Page 55

I Never Claimed to be Virtuous

L ips brushed River’s forehead, the kiss tender and sweet, and for a moment, she wondered if she was still dreaming. She felt serene, surrounded by almond and cedar, and her magic slumbered in her veins.

A light flickered on, and she pulled open her eyes.

“Hey, princess,” Nikhail murmured, depositing her gently on the edge of the first of two double beds. “How was your nap?”

“It was nice, but you didn’t need to let me sleep,” she replied, taking in the room.

The other bed had clearly been slept in, but it wasn’t dirty. Nikhail’s clothes hung in the wardrobe, and his suitcase was neatly placed on top of the luggage rack. An empty cup sat on the nightstand next to his phone charger.

Everything here was so obviously Nik , she couldn’t help but smile.

“You were tired.” He reached for the end of her scarf and slowly unraveled it, as if she were a present, and he were unwrapping her. “Watching over you is never a hardship. ”

It was such a simple sentence, yet it had her core heating. Gods above.

If anyone else said half the things Nikhail did, she would write them off as cheesy, well-practiced lines. But when they came from him, they were filled with so much sincerity that she knew he meant every word.

“Thank you, Nik.” Shrugging out of her coat, she reached for her shoes. She needed to get out of these heels.

Before she could touch them, Nikhail had rid himself of his suit jacket, dropped to his knees, and rolled up his sleeves.

If she’d been warm before, she was burning up now. She hadn’t had that much to drink—two glasses of wine spread out over the course of the evening—so she was certain this heat was all because of the powerful air fae kneeling in front of her.

“Allow me.” He ran his hand along her ankle, looking up at her for permission.

Her lips parted. Was this really happening? She closed her eyes, then reopened them, and he was still there. She dipped her head, giving him permission, and he hummed. The low sound filled the air as his fingers deftly brushed the strap of her heels.

Nikhail was graceful in all things, and this was no exception. He slid off her heels, placing them on the floor next to the bed, but he didn’t get up.

Instead, he picked up her foot and started… rubbing.

Oh, gods.

Were his hands imbued with magic? Was this some kind of air fae specialty? A foot rub had never felt so good. With every press of his palms, she melted further against the bed. A moan rose in her throat, and she was too far gone to stop it.

Nikhail’s lips twitched into a smirk, but instead of stopping, he doubled his efforts.

Soon, the sounds coming out of River’s mouth were downright sexual.

Her cheeks heated, but selfishly, she didn’t ask Nikhail to stop.

It just felt too good, especially when he moved from her feet to her calves, pressing his magical hands against her sore muscles.

Her fingers dug into the comforter as he continued his ministrations. She wasn’t entirely sure she remembered how to form coherent words right now, let alone recall her own name. Thank the gods she wasn’t currently at work, with people’s lives in her hands.

By the time a knock came from the door, River had flopped back on the bed. She was a puddle of loose muscles, save for her knees. Miraculously, she had a modicum of sense remaining, so she’d pressed them together to avoid flashing Nikhail.

He kissed her knee, the action feeling far more intimate than it should have, before rising to his feet.

Her head lolled to the side, watching as the air fae strode to the door. His movements were all power and grace, even in this small hotel room. The space didn’t seem big enough for him, as if it couldn’t contain him.

The door snicked open, and Nikhail’s voice was a low, indistinguishable murmur. Tingles ran up her spine. A few moments later, the door shut, and his feet practically glided over the floor as he returned bearing an enormous brown bag, the bottom darker than the rest.

“Sands save me, that smells incredible.” River’s stomach grumbled, the promise of food infusing her with strength.

She rolled into a seated position, tucking her feet beneath her as Nikhail moved to the only table in the room.

He reached into the bag, unveiling the veritable feast he’d ordered.

Two foil-wrapped burgers, fries, a closed container of noodles, and a box of donuts all made their way onto the table .

“Nik…” She hadn’t even seen him pull out his phone to place the order. “When did you do this?”

He reached into the enormous bag once more, placing his final offering on the table. The slab of chocolate cake was the size of her face, and it looked delectable.

A dazzling smile spread across his face. “On the way here. You barely touched your dinner these past two nights, and you seemed hungry.”

He’d noticed. Of course, he had. It shouldn’t have surprised River that Nikhail had been watching her close enough to see her mother’s nitpicking and cold remarks, but it did.

