Page 18 of Embers to Flames

Theo lets out a low giggle and soft snort, “Was there something I could umm… do for you, Rose?”

Where to begin?

“I just… I couldn’t sleep. Too many people in one bed. Besides, I thought we should discuss… this…” I wave a hand motioning between us. “Well, whatever this is that is going on between us—it can’t happen. I’m married. You’re an—Elf. It’s forbidden.” I take a long, deep breath. There, I’ve said it. He looks at me perplexedly before turning to take a cup of wine from the table behind him.

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean. I thought we were friends.” He remarks slyly, handing me the cup.

“Friends? Right…” I reply, unsure if this is him being sarcastic or serious.

“I’ll even prove it to you.” He remarks, setting down his cup and prancing over to the bed, pulling back the covers. “Sleep here tonight. With me—err—next to me.”

No. Way.

I shake my head letting out an uneasy soft laugh. “That won’t work.”

“It won’t?” he asks with a grin. “Sleep next to me. All night. If nothing happens, then we are in fact…onlyfriends.”

I swirl the rich, ruby-colored wine around inside the cup I still hold in my hand. Watching it swish around the inside edges. Contemplating. “Fine.” I concede with a heavy sigh, downing the last of the wine in one swift gulp and placing the empty cup on the table with a resounding thud.

“Wonderful.” Theo says.

He walks to the other side of the bed and crawls in. His massive wings are tucked in behind him as he positions himself on what he has deemed his side of the bed. I toss my wrap onto the end of the bed and remove my slippers before edging myself in under the sheets.

Oh, my Gods.

I have never felt a more comfortable bed.

“See?” Theo starts, “Just sleeping. Simple.”

I lie there with my back to him. The softness of the bed has me almost asleep. When suddenly, I feel a calloused and warm hand on my arm.

“Are you comfortable?” He whispers.

“Uh huh.” I mumble.

He proceeds to move his hand from my arm to the spot just between my shoulders. My nightgown has left that spot bare. He begins softly rubbing in circles.

“Does this feel good… my friend?” He whispers.

I’m no longer half asleep, but my eyes stay closed. I just want this moment. This one right here, to never end. I can feel the warmth of his body move closer to mine. His hand continues rubbing with gentle pressure. I let out a soft moan as his hand glides lower now, slowly, hesitantly. As if he is waiting to see if I will object.

I know I should, but I do not.

I mold the contours of my body to fit seamlessly against his angles. He moves his other arm under my head so I can rest against his shoulder. My hair spills like a silken waterfall against his bare chest. I roll over to face him and his arms encircle me, protective. I nestle against the rhythmic cadence of his heartbeat. Words are unnecessary, our bodies converse in a language older than time. His thumb brushes my cheek, wiping away invisible worries. I respond with a contented sigh, my fingers tracing the contours of his toned abdomen, each muscle defined.

Beneath the covers, our legs have tangled together. His calf brushes mine and I shiver, not from cold, but from the electric current that leaps between us. As we drift toward sleep,our hearts beat in unison and our breath synchronizes. I bury my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling the essence of him.

Theo presses a kiss to my forehead, a vow etched in tenderness. I cling to him tighter as I drift into nothingness.

ChapterNine

I wake up still wrapped in Theo’s embrace. The light of the day peeks its way through the shutters of the room’s only window. The fire in the hearth is now nothing but embers. I cannot remember the last time I had slept so soundly. I didn’t dream, I didn’t even move. I peer up at Theo’s face. He’s still sleeping. He looks so at ease, his defenses down and vulnerability exposed. His eyelids flutter as he dreams, and I can’t help but wonder what he fantasizes about. I resist the urge to place my hand upon his cheek for fear that my warmth might disrupt his fragile state of calm.

How my body aches for him. I can resist it no longer. I slowly move my head, bringing my lips closer to his than theyhave ever been. His lips part slightly, an unconscious welcome. My heart, once a steady rhythm, now flutters like a captive bird. I look up and see that his eyes are still closed.

Just do it you timid fool!

My self-control finally gives way. I close my eyes and press my lips against his. A soft collision of warmth. My lips mold to his. Theo awakens, surprised, but he immediately takes his hands, and weaves his fingers through the messy, soft tendrils of my hair, pulling me into him. His lips are softer than I had imagined. I part my own lips, a welcoming notion for him to glide his tongue slowly in between, tracing the edges of my mouth. Our tongues find each other with ease, effortlessly tangling together in a fiery embrace. His taste is sweet and there is still a hint of last night’s wine on his breath.

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