Page 51 of Heir Of Sun And Moon
SINCERELY,
FLYNN
“This afternoon?” I squeeze the letter to my chest. The mental list of questions that has only grown the longer I’ve known Flynn runs through my mind.
Bella comes down, stretching her legs and yawning as I get our breakfast ready. Taking my meal out on the balcony, I sigh as soon as the rays hit my skin. The magic inside of me curls and hums, warming me up from the inside as well.
My eyes look out over the glistening water at the same few ships I see floating there every morning. It’s easy to be reminded of the monotony of my day, of the way my life replays itself like I’m stuck in a loop. Except that’s not exactly true anymore. The loop was disrupted the day a guard named Flynn showed up and saw me. Truly saw me. I chew on my lip as I think about the fact that I will have to leave him when I escape. I wish I could ask him to come with me. My heart flutters a little at that thought. He probably has an established life here, however, and friends that rely on him. My thoughts keep tumbling over themselves as I reach for a piece of bread off of my plate when my hand freezes halfway to my mouth. What if he iswithsomeone. I assume he isn’t married because there would be a ring on his finger.Wouldn’t there?But he could definitely be seeing someone and I wouldn’t have a clue. I don’t want to believe he would do something like that, but how would I know? With my limited experience, am I really the best judge of character? I know what my question for Flynn will be.
Groaning, I set the food back down and tilt my head up towards the mostly blue sky, just a few fluffy white clouds floating overhead. Bella comes to sit at my feet, my hand immediately dropping to the top of her head.
“Bella, tell me everything you know about men.” I look down at her, her golden irises gleaming in the sunlight as she turns her head to look at me. She huffs out a breath and turns back to look at the lake through the railing. Leaning down, I kiss the top of her head and chuckle. “Yeah, that’s about as much as I know too. Though maybe I know a bit more since I can read books.” Bella shifts to look at me again, and I burst out in laughter. She almost looks like she is scowling.
I finish my food and head up to my loft to bathe and get dressed. My fingers drag across my collection of newer dresses that I’ve laid on my bed after my bath as I try to decide which one to wear. There is a cream-colored one that is more flowy than the others, the fabric silken. Slipping it on, I delight in the feel of it against my skin. I sit at the vanity and brush out my hair before tying the long strands back into a low ponytail.
When knocking sounds downstairs, my heart flips in my chest. I quickly make my way to the door and pull it open, but my smile falls a little when I take in Flynn’s appearance. He has dark circles marring the tan skin under his lovely eyes.
“Are you okay?” I breathe out, worry twirling in my stomach.
Flynn just smiles—a world-endingly beautiful thing—before he nods his head. “Yes, perfectly fine.” I step to the side to let him in, shutting the door. “You look beautiful,” he says smoothly, and heat rises to my cheeks as I dip my chin.
“Thank you.” I reply, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Have you picked out a book for us to read?” My eyes follow him as he takes a step towards the library, unable to help the way they drag up and down his impressive figure. The muscles of his thighs strain against his black trousers, while the size of his shoulders speak to the strength he must possess. Swallowing, my inspection of him continues until my gaze finds his again.
“Sunshine,” he murmurs as he runs a hand through his hair.Is it odd to be jealous of that hand?“I would love to know what you are thinking about right now.”
My lips pinch together as I gesture ahead of us and completely ignore his request. “Shall we?” He blows out a breath through his grin, shaking his head as he follows me into the library. “Is today a day off for you?” I ask as he browses the books.
“It is,” he says, glancing down at me with a smile.
We jokingly argue over which book to read, Flynn picking out another history book as dull asThe History Of The Five Realms,while I gravitate to one of my romance stories with the hope that it will mean Flynn has to read a moresexualscene. I laugh internally at the thought and employ everything in my arsenal that might work to get him to agree—which just consists of me pushing my lower lip out in a pout and fluttering my eyelashes at the same time. It works though because Flynn gives up and agrees to read fromI Have A Dream,a romance about two ill-fated mortals falling in love.
Facing each other on opposite sides of the bench, we take turns reading, alternating chapters and often doing ridiculously exaggerated voices for the characters. It’s when we are about two-thirds of the way through that I realize my plan has backfired. The chapter begins with the two characters kissing for the first time, and my face heats as I read about the way their hands travel over each other’s bodies. I keep my eyes on the book, holding it in front of me like a shield, not daring to look at Flynn who hasn’t moved once since I started reading. When the characters start undressing, I pause, my mouth opening and closing in silent protest.
“Why did you stop, Rhea? It was just starting to get interesting.” I lower the book just enough to see the roguish grin on Flynn’s face. He has one leg extended, one knee bent, and his arms folded over his chest.
My eyes narrow as I clear my throat and look back at the words on the page. “His hand brushed against the underside of my breast, sending goosebumps across my flesh. My breath hitched as he moved his hand higher, his other traveling further south to where an aching need had taken root.” Gods, I was burning up on the inside, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of embarrassment or desire. Or both. “I begged him to move quicker, to bring his large fingers to where I needed them. The first brush of them against the sensitive nub at the apex of my thighs was a fire roaring to life. It raged and burned the longer his fingers toyed, until he plunged one of them inside me.” My toes curl, a motion I am sure Flynn can see where he sits across from me. My voice is a mortifying breathy rasp as I continue. “The fingers of his other hand toyed with my nipple as he pressed himself closer to me. The outline of his large cock—”
“Fucking gods, stop.” It is a gentle command, but when I lower the book again to look at Flynn—my heart in my throat—he appears to be anything but calm.
His face tilts up to the ceiling, a faint flush on his cheeks, while his fingers grip the pillows on either side of him so tightly I am nervous that he will somehow tear them to shreds. The column of his throat begs me to caress it with my stare. Something ravenous blooms in my chest when he looks at me—hunger swirling in those dark eyes. I need to break this tension; not because I want to, but because it appears like he does. Like he is holding himself back. Though, that is the smart thing to do. He is a guard, and I am a princess locked in a tower by a ruthless, vile king. We are forbidden in every way, and the last thing we need to add to that complicated mix are actions that can’t be undone.
“Summer Solstice,” I blurt out with a grimace.
“What?” My words clear the glaze from his eyes as he blinks rapidly and loosens his grip on the pillows. Inhaling deeply through his nose, he blows it out through his mouth slowly as he levels his gaze at me.
“My birthday,” I clarify. “It’s on the Summer Solstice.”
“That is soon,” he states, his shoulders rolling back as he relaxes a little bit more.
Nodding, I lay my book down at my side and chew on my lip as I contemplate. “Can I ask you a question?”
He stares at me for a moment before nodding. “Anything.”
It’s quiet while I think, the sunlight coming in from the window bathing us in its glow. “Are you with anyone?” It comes out hardly more than a whisper, barely more than a feathering of words past my lips.
“What do you mean?” He is looking so intently at me that I have to remind myself to take a breath.
