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She sucked in a breath and stared at me, bemused. As I ate the bite, I kept my gaze locked on hers. Once I’d swallowed, I licked the frosting off each of her fingers.
“Talk about making me swoon,” she breathed. “I’m going to melt and slide off the bench. Puddle Kate, they’ll call me.”
“I like making you melt.”
“I’m sure you do,” she said dryly, though she shot me a smile.
“Allow me to feed you. As you said, we must practice traditions like this to ensure we do not make mistakes.”
I broke off a piece of my own cupcake and held it out to her. She must read the dare in my eyes because she held my wrist.
Leaning close, she took the bite from me, and just like I’d done with her, she didn’t let go. After swallowing, she sucked on each of my fingers, making sure to flick her tongue across the tips.
I sucked in a breath and watched her.
“You’re dangerous, Kate,” I said in a voice gone very husky. “There are things . . .” I shook my head.
“What were you going to say?” She released my hand.
“There are many things we could lick.”
Her pupils widened. “Perhaps, like feeding each other cake, it’s something we need to practice?”
“Do you mean that?”
“I do.”
Ohhh.
“I have a question,” I said.
She nodded, her lips separating in anticipation.
“Would you . . .?”
She tilted her head, an inviting smile teasing her lips upward. “What?”
“I’d like to show you where I live.” I was ready to bare myself to her. How would she feel if she knew how vulnerable I was to her already? “I know you won’t move in with me for a few days, but I’d like to share my home with you today.”
“You don’t live at Finni’s estate?”
“I’d only do that if I had to,” I said. My aunt had insisted at first, but I’d persuaded her I was safe enough in my own home. “It’s much too elegant. I’m a simple male.”
“In addition to being an almost duke.”
“And that is why you’ll turn me into an almost-human instead, my lovely fiancée. Then the line can be passed to my sister. I’ve shrugged off the mantle, and I have no interest in picking it up.”
She held out her hand. “Show me where the real Tylik lives, then,” she said with excitement. “I can’t wait to see.”
Trepidation skidded through me. Would she like my home? It would be hers as well until we parted.
I was beginning to believe I didn’t want that day to arrive.
We packed up the rest of the cupcake and took it with us, walking to my carriage. The flisteers stomped their feet as we climbed inside. They took wing, and it didn’t take long to reach the long drive to my somewhat secluded home. The beasts landed and plodded along the crushed stone.
“Lots of trees,” she said, peering out her window. “It’s pretty, though.” She pointed out my side. “Look, deer.”
They scattered, darting into the woods when they spied the flisteers.
