Page 98 of Fire of the Fox

“You’re going to do great this coming week. You’ve studied hard and worked your ass off to learn what it means to be Fox Fae. Even more impressive, you’ve learned what it means to deal with me. I’m really proud of you.”

Speechless, I held his gaze. My cheeks warmed, but I hoped it looked to him like I was just hot from sparring. Being told he believed in me was one of the biggest compliments I’d been given, and it made my heart ache with the reminder that I loved him but was unsure of how he felt.

He was still smiling at me, and he wasn’t in his proper stance. Not wanting to hear anymore compliments or nice words, I quickly dropped down and kicked out. I knocked Rune’s legs out from under him, and he smacked onto the mat. I quickly pinned him under my weight with the dagger to his heart.

Smirking, I tsked at him. “You shouldn’t get distracted when in a fight. Isn’t that Basic Fighting 101?”

Laughing, he grabbed my arms and rolled. Pinning me beneath him, he grinned. “That wasn’t fair. We were talking.”

The weight of his warm body pinning me to the floor made desire bloom in my chest. He was still gripping my wrists, and I was still pressing the dagger into his chest. Swallowing hard, I made a show of pushing the blade of the toy in and out against his firm pec.

“You’re supposed to be dead. Now who’s the one not being fair?”

“Hmm,” he said, smiling down at me. He looked like he was actually considering my question as he gently tucked some hair that had fallen loose behind my ear. My skin warmed, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the feel of his fingers caressing my cheek.

He shook his head. “No. You’re still the one who doesn’t play fair.”

Something told me he wasn’t talking about sparring anymore. His eyes bored into mine with a flood of burning desire, and I held my breath, afraid if I looked away, that emotion would disappear, too. I was determined to tattoo his gaze into my memory, but before I could get my fill, he closed his eyes and stood.

“That’s probably enough practice for the day. My chest hurts from how many times you’ve stabbed me.”

I laughed, accepting his outstretched hand. “Be glad it wasn’t a real one.”

“Speaking of a real one …” Rune started. He jogged over to the duffle bag we brought, and after dipping down to dig in it, he pulled out a sheathed dagger. “Here.” He held it out to me with a smile. “You’ve earned it after all the work you’ve done. I can safely say I trust you to have a real one.”

Smiling, I studied the beautiful sheath. It was made up of an intricate pattern, swirling in a mix of bright silver and deep blues. Small gems adorned the tip of the sheath and trickled down, following the swirls. The sharp, silver blade was sleek and simple. It was stunning.

Meeting Rune’s eyes, I swallowed hard. “You got this for me?”

He shrugged. “I did. It’s not a big deal. I thought you deserved a nice surprise after all the progress you’ve made.”

I clutched the dagger tightly in my hands and tried to steady my racing heart. “Thank you. Truly. I really love it.”

He waved it off and grabbed his duffle. “I’m glad you like it. Now, let’s get back because I’d really love a shower.”

Chapter Forty-One

THAT NIGHT, AFTER we got back from training, I decided to do a last-minute check of my suitcase, just to be sure I had everything I needed before we left in two days.

Clothes? Check.

Toiletries and hygiene products? Check.

Sexy underwear? Check. Not a necessity, but packed nonetheless.

Gifts for Rune? My stomach dropped.

Suddenly frantic, I pulled everything out of the suitcase. The mug wasn’t in there. Tugging on the ends of my hair, I groaned. I’d completely forgotten to pack the mug, even after making a mental note to do so. I never forgot stuff! That just goes to show how messy my thoughts had been that day.

Putting everything back in the bag, I heaved a sigh and grabbed my purse. Rune met me in the living room where he’d come down the hall from the kitchen.

Glancing at my bag, he asked, “Are you going somewhere?”

“Yeah. I forgot something in my dorm that I need for the trip. I’m going to grab it real quick. I’ll be back soon.”

He followed me to the door. “Be careful. Do you have your dagger?”

I glanced over my shoulder at him and rolled my eyes. “I’m just running to my dorm. I don’t need it.”

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