“So, you bought enough food for a small army?”

He lifted a shoulder. “I just picked some things that I’ve seen you enjoy in the past.” His cheeks colored, and gods, that sight was everything.

Had she ever seen him blush before? She didn’t think so, and there was something empowering about being the person who drew it out of him.

“I wasn’t sure what you’d like tonight.”

Like the coffee, he remembered her favorites. That was… a lot. She wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that information, but she tucked it away for further examination.

“Thank you, Nik.” She pulled her feet out from under her and half-dove, half-slid towards him. “Thank you so much.”

She kissed him, letting her mouth tell him how much it meant to her that he’d seen her. That he cared about her.

“You’re welcome, River.” He ran his knuckles across her cheek. “I didn’t do this so you’d kiss me, although I’m certainly not complaining. I want to take care of you.”

Even if fae could lie, she would never doubt his words.

“I know, but I’m just… overwhelmed. Not in a bad way,” sh e hurried to add as his brows furrowed. “I’m happy, truly. This is just… It’s more than anyone has ever done for me.”

Her past experiences with relationships had been brief, and none of her previous partners had ever paid attention to these kinds of details.

Nikhail’s arms wrapped around her, and he held her close to his chest. Her head tucked beneath his, and she pressed her ear against his heart. Gods, she loved sitting like this. She’d never been one for constantly touching her partners before, but she got the feeling that would change with Nikhail.

“You deserve to have someone look after you,” he murmured, kissing the top of her head. That seemed to be a favorite move of his, not that she was complaining. Every time he did it, butterflies exploded in her stomach. “Let me be that person for you.”

How could she say no to that?

His hands found her hips, and he turned her smoothly on his lap. She faced the table, her back pressed against his chest, and his arms wrapped around her middle.

“There’s only one chair,” he said by way of explanation.

River’s brows shot up, but a quick perusal of the hotel room proved that he was right.

“Hmm.” She shifted on his lap, delighting in the firmness beneath her. Being the cause of his hardness, knowing he desired her as much as she desired him, made her feel powerful. “You’re sure that’s all it is?”

He laughed darkly, brushing her hair aside to press a kiss to the back of her neck. Tingles swept through her, and she shivered.

“Little storm, I said I wanted to take care of you, but I never claimed to be virtuous.” Her mouth fell open, but before she could reply, he gestured to the table. “Take your pick. What would you like?”

The selections all looked good, but in truth, there was really only one thing she wanted right now. She stared at the table, biting her lip. “I…”

“Tell me, River,” he rumbled softly. “They’re all for you. I won’t judge you, no matter what you choose.”

“I want the cake,” she admitted in a rush, her cheeks heating. “I know you got so much food, but that chocolate looks so good, and I barely got to touch the cake tonight, and…”

He’d already reached around her to the table and opened the dessert container, producing a fork from the gods only knew where.

“Excellent choice.” He dug the fork into the chocolate cake, but he didn’t pass it to her. “There was only one fork, too,” he said rather cheekily. “We’ll have to share.”

She eyed the fork. There was something strangely intimate about sharing one utensil, which said something, considering her current seating arrangement.

“You’re sure you don’t mind?” she asked.

He nuzzled the back of her neck. “Not at all.”

She stared at the fork for a long moment, but her stomach growled, and hunger won. She plucked the utensil from Nikhail’s hand and lifted it, sliding the cake into her mouth.

A moan slipped from her lips with the first bite. This might be the single best piece of chocolate cake she’d ever eaten. Her inner fae preened that Nikhail had provided this for her, and she couldn’t stop herself from grinning as she leaned forward, taking another bite.

The chocolate cake was the best she’d ever had, and once she started eating, she discovered how hungry she was. After the cake, she demolished most of the fries, a burger, and half the container of noodles. Miraculously, she didn’t end up dropping any food on her dress.

Now that her hunger was sated, River could no longer ignore the fact that she was alone in a hotel room with the man who had occupied most of her dreams for years. His chest was warm against her back, but it was his hardened length that had her full attention.

At first, she’d tried ignoring it, but that was practically impossible, given her position. And honestly? She didn’t want to ignore it any longer. In the past, she would’ve, but now, things were different.

They were different.