Page 14 of Desire

“No…yes…I don’t know.”

He removed his hand and simply hugged me.

“You don’t need to be afraid. I’m here. I won’t ever leave you.”

How did he know that was what I feared most?

I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him in return.

When I left Eloise, I’d understood the danger. If giving my life would spare hers, I was willing to do so. Yet, I was no longer sure my life would be enough. What if saving my sister meant the lives of the men in this glade too?

“Are you feeling adequately cuddled?” I asked Eadric after several moments.

“I am.”

“I’m not,” Daemon said.

“I’ll cuddle you,” Eadric called with a grin.

Daemon scoffed and turned his back on us.

“Aren’t you going to help me down for your cuddle, Daemon?” I asked.

He whirled about and had me out of the swinging bed before I could blink.

“What liberties am I allowed, Lamb?” he asked, setting me down.

“What would you like?” I asked.

His gaze heated as he considered me. “I think you wouldn’t speak to me if I voiced what I’d like. So I will gratefully accept whatever you wish to allow.”

I stepped close to him, crowding his space, which made him grin.

“Are you saying you’ll concede to whatever I wish?” I asked, running my hand down his chest.

He nodded eagerly.

“What if what I wished for involved less clothing?”

His gaze heated significantly. Then, he bent and tossed me over his shoulder in a single smooth move.

“Tell me where,” he said.

“The well,” I said, bubbling with laughter. “You need to bathe.”

He muttered a curse as Darian plucked me off his shoulder.

“Now you know how it feels,” he said to his brother.

“Youallneed to bathe,” I said. “It’s going to rain before dusk, and we’ll need to sleep inside again.”

I didn’t add that it would continue to rain throughout the next day, too. I wanted to see what they would do.

“And I’ll comb your hair when you’re done,” I added when no one moved to leave.

Darian and Daemon raced to the well. Liam and Eadric followed more sedately.

“I’ll watch the food,” I said to Garron.

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