but the look he sent me was unexpected. Much like this entire night had been, and I had no idea how to take it
“Let me walk you to Esme’s hut,” he said delicately. “Dawn will approach quickly.”
Whispering Wood
I had forgotten what it was like to live. I hadn't felt so light since I was sixteen, riding across the edge of the cliffs that ran against the sea with my brother.
Something deep and bright sparked in my chest. Autumn had turned so fluid against me while we danced my heart melted. I had never expected that soft compliance in her muscled body. I was attracted to her, but I also saw her as a comrade. I tried to separate her into that category—comrade, companion. But I would never see her as just that after her feminine curves went soft at my touch. Autumn was a feisty, fierce woman, but she’d given me a glimpse of the vulnerable female beneath. She needed touch and compassion, just as much as Iyearnedfor it. It had been easy to see her as untouchable, unattainable, but all day she had tested my willpower with the way she blatantly scanned my body with lust in her eyes.
I’d had to end the moment before I’d done something stupid, like scoop her up to snuggle against my chest or bring her to a bed to worship her body the way it deserved to be. Instead, she’d have probably stabbed me.
I had wanted to kiss her more than anything in my life. It had been over five years since I kissed someone. The queen didn’t allow us to have sexual intercourse with anyone but her and didn’t want us to develop relationships with others. So I had never gotten close enough to anyone to consider them a friend, never mind getting cozy enough to kiss them even though the contract didn’t restrain us from doing anything besides intercourse. Kissing was too intimate an act.
I recalled the queen saying that her mouth was only for pure hearts—
My heart stopped as I recanted the first night I had come to Amira’s bedroom, the night I had signed my contract. She told me I had to swear celibacy, and I could not have intercourse with anyone but her. I tried to kiss her, but she pushed my face away.
“No, my Huntsman. We do not kiss. My mouth is for the pure heart’s only.”
I always thought it was an insane rule, and the queen’s reasoning receded to the back of my mind but surfaced now.
Amira only allowed pure hearts in her mouth.
She didn’t meankissedby those with pure hearts, but toeatpure hearts.
Fuck.Amira had been doing it even then.
As she’d entered Esme’s hut, Autumn had glanced back at me over her shoulder. Questions burned in the honey and gold of her eyes.
I had remained awake, thinking about kissing her, my hands against her body, and our upcoming journey long into the night. It did me no good to think of Autumn romantically because I didn’t deserve her. I don’t even think I deserved to be the one at her side for this heroic journey, but Bereille had given me an order to keep her safe, and I wanted to uphold that request no matter what. If it resulted in my death, then that sacrifice was worth it if Autumn succeeded. I may never be worthy of doing the things with Autumn I dreamt of, but if Bereille thought I was worthy of protecting her, that was what I would do.
