Page 53 of An Empress of Earth & Darkness

“Come in,” Torin said.

When Emara opened the door and made way through the entrance, she saw him on his chair, freshly showered and sporting only a towel. “You did not need to knock on the door. You can just come in,” he said, his piercing blue eyes on her face.

She halted, taking in his glistening skin under the light of the moon that beamed in gloriously from the window. The moon knew exactly how to spotlight him and stop everything else in the world from mattering as she shone her light on his ridiculously carved body. He rose from the chair, the towel lying perilously low at his hips. The small trail of hair that paved a path from his stomach got lost under the towel.

“My eyes are up here,” he said as he reached her. A finger curled under her chin and lifted her gaze to his. With a gentle smile, he took her hand and dotted a kiss to her knuckles. She sighed as the touch of his lips made its way to her fingers, unravelling the tension in her neck, her fears, and the distractions in her mind. Torin said, “I’ve missed you.”

“I would have found you sooner but—” Her words were cut off as Torin’s hand trailed a path from her neck down her arm. “I needed to…to…take care of a few things before—” Torin caught her wrist with his teeth and gently scored along it.

Holy Gods.

“You had things to take care of, did you?” he said against her wrist, his voice low and dangerous. “How very empress-y of you.”

It amazed her how a single kiss could spark a burning desire in her core that spread all over her skin.

“Yes,” she breathed. “Empress business.”

“That sounds so official.” He kissed the crease in her arm where her skin folded and continued upwards.

“It was.” She almost let out a moan as he worked his way to her shoulder.

He paused. “Your body is so tense.”

“Can you blame me?”

As he reached her neck, Torin stopped his lips from worshipping her. “If I could take this burden of tomorrow from your shoulders, I would. It would take it all.”

“I know you would. But I would never let you carry that burden alone. We are a team, remember? I just can’t think of something happening to you.”

He pulled away from her neck and caught her stare. “Emara, something terrible could happen any day of our lives. But we can’t think like that, not tonight. Not in these moments just between us two. We need to live just for us.”

She knew what he wanted to say: Not when tonight could be their last night together; not when it could be the last time he touched her. She pulled back, taking a few deep breaths, and her hand went up to hold in her sobs. She had held it together all day and night, but she could show her true self around him, and the tears burst from her eyes.

“Come on,” he said, reaching for her. “Don’t do that.”

“What?” she said, turning from him.

“Don’t let the panic and fear win. You’re stronger than that.” His hands were on her hips, travelling up to her waist and past her curves. They landed on her face, cupping her jaw. “Let’s not talk about tomorrow or what the fate of the Gods has in store for me. For us.” He nodded, looking deeply into her soul. Emara couldn’t breathe. “Let’s just take this moment as the stars come out in the sky and the moon shines down on us to get lost in one another. Just us. Just tonight.”

She gripped his hands and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to push out the trepidation of tomorrow. The dizziness almost won, but her heart blocked out everything else in the world but him. The sky could be falling down around her and all it would take would be for Torin Blacksteel to wink at her and she would forget about everything.

“I am sorry. I just feel a little overwhelmed. Can you pour me a drink?” she asked him. “Anything you have.”

His eyebrow went up, but he moved over to where his crystal glass sat, untouched, by his chair. Walking back over, Emara felt the temperature of the room intensify as if the sun herself had come up from her slumber underground to fill the room with warmth. Maybe it was Torin in nothing but a fluffy white towel, but heat swarmed her.

“Would you like a sip?” He held up the glass, and something wicked glinted in his stunning eyes.

She nodded, swallowing a breath. “Yes.”

His eyes dazzled like polished sapphires as he held up the glass close to her mouth. “I will give you a sip, angel.” He paused, his grin turning devious as his lips fought to hide his pearl-white teeth. “But only if you promise that we can share.”

After she nodded, his lips turned up at the corner, finally revealing one of those sensual grins that dimpled in his cheek. Those unholy dimples sent fire through her heart and flutters into her stomach. He put the glass to his mouth, all eyes on her, and let the liquid slide into his mouth.

He moved fast, grabbing her neck with one hand and opening her mouth with his own.

Delightful shock knocked the breath from her as he let the bourbon flow from his mouth to hers, sending tastes of spice, notes of vanilla, and grains of caramel onto her tongue. The alcohol burned a track down to her stomach and his kiss came down hard on her lips. He broke away all too quickly, leaving her chest heaving.

“More?” His husky voice told her that he had something more than bourbon on his mind.

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