Page 206 of If You Give an Artist a Killer Muse

He ducks his head, biting his lip, then looks up at me with a strange expression.

My eyes narrow. “Rurik. What did I say in my sleep?”

“You really think my voice is sexy?”

My face is definitely burning now.

“Also, I'm pretty sure my voice is already attached to a real person. Me.”

I’m going to slap the smug look on his face. “What else did I say?”

But Rurik just stares at me, those eyes bright and beautiful. He chuckles, leaning forward to kiss my forehead. “Can you please tell me why all the lights are on while you’re asleep?”

“I forgot to turn them off,” I lie. “What are you doing here? I thought you were staying with your family?”

“What if I wanted to see you after?”

There goes my heart again. Damn it, Rurik.

“You could have come over tomorrow morning.”

“Are you complaining that I came here as soon as I was free?”

“No. Does that mean you’re going to sleep here tonight?”

“Are you still sleepy?”

“Not anymore, to be honest.”

“In that case, want to go to our little slice of paradise?”

“Now?” I ask in disbelief. “Also… Our?”

“Yes,” He chuckles, and I can’t believe how sexy it sounds. “Ours. Because that place is ours now, not just mine.”

He straightens up and offers his hand. Without hesitation, I take it.

*-*-*-*

“Did you plan this?” I ask Rurik as he pats down the blanket over the grass.

He grins. “No, but I’ve wanted to come here again with you.”

I try not to grin so widely that my cheeks would fall off. Clearing my throat, I sit beside him and lean against his shoulder.

Rurik wraps an arm around my back and breathes in deeply. It’s a nice night out, with barely any clouds out. I look up at the sky, once again feeling like I’m being sucked into space as I stare at the stars.

“This is nice,” I say, rubbing my cheek against his shoulder.

“Yeah,” He agrees, turning my face to him. He’s staring at me with this intense look on his face.

“What?”

Rurik shakes his head, then gently cups my chin with his fingers, pulling my face toward his until our lips meet. I can't help but grin against his lips, and he chuckles before deepening the kiss. Despite being with the same person, it's amusing how each kiss evokes a range of emotions within me, from playful loving to almost feral.

He kisses me as if he wants to consume me, his hand sliding to my jaw, his thumb caressing my cheek as our tongues intertwine. When I pull away to catch my breath, he doesn't release his hold, instead trailing kisses along my jawline and nibbling at my ear, eliciting a shudder from me.

Rurik may not realize it, but he has a penchant for kissing. He showers me with kisses unexpectedly at the most unexpected moments. It's so damn adorable and stirs deep feelings within me for him.

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