Page 13 of Garlands and Gauntlets

His hand slides into mine, and I squeeze it gently, pulling him closer. He's so much smaller than me…I just want to pull him into my arms, but I'm pretty sure he would hate that.

“Back at dinner,” Vaelin says, “I didn't mean to embarrass you, but I just didn't know if you were interested–”

“In you?” I blurt out.

He huffs out a laugh. “Subtle.”

“Well, I just…I wanted to make it clear I am interested–”

“Will you just shut up and kiss me?”

We meet halfway–Vaelin standing on his tiptoes and practically launching himself at me, while I reach around his waist and pull him into my arms. Then he's kissing me, sliding his fingers into my hair, and it feels soright.

The kiss is messy and a little frantic. I don't know what I'm doing, I've only ever kissed one boy during my training and itwas so awkward I don't care to remember it. Locked up like I was, I didn't have a chance…

…but now, the only person I want to kiss for the rest of my life is Vaelin.

When we finally pull apart, I’m out of breath, my heart pounding so hard it feels like it might burst out of my chest. Vaelin looks up at me, his face unreadable–still in my arms. “You’re ridiculous,” he says, but there’s no bite to the words.

“You kissed me back,” I point out.

He huffs, his lips twitching like he’s trying not to smile. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

I grin, warmth blooming in my chest. “Too late.”

He tilts his head, kissing me again–softer this time and somehow even more sensual. I hold him closer, my heart racing, and he rests his forehead against mine when he pulls away this time.

“Hey,” he says. “I know it's fast, but you said you don't have anywhere to go and if you want to come back to mine–”

He's interrupted by a twinkling chime as a bolt of light streaks across the sky. It falls toward us and I try to move Vaelin out of the way, but he extends his hand and catches it. He lands solidlyon his feet when I drop him in surprise, and he grins at me, holding it out.

It's a paper star, neatly folded, arcane energy swirling around it.

“Shooting star,” he says, “from Garnok.”

“Who?”

“My orc friend,” he says. “He wants to meet you. Then…after, if you want to–”

I interrupt him with a kiss, pulling him toward me and ducking to kiss him. My hand dwarfs his face as I let my lips do the talking, saying yes…yes, please take me home with you. He pulls away with a genuine smile, maybe the first I've seen.

“I'll take that as a yes,” he says.

I nod, grinning. “An ecstatic yes.”

Chapter eight

Vaelin

Ishould really tellhim that I was planning on robbing him.

I think about how I can make it sound better as we walk to Garnok’s place.So Theo, before you come home with me and fuck my brains out, you should know I wasn't planning on helping you, I wanted to rob you.Or,Hey Theo, the reason my parents disagree with my work is because I'm a dropout wizard turned thief, and you're my mark. No, of course I'm not still trying to rob you, I actually like you.

Yeah…none of that sounds good.

So I just keep my damn mouth shut.

Garnok lives on the outskirts of town, in a small cottage where he runs his woodworking business. Hearthwynd isn't always particularly welcoming to orcs–I really don't know why he sticks around–but Garnok has always been a nice guy. His house is lit up and welcoming as we come closer, and I can feel Theo’s tension mounting.

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