Page 88 of The Call of Crimson
His gaze sharpens, more serious now. “And have you?”
“Have I what?”
“Loved like that?”
My breath hitches, something tight swelling in my chest. I turn my head away, breaking eye contact. “No.”
Warm fingers catch my chin, gently coaxing me back to face him. “Let me love you like that,” he pleads, his thumb brushing tenderly across my cheek.
I close my eyes, swallowing down the knot in my throat. “I don’t know if that’s possible.”
“I believe anything is possible.”
I sigh. “What a sickeningly optimistic view.”
He chuckles. “It’s better than whatever viewpoint you seem to have.”
“I’m pragmatic.”
“It’s depressing.”
I roll my eyes, grateful for the shift in tone. “Alright, you win this match. Let’s go again.”
He grins, pulling me to my feet.
We reset, and this time, I land a clean hit to his left eye.
“Oh, that’s going to bruise,” I say delightedly. “How do you look in purple?”
“I look good in everything, love.” He cocks an eyebrow. “I look especially good in nothing.”
I snort, circling him. “What’s your most embarrassing memory?”
As he opens his mouth, I dart forward and land a punch to his gut.
“Ompf.” He doubles over slightly, gasping.
I follow with a quick roundhouse kick that nearly topples him.
“The first time I bedded someone,” he manages between breaths, “I was so drunk, I didn’t know who I had taken to my bed.”
“That doesn’t sound that bad.”
“It was a stableboy with a wicked sense of humor,” he continues. His fist connects with my gut, and I double over as the breath leaves my lungs. “The next morning, I couldn’t remember what had happened. He wouldn’t tell me which of us had…” He muses, grinning wickedly as I dissolve into laughter.
“Well,” I manage between gasps, “at least you’re an equal opportunistanda good sport.”
“See?” he says, flashing a bright, cocky grin. “You understand me. I suspect you’re already falling for my charms.”
I shake my head, wiping tears of laughter from my eyes. “Not a chance, Prince.”
But gods help me... for just a moment, it almost feels easy to imagine a world where I could.
“So you didn’t know who’d taken it up the ass?” I offer sweetly.
“Such a crude mouth,” Ayden chastises, amusement sparkling in his amber eyes. “But yes.”
“Did you ever find out?”
