Page 212 of Upon Buried Embers
He tilts his head, staring me down. “Words.”
“Just… do I look okay? I don’t want to embarrass you.”
His brows furrow. “Do you look okay?” he says slowly, and I nod. “Little Whisperer, if you weren’t so shy, and I wasn’t so—” he eyes me up and down. “Possessive. You would be laid out before the fire and screaming to the Gods while I embarrassmyselffrom coming too soon.” I blush, and he leans close, lips inches from mine. “You’re beautiful,” he says softly, taking my single braid that he did in his hand and playing with it. “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, looking down and biting my lips, trying not to smile.
“You have no idea what you do to me, do you, Alara?” He pulls me closer, placing my hand against his chest. “Feel that?”
I do. His heart is beating so fast.
“This is what happens to me every time I set eyes on you. I feel like it’ll rip free from me and burst. It doesn’t do that for anyone else. It never has.”
“Rohan.”
“I once told you that you have to be strong, that I refused for you to make me look weak, to embarrass me.” He places his forehead against mine. “But in the end, Little Whisperer, it’s me who is weak. Just one look from you and it could have me doing anything. So do not think you are below anyone here.” He brings the back of my hand to his lips. “You are all I see.”
“You are all I see, too,” I say, emotions welling up inside of me.
“Then look.” I do.
His eyes shine with possessiveness but also affection, and I dare to think that maybe they show something deeper.
“Understand now?”
I nod.
“Here.” Rohan turns, grabbing something and then he’s back, placing a rose into my hair, just above my ear. “Perfect.”
My heart takes flight. How did I end up here, feeling so…happy.
I rise on my tiptoes and place a kiss to his cheek.
“Come.” He grabs my hand and leads me to a log where we sit.
I’m handed a drink. It smells fruity, and I take a little sip and hum.
“Good?” he asks.
“Good.” I take another drink.
“Don’t drink it too fast,” he chuckles.
“Why?”
He eyes me. “You’ll soon find out.”
We watch others dance around the fire, twirling and laughing. Someone somewhere has an instrument. I don’t know what it is,but I start humming along to it. I’m three drinks in before I know it, and Rohan chuckles as I sway from side to side.
“Go and join her,” he points at Tofa.
I look at her dancing with Beau. “But don’t let the stable boy touch you.”
I eye him, and a playful smile spreads across my lips.
“Don’t you—”
But I’m already up and heading over to them.
