Page 19 of Polar Fates
I stretch and kisshim.
It’sperfect.
Seven
Morning comes a lot sooner than it should be allowed to, but the sun warming my face is telling me it’s time to get up. I groan and stretch, eliciting a grumble from beneath me. Oh. I’m lying on top of Ràn and I may just have rammed my elbow into his chest.Sorry.
I scramble off him and the sofa we were both sleeping on. We’re still clothed - somehow, we never made it past that kiss. We cuddled on the sofa, enjoying each other’s warmth and closeness until we fellasleep.
Good morning, I tell Alis, but she doesn’t respond. She’s probably still asleep. Or doing whatever she does when she’s not talking to me. When we’re shifted, I can sleep while she is running, and the same is true the other wayround.
“Morning,” Ràn says, his voice hoarse with sleep. “Sweetdreams?”
“If I told you that you were in them, would you call themsweet?”
“No. Hot? Sexy?Amazing?”
“Stop it. You’re large enough as it is, don’t go inflatingyourself.”
He laughs, a beautiful, richsound.
“Did you really dream ofme?”
I shrug. “I can’t remember, so it may as well have been you.” I bend down and give him a kiss on the forehead. “I would like that,actually.”
He pulls me close until I topple over and land on hischest.
“I just got up,” I complain, but I’m smiling widely. I love Ràn’s playful side. His mouth is in reach so I kiss him again, this time on the lips. He responds instantly,hungrily.
His lips are firm but soft, meeting mine with an energy that gives me tingles all over my body. I let myself drown in him, in the kiss, letting go of all the worries I have in my subconscious. He is grounding me. His tongue meets mine and we dance. Our bodies are so close I can feel his heartbeat. I imagine how our hearts are beating together, as one, and smile at the tackiness of thatthought.
Unfortunately, Ràn takes that as the signal to end thekiss.
“Why are yousmiling?”
“I’m going to stop smiling if you don’t start kissing meagain.”
He chuckles and then his lips are on mine once more.Good.
The living room door opens withoutwarning.
“Good morning, sunshines!” Húnn hollers, making me cringe. He’s far too loud and cheery. Until I’ve had my tea, people are supposed to bequiet.
Behind Húnn, the other two guys enter, already dressed and looking ready to go. I groan as I remember what today’s going to be like. Morerunning.
“Have you looked outside yet?” Finn asks excitedly. “The snow hasmelted!”
I jump up and run to the window. Yes, it’s silly to be excited about something so insignificant, but after seeing nothing but snow for weeks, the sight of grass is magnificent. It’s a little brown and muddy from being underneath the snow for so long, but at least it isn’twhite.
The weather has changed since the Drowning. The seasons have become more intense - the winters colder and the summers warmer. When I was a child, we never had much snow, maybe for a few days before it melted away. Rarely enough to build a proper snowman. Back then, I would have loved to have as much snow as we have nowadays - but I’m an adult now and snow makes everything morecomplicated.
Alis yawns inside my head.Bah, it’s muddy. My fur is going to getdirty.
“Don’t be so vain. Once you shift back, I can take a nice hot bath to wash it alloff.”
“Talking to Alis?” Torben grins. Oh. I hadn’t realised I’d spoken aloud. I thought I’d got the mental conversation thingy under control bynow.
“We’d be happy to join you for that bath,” Finn chuckles, making me blush a little. I won’t tell them that I had already planned on taking them with me. The bathtub isn’t large enough for all five of us, but I’ve already managed to squeeze in with two of thembefore.
