Page 31 of Loki

“Why don’t you rest first? Just for a few minutes.”

She nodded as if waiting for permission and laid down on her side.

Loki tried to decide what he should do.

“Will you stay?” she asked, not looking at him.

Hell yeah, he would. “Absolutely.”

He slipped off his coat and tossed next to the bed. Then he walked to the opposite side of the bed from Val and lay on it.

He lay on his back staring at the new movie on the television. Minutes passed, and she gingerly rolled over and curled next to him. His heart almost stopped in his chest. She snuggled in closer, and Loki lifted his arm and wrapped it around her. When she placed her head on his chest, Loki barely breathed. She was touching him. Actually, touching him. More than to hold his hand. And no knives were involved.

He froze, figuring out how best to proceed. He didn’t want to scare her away, but he wanted more than anything to hold her. He took the leap and scooted down, so his body lay flush against hers. She rested her head on his shoulder and draped an arm over his chest. The movie on the television played on, but Loki couldn’t concentrate as he reveled in the feel of her body against his.

Soon light snores emanated from her, and he smiled. She’d trusted him enough to fall asleep in his arms. It felt like he’d won a huge battle. He couldn’t believe it. He wondered if she’d ever slept in someone else’s arms before. He doubted she had, which brought him even more joy. He liked possibly being the first man to hold her in his arms while she slept. He wanted to be her first for everything she did, but that wasn’t possible. Even so, he’d take what he could.

He leaned down and kissed her damp hair. The feelings that bubbled and churned inside him made him more nervous than ever. He didn’t know why she affected him the way she did... but he had a possible idea. An idea which scared him to death. The idea she could be the one. His one. His fated mate.

Val awoketo panic rising in her chest. She opened her eyes. Where the hell was she? A minute passed, and the memories rushed back. She was at Valhalla’s Throne. Her body ached but not badly, all things considered. She felt her shoulder and one of her wings. They’d been hidden for so long she’d almost forgotten she had them. She couldn’t count how many years it had been since she’d taken to the sky and just flown through the air, letting the wind caress her whole body. The idea made her want to more than anything, but on Midgard, that wouldn’t be wise, and down in the Underworld... who knew who would trace her back to Elle?

She sighed— no flying for her.

She laid her hand back down and touched someone. His warm skin radiated through his smooth silk shirt. She rubbed it with her fingers and realized who it was. She looked into the handsome, sleeping face of Loki. Val swallowed hard. She’d fallen asleep on him. She’d never slept with anyone before. Sex, yes, but sleeping, no way. Yet she’d slept with Loki. Loki, of all people.

She needed to stop thinking like that. The Loki she’d heard about and the Loki she’d experienced for herself seemed like two different people. Maybe time had changed him. It had been hundreds of years.

She studied his face. He had high cheekbones, and slight stubble crossed his chin. His long dark hair hung loosely around him, giving him a youthful appearance despite his age. The humans would call him a metrosexual. She’d read about it in a magazine. A man who dressed to the nines, used skin and hair products, and was meticulous with his appearance. That was Loki to a T. She wanted nothing more than to touch his soft-looking hair.

What? Touching his hair?Had Odin hit her in the head? How stupid could she be? She’d seen women flirt, especially the humans in The Raven Weaver.

Loki was a flirt, but she wasn’t, which was why it had surprised her so much that she’d flirted with Benjinn.

Benjinn.He’d been gone when her fight ended. She wished she’d at least been able to explain to him, but how could he ever understand her anger and pain toward Odin? He couldn’t. But Loki had. Loki had encouraged her. He’d not shied away from her pain and her rage. He’d... understood it. Understood her. No one had ever understood her before. Not that she’d ever allowed anyone to try to know or understand her. She’d neither needed nor wanted it in the past. But with Loki... For some reason, she wanted him to understand her. To accept her. To help her know she was still lovable despite what she’d been through and endured.

“Are you going to keep staring at me, or are you going to say something?” Loki asked.

Val sucked in a deep breath and sat up, but he pulled her against him.

He opened his eyes. “Where are you going?”

“I should check on Elle.”

“She’s with Thor. She’ll be fine.”

“Will she?”

Loki chuckled. “He’s more smitten by Elle than when he lifted Mjölnir for the first time.”

Val struggled to decide between the need to check on Elle and the strange comfort it brought her being in Loki’s arms.

They stared at each other for a long moment, and then Loki flipped her on her back and poised above her. He lingered for a moment before she reached up and felt a lock of his hair.

Yup. He definitely has a more intense hair routine.

Loki bent in close, his lips lingering above hers.

No kissing. That was her rule. Always had been. Kissing was too intimate, too sensual. But... she wanted to taste his lips. To feel his mouth on hers.

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