Page 94 of The Viking in the Vault
I grab a pillow and smack him in the chest, but he’s laughing now, pulling me into his lap like I weigh nothing at all. He kisses me hard, deeply, and my body melts right back into his, traitor that it is.
He leans back just enough to brush his nose against mine.
“I will put on pants,” he murmurs, “but I am not done with you yet.”
Neither am I.
By the time we actually manage to drag ourselves out of the pod, the camp is wide awake—and unfortunately,sois the gossip network.
I don’t even make it three steps before Ves is sidling up next to me with a grin that could outshine a supernova. They glance at Ragnar, who’s walking beside me like a possessive, seven-foot shadow, then back at me with eyebrowswaytoo high.
“Sleep well?” they ask innocently.
Ragnar doesn’t answer, which I’m grateful for. Idocatch the way he places his hand on the small of my back andglaresat Dr.Kallisto when she looks in our direction, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
“Ves,” I hiss, cheeks burning.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” they say, absolutelynotsorry at all. “Did Iinterruptsomething? Were you two…busyall night?”
Ragnar growls under his breath, but I step in front of him like I’m shielding Ves from a fire-breathing dragon. “Please,” I whisper, “not in front of him. He’s already one possessive glare away from declaring a public claiming ceremony.”
Ves gasps. “Wait—did he claim you?”
I open my mouth. Close it. Make a helpless little sound that might actually be a squeak. “Not publicly,” I mutter.
“Yrsa help me,” they beam. “Elena, you little minx! You did it! You had sex with the hot ancient alien!”
“Ves—”
“How was it?” they hiss, eyes sparkling like they’re about to combust. “Was it good? Wait—what am I saying, look at you. You’ve got ‘thoroughly ravished’ written all over you. I bet he was incredible.”
I press my palms to my face and groan. “I hate everything.”
“You love something,” they say smugly.
And okay, yes. I do. I love the way he held me afterward, like I was something sacred. I love the sound he made when he spilled inside me, like he’d waited lifetimes for it.
I love that he whispered my name like it was a vow.
I peek at Ves through my fingers. “He was…really good.”
Ves snorts. “Hell yeah.”
“I mean—really good.”
“Tell me everything.”
“I am telling you nothing.”
“Tell meonething.”
I hesitate. Then, very quietly, I say, “He woke me up with his mouth this morning.”
33
RAGNAR
The air grows colder the deeper we go.
