Page 101 of Waves
"Not one I witnessed," I replied with a small, uncertain shrug. "I'm not even certain he told them yet. I told them all of their gifts privately."
"Smart." She resumed our walk, ducking beneath a jelly, tentacles stretching and contracting as it leisurely swam just overhead. "And the last husband? I can't remember his name. The shy one?"
"Stavros." I glanced off and weighed the consequences, but I wasn't certain Bloss was ready to hear Raj's true identity yet. His former identity. And there was absolutely no way I could tell her what I'd given him.
Gela appeared in my head for a moment. And her wispy visage whispered,Sometimes, queens keep secrets. Not just for the good of their country. For the good of the entire world.
She'd been right about that.
Raj was too important and divisive a secret to share. So, I pressed my lips together, reflecting, and memories of last night floated up as my sister and I continued strolling in silence.
Stavros appeared in the doorway of my bedchamber dressed all in black, his blond hair slicked to one side, his liquid blue eyes squinted in suspicion—far more so than they'd ever been when he'd been playing a part in my tournament. "I've been feeling many curious things today, Avia. Care to explain them?"
He slowly approached as I stood from the chair I'd been perched on and set aside the scroll I'd been reading. Because I didn't tie it down, the scroll simply floated off, but I didn't bother to retrieve it.
"I've been giving out wedding gifts."
"Isn't it tradition in Okeanos for a bride to receive gifts?"
I shrugged as I walked toward him, stopping only when we were close enough that I registered the thrumming pulse in his neck. Only once my body heated just from his proximity. "I've stuck with the tradition of marrying men from the tournament. I think that might be as traditional as I get."
"Interesting." He waited patiently for me to continue.
"I've given gifts to all my other husbands, but I've been debating what I should give you."
His eyes darted toward the bed, and I bit down on a grin. "That's not the kind of gift I'm talking about. I want to give you something that shows my appreciation for who you are...for all you've done for me. For all you will do for Okeanos. And..." I reached down and touched the onyx ring on my finger, his gaze following mine. Immediately, as if my own veins were bursting, I sensed his heartbeat speed up, anticipation blooming as I gave the band a twist. "I wish you'd never have to grant another wish you didn't want to."
Immediately, his body was against mine, his thigh between mine, hands ghosting up my sides to cup my cheeks. "You don't have to do that," he murmured.
"But I do. You can't be enslaved to me. My heart already influences you. But I don't want your life to feel bound and chained?—"
"I don't." His insistence was instantaneous and forceful.
"But you might one day."
He began to scoff but I cut him off, saying, "Just say 'granted' already."
His brow furrowed and his hands slid slowly down to my shoulders as his expression grew worried. "No. What if I regress? What if?—"
"You won't regress because you're Stavros. Raj is dead. Gone forever. He doesn't exist any longer—we agreed. He washeartless. You are not." I rose up onto my tiptoes to better stare into his eyes and push my point home. "You are my husband. I want you to be able to choose me. And choose to say no to me."
"I choose now. No."
And then he swept me into a devastatingly delicious kiss. My hair swarmed around me when he lifted me off my feet and carried me over to my bed, depositing me on the edge only to lean over me and block my vision with his body as he planted kisses along the ridge of my brow, on the tip of my nose, over the scales on my cheek, down one side of my neck before those plus lips wandered back up to dance over my jaw. He teased me until I grabbed at his hair and yanked it, pulling his mouth back to mine.
Breathless and bemused more than irritated, I pulled back and stared up into his eyes. "Why not? Why wouldn't you want your freedom?"
He tangled our fingers then, winding them together and bringing his ring to his lips for another gentle kiss. "Because I trust you more than I trust myself. You won't abuse power. I always have."
The drumbeat of our shared heart rolled through me as this truth settled into our skin.
Once he realized he'd won the argument, Stavros leaned back down and pecked the corner of my mouth before whispering, "Now, if you want to discuss gifts...I'd very much like to unwrap you, wife." Rippling lust tinted my vision, and I wasn't certain if it was his or my own, not that it mattered.
Every feeling wasours.
In response, I'd curved my body into his, my hands wrapping around the back of his neck, my legs lifting to bracket his narrow hips. "You are letting me off too easy with this gift."
His chuckle rumbled against my breasts as he stroked a hand down my bare spine. "I don't think so. You've alreadygiven me the best one of all." His expression softened and his tone grew reverent as he added, "Your heart." His admiration welled up and mingled with my wonder at his honesty and there was a solid minute in which our mutual veneration filled those aching hollows within.
