Page 44 of The Salted Sceptre
I ran my tongue across my lips. ‘Did I?’
‘You don’t remember?’
‘I don’t remember it like that,’ I said. ‘In fact, I’m certain I said more than that.’
Hugo’s blue eyes danced. ‘What else did you say?’
I took a step towards him. ‘Well,’ I drawled, ‘as I recall I also said quite distinctly that I want to feel you inside me.’
‘Inside you?’
‘Mmmhmm.’
‘Me?’
‘Mmmm.’
He closed the distance between us, stopping only when we were toe to toe. He didn’t touch me but I could feel his hot breath on my skin. There were goosebumps all over my body even though it wasn’t a cold afternoon .
‘I like it when you blush like that,’ Hugo said roughly.
‘I like it when you flash your dimple like that,’ I replied.
His mouth curved into a deeper smile and his dimple became even more noticeable. My heart beat harder. ‘I think,’ I whispered, ‘in fact, Iknow, that I’m one hundred percent completely and utterly addicted to you. Who needs drugs when Lord Hugo Pemberville is around? The more time I spend with you, the more I want you. You’re already inside me, Hugo.’ I tapped my temple. ‘You’re in here.’ I touched the centre of my chest. ‘And you’re in here.’
His eyes darkened with satisfaction. ‘There’s no escape from me, Daisy.’
I leaned in until nothing was separating us beyond a sliver of air. ‘Why would I ever want to escape?’
Hugo groaned. A heartbeat later, his mouth claimed mine. ‘I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth.’ He kissed me again and his hands tangled in my hair before moving down my body. He pulled me against him so tightly that it felt as if we were fused together.
‘I want to grow old with you. I want to spend the next decades of our lives together. I don’t care if we’re hunting for the world’s greatest treasures or staying at home watchingBargain Hunt. As long as I’m with you, I know I’ll be happy.’
And with that, we stumbled towards the tent.
The followingmorning I was bending awkwardly over the outdoor tap and brushing my teeth when Hester approached. I didn’t want anything to dispel the warm buzz of contentment that I’d woken up with, not yet. There were plenty of hours left in the day for doom-laden dejection.
I managed a vague nod in her direction, hoping she’d give me a sunny good morning then wander away again. Unfortunately,she simply hovered beside me with an expression that suggested she had something to say and that she wouldn’t let me escape until she’d said it. I briefly debated running away but instead I rinsed out my mouth and straightened up to face her.
‘Can I talk to you for a minute?’ she asked, twisting her hands together in an uncharacteristically nervous movement.
‘Of course, Hes.’
She nodded gratefully but she didn’t say anything. I waited for several beats then I tried to fill in the blanks for her. ‘You’re worried about going into Smoo Cave after what happened last time,’ I guessed. ‘It won’t be like that. I know it must have been scary for you when I fell into that hole, and I know you thought I was dead, but everything turned out fine in the end. This time it’ll be even better.’
‘I’m not scared about the cave. And if you die, it’ll be all your own fault anyway,’ Hester said, a bit too loudly.
I looked at her and she pulled a face. ‘Alright.’ She sniffed and dropped her head. ‘Maybe I’m a bit scared about the cave. In fact, maybe I’m terrified. Maybe the moment you let go and dropped into that black hole was the worst moment of my life.’ Her wings twitched. ‘But that’s not why I want to talk to you.’
I gazed at her. ‘Okay.’
She licked her lips and again she didn’t say a word. I was still supposed to guess what we were talking about then. ‘You’re still annoyed about what happened with Amy?’ She shook her head. ‘Uh, you think I should stop trying to find a way to defeat Athair and hide from him instead, like Lady Rose did?’
This time she scowled. ‘No. Daisy Carter does not hide from anyone,’ Hester said icily.
I grinned. True. ‘Then are you here because you want me to buy some more chocolate brownies before we head to the cave?’
She huffed with obvious irritation. Not that, then; definitely not that. I squinted at her more carefully. There was real miseryetched on her face and I felt a blast of cold fear. ‘What is it, Hester? What’s wrong? Are you ill?’ She shook her head. ‘Is Otis ill?’
