Page 34 of Fate Calls the Elf Queen

“Stop what?” he said with a smirk.

She gritted her teeth. “Being—you. Stop flirting with me if you don’t want to be with me.”

“My dearest.” He slid his fingers along the top of her thigh and leaned in closer. “I want to be with you.” He leaned in closer, and closer until their lips were a moment from touching. Layala’s core warmed and it pissed her off that with a simple touch and a few words he could make her melt. “Patience. That’s all I ask for.”

He had plenty of patience when it came to her and her attitude, so she owed him that at the very least. Even if they couldn’t marry yet, why did things have to be so strained? It was like a slow torture. Her body ached for him, his touch, and his lips all over her, but he wouldn’t even give her that lately.

Now he suddenly wanted to wait for marriage? Maker above, he wouldn’t even hold her hand most days. It’s like a part of him resented her but he wouldn’t admit it. He’d relentlessly pursued her before and now they were becoming strangers again.

Despite her warring feelings, the intensity blooming between them grew with each passing second. It was torment not to kiss his lips when they were so close, and he smelled good. Not giving in, she started to lean away, and his hand wrapped around the back of her neck, stopping her escape as he finally pressed in, kissing her hard, weeks of built-up passion igniting in that moment. For all her snappy comments about telling him to leave it only took one kiss to melt into him. A moan escaped her, and in reaction, he stood. She blinked in surprise as he took hold of her hand.

“What’s wrong?”

He tugged her off the stool and pulled her along the edges of Nerium O until they were under the night sky. “Where are we…”

Thane melted into the shadows, taking her with him and pinned her against the alley wall. Now this was what she’d waited for. The hunger in his eyes was reminiscent of times he watched her undress. His lips crashed into hers. Her fingers slipped into his hair, and his rough hand gripped her thigh. He pulled it up to his hip and leaned into her.

“Thane,” she breathed. “Evalyn has rooms.” His hot kisses trailed down her throat, and she shuddered. “Take me upstairs.”

“You’re so beautiful.” His fingers dug into her hips, greedily pulling her closer. “I don’t know if I can stop.”

She pulled his lips to hers, pushed her tongue into his mouth. “There is no need. I want you. I want you now.”

“Please, Laya.”

His hands slipped under her top, his thumb grazed her breast and she moaned again. “Don’t stop.”

“Right here? We can’t. Someone could walk down here any moment.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck leaning into his touch. “Do I need to beg for you to take me to a room then?”

He pressed his forehead against hers. “Why do you have to be so tempting?”

“I need more than this,” she whispered. “I need to be with you again, wholly. I want to be connected to you.”

He shuddered and nipped her ear. “Laya, we can’t. I want you to know who and what you’re consenting to when you love me, when you marry me.”

“I do.”

“No, you don’t.”

She sighed, not only in frustration of her body’s unmet craving but this argument. “I know who you are. You’re my Thane. The Elf King who took me from my home and saved me from myself. You rescued me from your father at your own peril. You make love to me in bathtubs and whisper naughty things in my ear. You’re the elf who loved me at my hardest and cherished me at my most vulnerable.Nothingstopped you before. Especially not another male.” He made promises in the past about loving her in fields of wildflowers, of wedding vows, and being mated once again.

“I’m notonlyThane Athayel,” he said. “And that was before I knew better. I’m not doing this for him; it’s for you. I won’t have you angry with me in the future because I married you and it’s not what you, and all that you are, wanted. You were once married to Hel, you loved him, you were mated to him, all things you don’t care about now, but you will.” He paused and looked down. His dark lashes glistened with tears in the moonlight cascading upon them. “I remember your wedding to him. I remember how it hurt to see that he made you happy and not me. I don’t want you to resent me when I knew better, and you didn’t.”

Layala took a sharp breath. She didn’t want it to be real. All she could see standing across from her in a wedding ceremony was Thane. “And—I left him foryouaccording to him.” She stroked the side of his face, wanting to beg him to see she loved him.

“Now that is a piece I don’t remember. Hel says I tricked you, and I can’t imagine that but… If I did, I won’t again.”

“Thane, that’s not who you are. You wouldn’t do that. And that was before. I loved you first here and now. He’s horrible. I guarantee that’s why I left. He’s ruthless and cold and you’re warm and kind and everything I ever wanted.”

“If it doesn’t matter when you remember, we’ll marry, and I promise I will love you every night that you wish, and your bed will never be empty again.”

The door to Nerium O swung open and a couple patrons stepped out, singing loudly. The drunkards couldn’t carry a tune and swayed back and forth with their arms around each other’s shoulders. “Hey, looky there,” one of the men shouted and pointed in their direction. “A couple of love birds.” They started making kissing noises and laughed.

Thane reached back and tugged out his sword, then stepped into the light of the street. “Might want to move on, boys.”

“Oye, let’s get out of here,” one said and hurried down the street with the other quickly following.

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