Page 73

AERI

ROSE PALACE, GAYA

R oyo insists, absolutely insists, on taking a bath—alone. What a killjoy.

But he was working hard today. Duval and I were up on the overlook with Rune’s generals, listening to them prepare for the war, while Royo was doing real work. He was driving heavy spikes into the sand. He had his shirt off and his pants rolled up, his body bronzing and sweating in the sun.

Duval caught me not paying attention twice, and he smirked both times. But I saw him looking as well and arched an eyebrow. Who could blame him? It’s quite a sight.

As I stood on the overlook, though, I realized how much I like this island.

I started daydreaming, imagining a life for us.

One beyond all this, where there were no Weian ships in the distance—a future in which we won.

My father is dead, and while Rune is arguably more of the same, Royo, Sora, Mikail, and I could be safe here on Gaya.

We could live out our lives and have boring, idle days.

All right, not Mikail, since he’s king, but Gaya would be free with the alliance.

Royo and I could have a peaceful existence where I bother him during the day and we make love all night.

I mean… Where do I sign up?

Maybe we’d have children one day, or maybe it would just be the two of us, but either way, we’d always have a warm home.

I’d never freeze, never be alone again. Royo would complain he had no place for his three necessary outfits while I took up three wardrobes, and our biggest argument would be about what to eat for dinner.

I revel in the commonness, the boringness I want so badly, because it wouldn’t be boring—it would be heavenly. It would be everything I ever wanted.

Just as I’m thinking of it again, Royo comes out of the bath in a towel. I’m sitting on the bed, and I stare at him from his wet, short hair, to his muscled shoulders and broad chest, down his abs to where there’s, unfortunately, a towel blocking the rest of him.

“Stop it.” His face reddens.

“What?”

“You’re eyeing me like I’m dinner,” he says, looking away.

Gods, I’ve made him blush! I bite my lip to keep from laughing as joy curls my toes. Instead, I tilt my head. “I mean, you could be.”

He groans, but he’s starting to remove the towel. I try to keep my cool, but I crawl toward the edge of the bed closest to him. If I wasn’t eyeing him like a meal before, I definitely am now.

I want to taste him, lick him, bite him, if I’m honest. I just want to consume him and be consumed by him.

Royo runs his thumb over my bottom lip. I stare up at him and dart my tongue over the tip of his finger.

He smiles, and then his eyes change. He pushes me back on the bed.

I fall with a laugh, but he moves with me, and his towel falls, too.

I look down and whimper—I’m that eager and also shameless, but who cares?

It’s just me and him, and the throbbing between my legs is intolerable.

It feels like I’ll burst if I don’t have him this instant.

All we ever get are moments. Dreams don’t always come true, and memories fade. What we have is right now, and I’m going to have him.

Royo laughs, and it’s the best sound in the world. I soak it up like a sponge, filling my mind with the echo.

“I want all of you,” I say.

He grins as he delicately unties my dress. “Only if you give everything to me.”

He leans down and kisses me, tasting my mouth.

I’ve never been kissed like this before, where it’s all I can think of.

His lips are gentle, but his tongue swirls around mine.

A content hum builds in my throat, my arms around him.

Then he kisses down my neck, and I squirm with pleasure as he hits the sensitive skin by my pulse.

He continues his kisses until he gets to the amulet. Then he looks up at me.

There’s desire in his eyes but also concern. The amulet saved me, but it also doomed me until I found him.

“You already have all of me,” I say. “You have from the start.”

Royo stares at me with so much love in his eyes.

He might not ever say it—I honestly can’t imagine the words coming out of his mouth—but it doesn’t matter.

I feel it from my heart to my core, and that’s what’s most important.

I love you is just three meaningless words unless there’s feeling behind them.

I wrap my legs around him. “Please, Royo.”

“Impatient little thief,” he whispers.

“Pretty please?” I try.

He laughs, and then he continues to kiss down my body, taking his time as I dig my nails into the bedsheets.