Page 80 of A Fate of Ice and Lies
She whispered my name, and in all the times I’d heard my name, I’d never heard it sound so real or so cherished as that moment when it slipped through her pretty lips.
I ached to pierce her skin and claim her as mine. I couldn’t, though. I wouldn’t until she knew what biting her meant, andshe wanted it as much as I did. Not until I lifted the enchantment of our first encounter so there’d be no secrets or deceptions between us.
Instead, I kissed her throat down to her collarbone. Humming, she bared her throat to me. I couldn’t help the way I ran the tips of my canines along her soft skin or the feral growl that escaped me.
“Children are watching.”Nalari’s voice made me jolt.
Teddy pressed her lips together and tilted her head in question.
“Tori,” I whispered.
“Shit.” She took a step away from me and smoothed her first layer of clothes down.
“Well, only one child, but she’s very inquisitive.”
I grumbled but forced a smile when I heard her small footsteps approach us hesitantly.
“Food!” Teddy whirled around and rushed the two steps to Victoria, who she scooped up in her arms. “I’ll make us some dinner.”
I snapped my fingers. “Cooking.” I tore the gravelly word from my throat. “I’m the worst at cooking.”
She narrowed her eyes at me and cocked a hip in my direction. “Are you really? Or do you use that to get out of cooking?”
“Definitely the first.” I winked.
“Whatever you say, Your Highness.”
I gaped at her departing form and grabbed the gun case before following her into the house. I rushed to the door to hold it open for her, and she curtsied.
Full-on curtsied with Victoria in her arms.
“Did you just make fun of me?” I asked. “Twice?”
She set Victoria down on the floor andpressed her palm to her chest. “No, my liege. I would never.” And then she fluttered her lashes.
I gripped the doorframe hard to keep myself from scooping this female up and kissing her.
She was adorable in her teasing. Irresistible.
“You think I’m a menace? You...you’re trouble, is what you are.”
“That was a terrible comeback.” She patted my shoulder. “Maybe you should work on that.” She leaned into the hallway where Victoria had wandered off to. “Tor! Take a quick shower while I make us dinner.”
Victoria grumbled something back, but in the time it took Teddy to put away her gun, I heard the shower start.
In the kitchen, Teddy hesitated. She looked in her pantry and fridge, sighed, then started working. Despite her pantry having so little, she somehow found spices that after she’d prepped the meat and started cooking, added to the enticing scents of the kitchen.
“I. . .” I started, not sure how to ask. “Should I leave?”
Her back jolted, and she turned to shoot me an inquisitive, almost hurtful look over her shoulder.
“I want to stay. I mean, you said it yourself, I’m not subtle about how I feel about you, so of course I want to stay,” I said. Rambling, I was rambling like some inexperienced youngling. “But is it okay? Do you have enough food? I mean, if you ever need more, tell me and?—”
“Too many words.” Teddy laughed. “Yes, I want you to stay. Yes, we have enough. Yes, I’ll let you know if we need more, which I don’t see happening with how much you and Nalari bring us. I don’t know how you do it all.”
I do it for you, I almost said. I did it all for her and wouldcontinue to do more to make sure she was safe. To make sure she didn’t go without.
With her hair a wet tangled mess, Victoria ran into the kitchen, where she ripped a piece of bread from the loaf on the countertop and shoved it in her mouth. I pulled the girl to me and after reaching in the inner pocket of my magic, I pulled out a comb. Starting at the bottom of Victoria’s long hair, I began combing out her knots. I wasn’t even sure why this felt so natural to me. While I made the time to go to the orphanage with my friends, something that was important to Brenton, I’d never felt this comfortable with a child. I’d never wanted to tend to one the way I did now with Victoria.
