Page 23 of Grounded (Convergence #1)

Liria woke the next morning feeling safe, warm, and so very comfortable.

She was on her side, but her back felt supported.

Sighing, she stretched, but something hindered her movements.

Liria opened her eyes to find a feathered partition blocking her view of the ceiling.

Her mind spun back to the night before—Thax and her talking and touching in bed until they couldn't keep their eyes open.

Holy shit.

Turning her head slowly, Liria looked over her shoulder, her view going from Thax's wing—curved over her—to Thax's green eyes. Open. Staring at her.

“Good morning, Liri.” Thax kissed her cheek.

Liri. No one had ever called her that, and yet it seemed so obvious. So perfect. Li was what she'd been called since she was little. It felt appropriate—short and no-nonsense, just like her. But Liri felt intimate. Sweet. And Liria liked hearing Thax say it.

How had they come so far in one night? Liria had gone from adamantly opposed to a relationship with Thax to feeling as if he was the one.

Fate had brought them together. Blah, blah, blah.

The ridiculous notion of there being one person for everyone on the planet never made sense to her.

Until now. It was simply impossible that there was another man who could make her feel like this.

It was Thax or no one. After one fucking night! With no actual fucking.

But Liria wasn't about to tell him that. Instead, she said, “Good morning.”

“You snore.”

She went from feeling soft and happy to feeling annoyed. “I do not!”

“How would you know? You're asleep when it happens.” His lips twitched.

“You're such a liar.”

Thax grinned. “I'm teasing, not lying. And you do snore, but it's this quiet, feminine kind of—” He parted his lips and made a whisper of a snore. “Like that.”

“Shut up.” Liria pushed his wing away, ignoring the refreshing scent of lemon and mint that wafted from the feathers, and rolled out of bed.

What was she wearing? A tank top and shorts?

Oh, right. She had changed at one point.

Liria glanced back at the bed. Thax was in his underwear.

The memory of him getting up from the bed and stripping slid through her mind in slow motion.

But the present view was better than the memory.

Especially after he folded his wings behind his back and propped himself on her pillow.

Liria shook her head and went into the bathroom.

She couldn't believe he was still there.

The sight of him like that—his smooth chest rippled with muscles, his torso curved from his leaning pose, his biceps bunched, and his expression full of adoration—stuck in her head and wouldn't leave.

Throughout her morning routine, that image of Thax hounded Liria, imposing itself over everything she looked at, even her own reflection.

And the dogged memory wasn't alone. There was an entire pack of pictures running through her mind—all of them so erotic, even though there had been no sex.

Light petting, sure. Kissing, absolutely.

But no intercourse. The only intercourse they'd had was verbal. Still, it felt as if they'd done more.

The latest image of Thax on her bed was replaced by one of him leaning over her.

Then he was curled up on the pillow beside her.

Thax sprawled on his wings with her lying on his chest. Him smiling at her.

Stroking her hair. His hair falling over her shoulder as he kissed her.

There were so many intimate moments without sex ruining them.

Thax had held true to his vow, and no matter how much she writhed against him during his kisses, he went no further.

But damn! His kisses alone were enough to make her come close to orgasm.

Thax didn't just put his mouth on her and bring their tongues together.

He didn't lap at her and get her face wet or pucker up too much.

He took and gave. Teased and conquered. That Aethari knew how to draw out pleasure.

He flicked her tongue with his, nuzzled her lips, and playfully bit at her.

Kissing wasn't just a prelude to sex for Thax.

It was an act to be thoroughly enjoyed on its own.

Liria could have happily spent the entire night kissing him.

But between those kisses were long conversations that got more and more intense as the night went on. They weren't strangers anymore.

If they had indulged in sex instead of talking, Liria would have woken up feeling awkward.

Things would have been strained between them.

Instead, she felt closer to him than to Rissa.

Closer than she had felt to anyone in a long time, even her sister.

One night had passed, but it had felt like a hundred.

Or a thousand. Two lives shared in a few hours.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Liria left the bathroom to find Thax dressed and waiting. He stepped past her, pausing to kiss her cheek before he went into the bathroom.

“I'll only be a few minutes,” Thax said. “Don't leave without me, Liri.”

“I wouldn't do that.”

He grinned and shut the door.

While he was in there, Liria got dressed. They were up early enough that they had time for breakfast before work. No rush. Liria got into a fresh uniform and slipped on a pair of boots. She was just finishing lacing them when a knock came at the main door.

“Come on, girl! I'm hungry!” Rissa called through the wood.

“Shit,” Liria whispered and hurried to the door. Opening it just a few inches, she leaned out. “Hey, uh, go ahead without me.”

Rissa frowned. “Why? Aren't you ready? I can . . .” Her eyes went round and her jaw dropped. “Oh, wow.”

Wincing, Liria looked over her shoulder. Sure enough, Thax had come out of the bathroom, still in his undershorts. He paused, glanced at Rissa, and pulled a wing down to block his body.

“Holy winger hottie!” Rissa hissed. Then she called out to Thax, “Well done, buddy! I knew you had it in you! And nice abs!”

“Goodbye, Rissa.” Liria tried to shut the door.

“Wait!” She slammed her palm on the wood. “Did you? You know. You and he?” She widened her eyes.

“Goodbye, Rissa!”

Rissa snorted a laugh and backed off. “I was so fucking right about him, and you know it, bitch! I expect details later. Measurements!”

Liria shut the door and leaned on it. “She's gone.”

Thax folded his wing back. “I'm sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? I should apologize to you for Rinna. I'm sorry she gawked at you like that. And for that thing about measurements.”

He shrugged. “It's all right. I just don't want her to think poorly of you.”

Liria burst out laughing.

Thax lifted his eyebrows.

“Are you kidding? Rinna? She's impressed. From the sound of it, she's impressed by both of us. She's never seen a guy in here.”

“Oh?” He sauntered over to her and grabbed her hips. “I'm the first man in your room?”

“Of course you are. I don't date fellow soldiers.”

“Is that what we're doing? Dating?”

“Isn't it?” Liria lifted her chin. “Unless you had enough of me last night.”

Thax went serious, lowering his head to hers. “I want more than that. More than dating, I mean.”

“What's more than dating?”

“I want you to be mine. And please, for the love of magic, don't take that the wrong way this time. Meet me halfway with my culture.”

“I . . . I'm not taking it badly. But it's been one night. We haven't even slept together.”

“Yes, we did. We just didn't have sex. Frankly, sleeping with you in my arms felt more intimate than all the sex I've ever had.”

“Sweet convergence, Thax, you know just what to say.”

“Is that a yes?”

“I don't know.” Liria slipped out of his arms. “Let's just see where this goes.”

“Oh, fuck that.” He grabbed her hand and yanked her into a kiss.

Thax's lips on hers. His hot, demanding tongue.

Lemon-mint scented wings folding around her.

Strong hands gripping her, pulling her closer.

Liria felt like she was falling and rising at the same time.

Couldn't get her bearings. Didn't want to.

Her mind raced. All she wanted was to get lost in Thaxvarien.

By the time he eased out of their kiss, Liria was completely his. And Thax knew it.

With his breath feathering across her wet lips, Thax whispered, “Now, say it.”

“Say what?”

“Just one word, Liri. This isn't a surrender or enslavement. It's a vow. We'll call it an exchange. Me for you. Say the word, and I'm yours.”

Liria said the word.