22

“He gave it to you but refused to give you any context?”

“No, he said if I want to know more about the map, I need to have a private lunch with him tomorrow.” I sighed and rolled the paper up.

Elias straightened up. “What did you say?”

“I said I’d let him know in the morning. I wasn’t sure what I should do—what would be a worse outcome? Saying yes, or saying no?” I pushed a hand through my hair. “I don’t want to cause problems with the peace talks.”

Elias set his hand at my waist, then slid it again to my lower back as he pulled me closer. His eyes burned golden as they looked over my face, and my wolf squirmed with delight at the closeness.

“Smart wolf,” he growled. “Did he say what he wants?”

“I don’t know,” I said. I wound my arms around his neck, resting them on his shoulders as we spoke. The closeness felt so good—so grounding. “He said it was just lunch, and that he and I should get to know each other as leaders.”

Elias exhaled through his nose. “I doubt that’s his true intention.”

“I doubt it, too,” I admitted.

“What makes you say that?”

“You know why,” I said.

“I suspect,” Elias said. “I want to hear what you think.”

I sighed as I toyed with the fine hair at his nape. “You saw how he greeted me when we first arrived. In his study, it was more of the same. Getting too close. A not-quite-polite kiss on the knuckles. Nothing overtly inappropriate, just…”

“That bastard,” Elias growled. He pressed his fingertips into my lower back. “I should call off the negotiations altogether. The gall of that man—he invites us into his home and then treats you like you’re his to take. Sickening.”

“I can handle it,” I said gently. I could feel his rage escalating, threatening to boil over.

“You shouldn’t have to,” he growled. “You’re his guest. The queen. And you’re my wife.” He bared his teeth in anger, and they were slightly elongated as his wolf threatened to push to the surface.

“Hey,” I murmured. I leaned forward close enough that I almost breathed the words into his mouth. “Relax.”

“How can I?” he asked. “You’re not safe here.”

“I’m safe,” I said. “I’ll be safe as long as you swear not to fuck up the talks because the king’s a creep.”

He growled again.

This time, I laughed, and kissed him gently on the mouth. I couldn’t resist—his attention was intoxicating, and the possessiveness thrilled my wolf.

“I suspect there might be a lot of creeps in this world, Your Majesty,” I said. “You’ll have to trust me to handle it. This visit isn’t about us—it’s about Frasia.”

“I know that,” he said. “But I can’t let this behavior stand.”

“Let’s get through the negotiations first,” I said, “and then decide what to do.”

Elias bared his teeth again, frustrated, but they weren’t so animalistic now. He’d calmed down some. My wolf warmed with the knowledge that I’d been the one to do it.

“You’re right, though,” I said.

“What part?”

“I’m the queen. And I’m your wife.” I punctuated it with another gentle kiss. “You don’t need to worry about Draunar.”

Something in Elias seemed to snap. He pulled me impossibly closer with one arm around my waist, and the other tangled in my hair as he embraced me in a deep, passionate kiss. I gasped and melted against him. It was dizzying in its intensity, all lips and teeth and tongue and growls of pleasure rumbling in his chest. All my worries suddenly melted away—all my thoughts, too, caught up as I was in the sensation, the pleasure, the desire. Heat burned low in the cradle of my hips. As soon as he started kissing me, I wanted more. He just had that effect —like one touch could never be enough.

“Reyna,” he growled as his hands roamed over my back. He slid one hand lower, over the curve of my ass, and squeezed gently.

I giggled at the contact and hitched my leg up—more for him to grab. He slid his hand down to my thigh and hiked it up around his hip. His touch burned on the bare skin where my nightgown rode up.

“C’mere.” He gripped my other thigh, too, and hauled me up into his arms.

I squeaked in surprise, clinging to his neck as he held my weight easily in his arms. He walked us both over to the big, soft bed, and tossed me into the center of the mattress. I couldn’t help but laugh as I bounced.

He stood at the foot of the bed, shirtless and flushed, his dark hair loose around his face as he gazed down at me.

“Reyna,” he murmured again, so soft my name sounded like a prayer. He set one hand at my ankle and smoothed it up to my calf. The touch sent waves of sensation up my spine. “You’re so beautiful.”

I blushed at the compliment—not at the words, but at the sheer open earnestness in his voice. Our gazes met and his eyes were warm chocolate brown again, but still full of wolfish hunger.

“Come here,” I said, and reached for him.

The kiss had made desire burn through me, and I needed more. I needed intimacy, needed to feel his body against mine. I swallowed, my mouth watering at the easy shift of the toned muscles of his bare chest and arms as he crawled onto the bed. He moved over me, so his knees were straddling my thighs, his arms bracketing my head. I was surrounded by him, lost in his warm eyes and the familiar scent of his sweat.

He leaned down and kissed the curve of my jaw, then moved down to my neck, leaving kisses as he went. He inhaled deeply right at the join of my neck and shoulder, then dragged his tongue there, like he couldn’t get close enough. I dug my fingertips into the muscle of his lats, then dragged my nails gently down his back, making him bare his teeth against my skin. I felt his growl vibrate through my palms as I touched him.