Page 75 of I Married Amreth

I giggled and complied while he went to fill the tub with water.

“I’ll be right back,” he said with a mysterious tone, piquing my curiosity.

My gaze lingered on him as he exited the room, admiring his strong back and the way his long tail gently swayed behind him. The memory of the naughty ways he used it had me instantly throbbing in all the right places. Bubbling with anticipation, I finished undressing and neatly folded my clothes on the counter. I approached the tub, which was filling at an impressive speed, and dipped the tip of my toes in to test the temperature. A grin stretched my lips at finding it at the perfect warmth. Walking down the two steps into the tub, I settled in the water with a voluptuous moan.

The soft swish of the door opening behind me reclaimed my attention. My eyes widened upon seeing Amreth followed by a hover tray with two flutes filled with a sparkling beverage that resembled champagne, and two plates laden with sliced exotic fruits in one and luxury gourmet chocolates in the other.

“Oh, my God! Where did you get that?!” I exclaimed, straightening in the tub as he approached and set the tray to hover at the perfect height in front of me.

“I brought them with me with the intention of us enjoying them during our first date after I freed you,” Amreth said smugly as he began to strip out of his clothes. “There was actually the equivalent of strawberries dipped in chocolate as part of the menu. But under the circumstances, I figured we’d seen enough of those for a while and left them out.”

I snorted, both amused and touched by his thoughtfulness. “Damn, that’s so sweet!”

“Normally, I would take umbrage at being described as such, but this time, I’ll allow it,” he said teasingly. “I didn’t exactly free you, but we have cause to celebrate.”

“We do,” I concurred while feasting my eyes on my man. “In more ways than one.”

To my surprise, he didn’t join me in the tub but sat sideways on the raised edge, his feet remaining on the floor. Amreth reached for the two flutes, handing me one. I took it, my heart fluttering as he locked eyes with me with a depth of affection that messed me up.

“To you, my Ciara, the greatest blessing the Gods could have ever bestowed upon me. I always wondered what my soulmate would be like. I hoped she would be kind, smart, funny, affectionate, and of course law-abiding,” he added with a teasing wink, making me chuckle.

He sobered and gently caressed my cheek with his knuckles.

“But you exceeded all of that. You’re bold, courageous, compassionate, and selfless. Day after day, I watch you working yourself to the bone to save these people with empathy and respect. Not once have you even contemplated how succeeding in this endeavor could bring you praise and acclaim. You onlycare about their welfare. And it shines through. You cannot begin to understand how proud I am to claim you as mine.”

My throat tightened, and stupid tears tried to prick my eyes to join the party. I didn’t think I was doing anything special other than what was necessary and right. But his response was moving me to the core.

“I love that you aren’t afraid to speak your mind, to stand firm by your beliefs, and to go after what you want. And above all, I love how happy I feel simply being by your side. The mere thought of seeing your face and of hearing your voice makes me smile. I’m falling in love with you, Ciara. I cannot wait for us to start our life together.”

“And I cannot wait to start our life together either. You, too, have exceeded my wildest dreams. Every quality you listed about me, I could throw right back at you. My biggest fear had been that you might be too rigid. But you’re extremely humble, open-minded, and willing to see things from someone else’s perspective. You’re protective without being controlling, principled but not self-righteous, disciplined and yet playful, and above all, you’re the best cuddler in the world. Those winged-hugs are just next level,” I added teasingly.

He snorted and shook his head at me.

“I love that you didn’t think twice about coming to rescue me. I love that you swiftly adapted to the new situation and didn’t hesitate to do the right thing, even to the detriment of your own career on Molvi. You’re just as selfless as you claim me to be. And everyone here sees it. I’m even more proud of you than you are of me.”

“I doubt that’s possible,” he said, trying to sound playfully grumpy to hide how much my words moved him.

“Believe me, it is. You possess so much power that you could easily abuse, and yet you always look for the peaceful optionthat will avoid bloodshed. You make me feel safe, respected, and valued. I’m falling in love with you, tail, wings, horns, and all.”

“Piercings, too?” he asked.

I burst out laughing, while he chuckled affectionately.

“Yes, piercings too. Especially those ones,” I added, casting a meaningful glance at his crotch.

“Good! Because by the time we return home, I suspect the Conclave will bestow more algarium to me as a reward for my contribution in solving this crisis. Start thinking where you’ll want me to add those piercings.”

My jaw dropped, while he chuckled smugly.

The Conclave was the highest legal authority on Vargos, the Obosian homeworld. Algarium was the rare metal they used for their piercing, all of which had to be earned through remarkable deeds or achievements. I needed to inquire about what earned him all the ones that currently adorned his body.

“Until then, to us,” Amreth said, not waiting for my response.

“To us,” I repeated as we clinked our glasses.

We drank. It turned out to be something more like a fruity rosé, although it could very well be an Obosian version of champagne, not that I particularly cared. I’d never been big on alcohol. But this was delicious.

To my surprise, Amreth didn’t partake in the goodies on the two plates, but moved behind me, crouching at the edge of the bath, to give me a proper shoulder massage. A loud purr tumbled out of my throat.

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