Page 14 of Thawed Gladiator: Cassius (Awakened From the Ice #3)

Chapter Fourteen

C assius

My heart slams against my ribs like a war drum as I follow the gravel path to Diana’s cabin. She asked to talk, to clear the air between us, but something about her voice, the way she wouldn’t quite meet my eyes, makes me wonder what she wants to say.

I pause at the edge of her clearing. Her tiny cabin nestles in the trees. There’s a swing on the porch barely wider than my bunk in the barracks. Such a simple home, yet she tells me she’s happy living at Second Chance. Taking a deep breath of cool night air, I climb her steps and knock.

“Come in!” Her voice carries through the door, tight with nervous energy.

I step inside, taking in the small room. No shrine to household gods, no frescoes on the walls—just the basics of modern life. A bed tucked in one corner, a small table set with coffee cups, two wooden chairs, and what they call a “kitchen” with its mysterious devices that cook without fire and keep food cold without ice. The space feels temporary, like Diana isn’t sure she belongs here.

“Hi,” she whispers, then clears her throat as her fingers twist the hem of her shirt. “Thanks for coming.”

“Of course.” I search for somewhere safe to put my hands and finally remember I have pockets. They’re quite handy. The coffee cups on the table suggest she meant for us to talk, but the charged energy between us feels like something more.

As soon as we sit at the table, she charges in, bold despite her quavering voice.

“I’ve tried to keep this professional, but…” Her voice trails off as though she suddenly lost her courage. After drawing a deep breath, she continues. “The thing is, Cassius, I can’t pretend anymore. These feelings I have for you—they’re becoming impossible to ignore.”

She locks eyes with me, as if my gaze is the only thing keeping her afloat—as if she hopes I can read her mind so she won’t have to voice the rest. When I say nothing, she continues.

“I know the timing couldn’t be worse. You’re focused on recovery, on finding your place in this century, and the last thing I want is to complicate that for you. But I also believe in being honest, and the truth is…” She meets my gaze directly. “I care about you.” The words come out barely above a whisper, but her eyes never leave mine.

Her hand flies to cover her mouth, as though she wishes she could catch the words and shove them back inside. Her eyes, wide with hope and fear, flick between my eyes and my lips.

The other gladiators told me how things worked in Rome—how a high-ranking gladiator simply took what he wanted if a woman was willing. But Diana isn’t some camp follower or adoring fan. She’s… everything. My teacher, my friend, the woman helping me find myself in this strange new world. She deserves more than a quick tumble in the dark.

As attraction and confusion struggle inside me and time slips by, her face falls. “I-I’m sorry,” she stammers. “I’ve made a fool of myself.”

“No!” The word comes out sharper than I meant, and I soften my voice. “No, Diana. I…” I take a breath, choosing to match her honesty with my own. “You’ve done nothing foolish. I admire your courage. And the truth is…” I ease closer, the words spilling out like a dam bursting. “I think of you constantly. You fill my dreams.”

That’s enough—I’ll never tell her I stroke myself at night with visions of her naked flesh in my mind.

Her eyes light up, hope replacing uncertainty. “Dreams?”

“Dreams,” I confirm, my voice low. “But more than that, you’ve given me hope in this strange, cold world. You make me believe I can be more than what I was. That I can… belong.”

Her lips curve into a smile as she moves toward me. “You’ve had my heart since the moment you first stepped into that corral. All I could think was, ‘How does someone so strong look so lost?’”

We’re standing so close now I feel her warmth radiating toward me, can see the gold flecks in her hazel eyes. The air between us crackles with possibility. Every instinct screams at me to reach for her, to claim her lips with mine, but I hold back, wanting to savor this moment.

Diana, braver than any warrior I’ve known, rises on her toes, her breath ghosting across my lips. The question in her eyes is clear, unmistakable. My answer is to close the distance between us.

The kiss starts gentle as morning mist, but quickly builds like a gathering storm. Her lips part beneath mine, and the taste of her—sweet and warm and real—makes my head spin. One hand cups her face while the other slides around her waist, drawing her closer until there’s no space left between us.

But when Diana sighs into my mouth, her hands pressing against my chest, something primal rouses inside me. She melts into the kiss, a soft moan escaping her as her fingers tangle in my hair. When we stumble backward and she hits the wall, the impact draws a gasp from her lips. I pull back instantly, worried I’ve been too rough, but the heat in her eyes tells a different story as she pulls me closer.

The world beyond her cabin fades to shadow. Nothing exists but the heat of her body against mine, the silk of her hair between my fingers, the sweetness of her mouth as I deepen the kiss. Her taste floods my senses—more intoxicating than any wine I’ve tasted.

Her fingers dive into my hair, pulling me closer—the tug ignites the fire raging within me. I respond with barely restrained hunger, the kiss becoming primal. Diana presses her body against mine, and the sensation sends jolts of heat coursing through me. Every nerve ending is alive, every caress and sigh heightening the moment.

When we finally break apart, both breathing heavily, I rest my forehead against hers. The air between us feels charged with promises yet to be fulfilled. Her pupils are wide with desire, a flush painting her cheeks rose-pink.

I claim her lips again, this time even more aggressively, as if trying to taste every part of her. I sweep my tongue against hers, and she responds eagerly, the urgency of our need pulsing through every kiss, every gentle nip and bite. My hands explore her back, just above the curve of her waist, tingling with the thrill of discovery.

She arches into me, and I can’t help but lift her a little, her soft laughter vibrating against my chest. The sound is a melody that makes me even more desperate for her. I step back just enough to look at her face—incredible, radiant, flushed with excitement.

“Diana,” I breathe her name like a prayer. My thumb traces the curve of her cheek as wonder floods through me. “I imagine you’re braver than any man who entered the arena. To speak your heart so openly… it humbles me.”

She traces patterns on my chest, each touch sending sparks through my skin. “I’ve wanted this—wanted you—for so long.”

“As have I,” I admit, the words heavy with truth. “I just wasn’t sure if… it was what you wanted. I don’t know who I am or what my future holds.”

“Cassius.” Her voice is soft but steady, filled with quiet strength. “I know there are a thousand reasons why this is complicated. But I’ve spent my whole life being careful and afraid—or the opposite, foolhardy. I don’t want to be afraid anymore. And this doesn’t feel impulsive. Not with you.”

Her words thrill through me with the force of an unstoppable tide. Part of me still can’t believe this amazing woman wants me. But a larger part feels grateful, awed by this unexpected gift from the gods.

“I want you,” I say softly, pouring everything into my tone. “More than I have words to say.”

For a moment, we simply stand here, the space between us humming with unspoken promises. Her warmth seeps into me, soothing and sparking with energy all at once. Outside, the wind whispers through the trees, carrying the scent of pine and earth. It’s as if the world itself is holding its breath, waiting for what comes next.

“Tomorrow,” she says softly, her voice carrying a weight I don’t fully understand. “Tomorrow will come with all its questions and complications. But tonight…” She swallows, her thumb circling just above my heart. “Tonight, I want this. I want us.”

Her words unravel something inside me. All my uncertainty falls away. In this moment, there are no centuries lost to time, no strange new world pressing in on me. There is only Diana, and the quiet conviction in her eyes.

I lift her hand to my lips, brushing a kiss against her knuckles. “Tonight, then.”

She smiles again, and this time it’s softer, more vulnerable. She doesn’t say anything else, but she doesn’t need to. The moment stretches between us, a perfect, fragile thing.

And then, as if by some unspoken agreement, we both move at once—her hand rising to my face, my arm slipping around her waist. The world tilts, and for the first time in so long, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.