Page 169 of The Spider Queen
Thane waded into the lagoon, sparks of light swirling around him. He went under for a moment and then popped up, his dark hair plastered to his face. His muscles rippled, and lagoon water trailed down his chest.
“What are you doing?” he asked. “Why aren’t you in here?”
“I’m admiring the view,” I answered.
He chuckled and then stretched out on his back. He floated leisurely while he waited for me. I stalked toward the edge, wearing nothing but skin. The chilly night air blew across my body, pebbling my nipples.
The water was warmer than I expected. I went under and opened my eyes. Lagoon merrows, no bigger than a clothespin, with bright swatches of hair ranging from red to green to yellow, darted around me. Their silver tails brushed against my skin.
One daring little imp swam up to my nose and pressed a kiss to the end of it. I smiled and slowly rose, my head breaching the surface.
“They like you,” Thane said. His fingers glided through the water, and beads of light traveled to meet them.
“I think they like you, too,” I commented.
Thane waded through the water and lifted me into his arms. My legs went around him, and we floated there for a moment, our most intimate places touching.
“I want you again,” Thane said, his tone low.
I sighed. “I never stopped wanting you.”
He lightly trailed his lips down my cheek. “I like you like this.”
“Like this? You mean, naked and wrapped around you?” I snorted. “Yeah, I like it too.”
“No, I mean—well, yes of course, I like that.” His grin was lopsided. “The honesty between us.”
I nodded and bit my lip, forcing my eyes to remain on his. “Fighting you was fighting myself and I—don’t want to have regrets. Who knows if we’ll be able to free the mage? Who knows what will happen between Heaven and Hell.”
“There’s always the possibility, Poppy—” he whispered. “—that we might die, trying to save everyone else. But if we succeed, we get to be together.” He grasped one of my hands that was currently around his neck and brought it to his now fully healed body. No scratches or bruises marred his flesh, and he was warm to the touch.
The scent of him aroused me, turning my desire from a simmer to a boil.
“Thank you,” I said, pressing toward him.
“For?”
“For not lying—about the direness of our situation.”
His smile was mournful. “I’ve only just found you. I’ll do anything to keep you. If you leave me, it won’t be because I drove you away.”
I bit my lip, not sure I wanted to tell him I couldn’t leave him. Not now. Notafter. He was the puzzle piece I hadn’t even known was missing.
“My other half,” I murmured.
His brow furrowed. “I don’t understand—”
“We call our spouses our other halves.”
“You are no longer human. And I am not your spouse.” His eyes darkened, the ebony pools reflecting cerulean galaxies blazing in his gaze. “You are more than human. And I am more than your spouse.”
His hands slid my legs apart and he slipped into me.
And then I was whole once again.
Chapter 16
Once we had enough and our skin had turned pruney, Thane and I climbed out of the lagoon. We gathered our clothes—clean—and in Thane’s case, whole.
