Page 32 of Must Love Scones and Secrets
Something changed in his expression. It was like a decision had been made, caution abandoned. The space between us felt charged with the same wild magic affecting the unicorns, but this was our own making.
Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him toward me, placing my lips on his. This time, there was no giggling, no pulling away, no explanations needed.
His strong arms circled my waist, drawing me closer.
Unlike the unicorn-induced kiss, this one started gentle but quickly blazed into something more desperate. He tasted like bloomberry wine, and once more, I caught that tantalizing smell of the ocean. My fingers tangled in his wet hair as his hands stroked my back, careful of my wings even in his urgency.
I melted into him, heat coursing through me. Bjorn met my passion without hesitation, his lips claiming mine with a hunger that sent sparks shooting from the tips of my wings. I pressed my body against him, feeling the hard planes of his chest against my softness, the pounding of his heart matching my own frantic rhythm.
When he deepened the kiss, a small sound escaped my throat—half sigh, half moan—and his arms tightened around me in response.
My head was spinning when we finally broke apart, both of us breathing hard. His blue eyes had gone dark with desire, and the runes on his arms glowed faintly beneath his wet sleeves.
Whatever this was, it was just beginning, and we were both lost in it.
CHAPTER 12
BJORN
Ipulled back, breathing hard.
“Don’t you dare apologize again,” Rosalyn told me with a lopsided grin.
I gently touched her face. “I won’t,” I said, looking down at her. She liked me…me. NotPrinceBjorn, just my ridiculously awkward self.
Her wings fluttered, sending raindrops and a shimmer of glitter around us that caught in the dim light of the cabin. Outside, the rain pounded against the roof, creating a soothing rhythm that made the small space feel even more intimate.
“We’re soaked,” I said, stepping back reluctantly.
“To the bone,” Rosalyn said with a laugh, wringing out her hair. “Oh, Merry,” she said, letting the caticorn out of his basket.
Merry shook his fluffy white hair with annoyance.
Turning, Rosalyn cocked a brow and snapped her fingers, sending blue sparks toward the stone fireplace. A moment later, a fire sprang to life.
“Works on bread ovens and fireplaces,” she said with a grin.
Merry made his way to the rug before the fire and set about grooming himself, an annoyed expression on his face. Smoke joined him. Sensing the caticorn’s dilemma, Smoke turned upthe heat. His fur flashed red, drying himself and warming the cat, who eyed him suspiciously.
“Any clothes in this place?” Rosalyn asked.
“I have just my duffle with a few things, but Elder Thornberry said the cabin is stocked.”
Rosalyn fluttered over to the trunk and opened it. “Hmm, let’s see what we’ve got here.” She pulled out a large woolen shirt and held it up against herself. It would fit her like a dress. “This will do for me. What about you?”
I couldn’t help but smile at her easy manner. “I’ll find something.”
Rosalyn studied the shirt for a moment. “Alas, no wing holes,” she added with a laugh. “I’ll be right back.” Winking at me, she disappeared behind a small changing screen in the corner. I went to my duffle and sorted through what little clothes I brought. Just a few changes of clothing and, out of habit, my royal suit. Frowning at it, I pushed it to the bottom of my bag and pulled out a pair of trousers and a clean tunic. I quickly changed out of my wet clothes, hanging them on hooks near the fireplace.
Smoke sighed heavily, sending a cloud of steam into the room, then lay down before the hearth with a contented sigh. Less damp but still displeased, Merry went to the windowsill to finish grooming while watching the rain with disdain.
Rosalyn emerged from behind the screen, swimming in the oversized shirt. Her red hair hung in damp waves around her shoulders. The shirt covered her to her mid-thigh. She’d pulled on a pair of green and white striped socks, which she found in the chest. They reached her knees. All in all, she looked utterly charming.
“What do you think?” she asked, twirling around. “High fashion. I look like a royal elf princess of the Bright Sidhe,” shesaid with a laugh, referring to the luminous and reclusive elves of Aurelune.
I chuckled, the relevancy of her joke not lost on me. I gave her a warm smile. “The elder has excellent taste. I’m perfectly happy with that outfit,” I said, unable to keep myself from flirting with her. Rosalyn was adorable, easy to talk to, and stunning. While I’d had my dalliances in the past, they were few and far between. A youthful summer love on Smoke Isle that ended in nothing. Another dalliance at the port when I traveled with the men. But aside from that, I had never really been in love. Infatuation? Yes. Sex? Yes. Love… No. And these days, with marriage foremost on my mother’s mind, I dared not even look at a woman for fear of my mother inquiring about dowry and lineage. But Rosalyn was so…natural. I had never been close to a woman who had been so at ease in her skinandwith me. Would she feel different if she knew I wasPrinceBjorn?
She grinned. “As fashionable as this ensemble may be, pixies and rain do not go together. I need warmth.”
