Page 65 of In The Dark

After pouring another whiskey, I reach for a quilt and wait for Rydian’s return, becoming lost in the dance of the flames that wildly flick in the mantel. The amber liquid swirls as I sip, warmth rising in my chest in a way that matches the heat of the fire. The chamber is quiet except for the crackling in the air as my thoughts drift back to the events from today.

Spending the afternoon with Rydian was oddly comfortable, despite our bickering. But the only information I know about him is what he shared with me in his memories.

My eyes glaze over, the flames soothing the edges of my mind. The day finally wears on me after being up since dawn, my eyes drifting closed, the warmth of the fire pulling me in. I don’t know how long I sit when my eyes flutter at the feeling of being carried, leaving me to groan.

“It’s just me, little fawn,” Rydian mumbles.

I’m gently placed in bed, covered by a quilt, when the weight of his presence suddenly leaves me. My eyes fly open, and I snap a hand out to grip his wrist in a silent request. His warm gaze meets mine, brows drawing close together as if hesitating.

“Stay,” I mumble, my voice groggy from sleep. “Where are you going to sleep, the floor?”

He chuckles and gives me a gentle nod.

The last thing I feel is the bed dipping under his weight, and for once, the comfort of not being alone as I drift off to sleep.

22

My eyes flutter open.I wake tangled in my sheets, quilts, and… I barely move my chin, looking down. A muscular arm wraps tightly around my waist, where a hand is snugly tucked between my ribs and the bed. His thumb lightly grazes the underside of my right breast. Rydian.

His face is tucked into the crook of my neck, breathing deep and soft, strands of my hair fluttering around my face. His chest moves steadily behind me—asleep.

He must have snuck into my bed last night after he returned—Iaskedhim to stay. Frustration grips me at the realization.

How could I be so weak?I was supposed to stay awake, waiting for him, and must have fallen asleep in the settee. I remember sitting down before Rydian carried me to bed.

I stir a little, attempting to give myself distance from this… interaction, when he groans, pulling me in tighter.Closer.

My eyes flare. I don’t need to becloser.That’s the last thing I need—bad idea.

“Don’t go,” he mumbles. “You’re warm.”

A loud exhale escapes through my nose. His squeeze stealsmy breath when he finally loosens his embrace, though he still holds me firmly enough to keep me there.

“Why are you cuddling me?” I groan.

My ass lies perfectly at the curve of him, and I can’t help but feel the taut muscle behind me, thick and strong. My face heats, and I’m suddenly thankful I’m facing the opposite direction.

How is it that I’m always flustered around him?

Other than Ezra, I’ve never actually spent the night with a male before, let alone shared a bed forsleeping.Any time I’ve needed to get my needs taken care of, I’ve always gone to the brothel and then headed straight back to the castle after. Never… this.

No, this feels intimate.

“I didn’t mean to. It just got so cold last night. You’re like a furnace,” he mumbles, and my eyes roll so hard to the back of my head that I’m surprised I can’t see my skull. I’m tucked so tight into him, I can hardly move. “You asked me to stay, remember?”

“Thatwas a momentary lapse in sanity. I was clearly tired. Now are you going to let me go?” I ask.

“Do I have to?”

“It would be wise. Unless you’d like to be stabbed,” I say, my irritation spiking.

He chuckles. “I do love your aggression, but I can hear your heart beating wildly. Are you nervous?” he mutters, his voice going down an octave. “Do you want to know what I think? I think you want me here. I think you like it when I touch you and are too stubborn to admit it.”

My teeth grind because I know he’s right, no matter how much I deny it. Heat reaches my ears, searing its way across my skin as my heart continues to pound. Every breath I take comes out in pants as I grow more irritated by this interaction.

It’s maddening—the way he knows exactly what he’s doingto me. Yet the longer I lie here, the more I want to stay. And I hate that.

My frustration bubbles, and I attempt to fling myself off the bed, desperate for an escape. But before I can move, he reacts.