Page 77 of Golden Queen
There was no doubt that my heart was becoming dangerously entangled in a way that I was sure would cause me a great deal of despair once he was gone.
Dinner had been much like breakfast, except that Tatana had been unwilling to come, and Io had seated himself directly beside me, not in Markus' chair but in Arkadian's, who was also still absent from the city.
He spent the entire meal trying to make me blush, seeming to truly enjoy causing me discomfort in public as he reminded me of what we had done together.
In his chamber, as he ran his lips down my throat, I admonished him, "You really must stop making me blush in the middle of the dining room."
He laughed. "But you turn the most enchanting shade of pink—just like when you come, you know."
I gasped, pushing back from him. "You lie!"
"I assure you, I do not. You flush all over. It’s very charming."
I buried my head in his chest, laughing despite myself. I should have been embarrassed, but I found it oddly hard to feel that emotion around him. He made me feel a lot of things; wanted, protected, nearly cherished. But he did not make me feel shame for wanting him or for enjoying myself.
He cupped his hands around my cheeks and tipped my face up, looking down at me. His expression was uncharacteristically solemn as his gaze slid over my features and landed on my eyes. "You are so beautiful, Sera."
I smiled, recklessly letting that happiness build up inside me until I thought I would burst from it.
When his lips met mine, they were so soft, so tender, that my chest felt hollowed out from the ache of longing that took up what felt like permanent residence inside me.
I felt my cloak fall away, not even realizing he had undone the clasp.
He started to turn me, to undo the buttons on the back of my nightgown, but I laughed. "The laces in front," I said.
He reached down to the satin laces that crisscrossed the front of my gown, shaking his head as he pulled them, undoing the bow. "You did that on purpose."
"I did," I admitted, smiling broadly.
"You really are trouble, aren't you?" he said, tugging the lace roughly, pulling me closer as he continued to undo the corset-style gown.
"Usually," I said.
He leaned down, sliding one arm behind my back and the other behind my knees, and lifted me in his arms. I let out a startled yelp as he turned, heading for the bed.
"Sh," he admonished, chuckling, but then surprised me again by tossing me onto the bed.
When the laugh burst out of me, he climbed over me and covered mymouth with his, laughing as he admonished me again. "Be quiet you cruel, heartless creature. You'll have me thrown in the dungeons."
I snapped my mouth shut but couldn't stop the smile that threatened to crack my cheeks. "As though any dungeon could keep you inside it," I said.
He laughed and the crooked grin on his face made me breathless.
I reached up, running my hand down the side of his face, letting my fingers slide across the rough stubble along his jaw, and then over the line of his perfect lips.
"Youare beautiful," I said, expecting a bit of embarrassment at the admission, but it never came.
He was—ridiculously beautiful.
He was silent for a moment, and I thought he wouldn't reply, but then he smiled faintly. "Thank you, Sera."
An unexpected dart of emotion rolled through me. Of course he would know he was beautiful. I was sure he'd been told it more times than I could even imagine. So why then, did he seem so incredibly sincere when he thanked me for the compliment.
It didn't matter. It was another moment I knew would come back to bite me right in the heart later. But just then, I had what felt like an inferno licking through my veins, one that sensed the same heat from him and wanted to be consumed by it.
I pulled his face to mine and kissed him, catching his lip between my teeth as his hand went back to my laces and finished the work of undoing my gown.
I felt the chill air of the room glide over my breasts, tightening my nipples to points as he slipped the material off my shoulders and coaxed the nightgown down my body. He rose onto his knees and tossed it aside, never taking his eyes off me.
