Page 96 of Spirit Rites
He tugs me closer to him. “I had a lot of time to think.”
I frown. “You weren’t gone that long.”
“Yeah, but it was long enough. Lying in a bed for even a day is torture.”
“Did you heal that fast?” I ask.
“Once I woke up, I was good to go. Jespar’s healing is pretty strong.”
“Then why didn’t you come back sooner?”
He scowls. “Rysden and Farrah.” I smile because I can only imagine. “Farrah wouldn’t let me leave until she was sure I was a hundred percent. And once she decided it, Rysden and Lox and everybody there just backed her up.”
I can’t help my smile. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure that’s how it goes now.”
“Anyway, all I could think about while I was lying in that bed healing was you. More than that, was this consuming thought that I want to get to know you, like really know you. I want more than a few minutes with you here and there. I want hours, days, uninterrupted.”
“That’s a little hard when you run a kingdom,” I say softly.
He runs a hand down my cheek. “You’re my mate, and I respect you so much. I know I love you even, but I don’t feel like I know you as well as I want to. The entire time we’ve known each other has been during stressful, chaotic, even dangerous times. So, I talked to Rysden.” I lift a brow, and he smiles at me. “When we get past some of this, I want to do just that.”
“What?” My voice is breathless.
“I want to go away for a few days, just you and me. Get to know each other, more than we already do. I want to spend time together, just the two of us.” I don’t say anything, and he continues. “Rysden offered us a small house that he owns outside the kingdom. It's in the woods, out in the middle of nowhere. I guess it was his father’s, but it’s his now. He said it’s private and quiet. What do you think?”
I don’t even have to think about it. “Yes.”
His face brightens. “Yeah?”
I smile. “Yeah.”
He palms my cheek again. “Let’s do it.” He leans forward and kisses me softly. “I have to tell you.” He kisses me again. “I have plans for this getaway.” Another kiss. “Lots and lots of plans.” I sigh against his lips. He tugs me closer and deepens the kiss.
I’m not sure how long we kiss, but it’s enough that I lose sense of anything else, except him. Finally, he pulls back, and his intense eyes lock with mine. “We’d better get some sleep. Tomorrow will come fast.”
My body is still buzzing with heat and adrenaline. “You should have thought of thatbeforeyou kissed me senseless.”
He chuckles and pulls me towards him and pulls the blankets over us. I’m not sure how I’m gong to sleep with him this close, but after a few minutes, my body relaxes against his. Sleep tugs me under faster than I thought it would.
We’re awakened the next morning with somebody knocking on the door. My eyes fly open, and I try to make sense of what woke me up. Kaldar doesn’t move from beside me. “I gave strict orders for us not to be bothered,” he says in a low, sexy voice still laden with sleep.
“You’re going to need to see this. It can’t wait.”
Kaldar’s hand tightens on my hip, and I glance down. I hadn’t even realized that his hand was there until the warmth isremoved, and I miss it. Kaldar sighs and leans forward, kissing my temple. “Who was that?” I ask, still trying to wake up.
“Evren.”
That wakes me up right away, and I roll towards him. “What do you think he wants?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know, but if he’s waking us early and Jorren gave his permission after I told him that we weren’t to be bothered, then it’s probably not good.”
I start to roll away, worry tugging at me now. But before I get far, a hand on my hip stops me. I look over my shoulder at Kaldar, and he leans towards me. He gives me a kiss on the lips. It’s not long, but it’s deep. I blink when he pulls away. “Morning, Angel.”
My smile stays with me while I get ready. Kaldar changes in the room, while I change in the bathroom. When I finish, I expect him to be gone; but he’s not. My eyebrows rise in surprise. “I thought you’d be gone.”
He smiles softly. “I was waiting for you. Ready?” He puts out his hand to me, and I put mine in his as we head out to the living room. When we get there, Evren is standing at the window, staring out. His body is tense, and I wonder what’s happened now.
He turns around as soon as we enter the room. He looks between the two of us, his sharp gaze missing nothing. “What did you need that was so important this early?” Kaldar asks in a voice that suggests it’d better be a good reason.
