Page 50 of A Crown of Lies

“Yes, I have! I’ve asked a lot!”

“Not seriously.”

He wrinkled his nose at her. “Did you really think I was joking this whole time?”

She shook her head. “How am I supposed to know with you?”

“Well, I’m not joking now. I’d really like to kiss you, Rixxis, and it’s okay if you kiss Rowan, too. Do whatever you want with him. Just… I don’t want it to change this. Us. What we have.”

The room was quiet while Rixxis considered her answer. Too quiet. The only sound was Ieduin’s heart drumming in his ears.

After what felt like a lifetime, Rixxis said, “Okay.”

“Okay what?”

“You can kiss me if you want.”

Ieduin’s lips were dry, so he licked them and then immediately thought better of it and pressed them together. It was a simple thing. Just a kiss. He’d done it hundreds of times with so many people, but none of them were Rixxis, and there was some weight to that.

How many people had she kissed? Not that many, probably. Not as many as him. He should be an expert by now, so why was his heart hammering so hard and why was he justsittingthere?

The bed creaked loudly as he leaned forward. He expected her to pull away, but she didn’t. He touched her cheek, and she didn’t flinch away then, either.

“You ready?” he whispered and leaned in a little closer.

She nodded.

“I’m really going to do it.”

“I know.”

There were only inches between them, but it might as well have been an ocean. Once he crossed it, things might never be the same. Was it worth it? Gods above, he hoped so.

He held her head in his hands and swept in only to stop short, his face hovering so close, he could feel her breath on his lips. “Close your eyes, Rixxis.”

She did.

He didn’t kiss her like he’d dreamt of doing. Those kisses were all desire and want, and he was afraid he might scare Rixxis away if he got too hot too fast. Instead, he lightly brushed his lips over hers, just breathing her in. She smelled like rosemary.

He kissed the dip in her top lip, which he had always admired, and it was even sweeter than he’d hoped. He kissed her bottom lip, tasting the lingering flavor of the ale she’d been drinking earlier in the night. Then, finally, he kissed both her lips together, and it was like a warm drink on a cool night. Everything about it was right, and pleasing in every way from the sudden sharp intake of breath through her nose to the way she leaned into him. It was a kiss he felt deep down in his bones, as if he were coming home to his own bed after a long time away.

Not like kissing Rowan. He was all heat and fire, and Rixxis was a cool breeze on a hot day, ice on a bruise, a healing balm on an open wound. She was everything he needed after his rough encounter with Rowan earlier.

He pulled back, and they stared at each other, wide-eyed, for a long moment, and Ieduin wondered if she’d felt what he had. It was as if they had been here before, but not now. Maybe in some distant past or a faraway future. This was one of those moments that was more than it seemed. Their threads had crossed in the tapestry of life, and he hadfeltit.

“Rixxis,” Ieduin whispered, afraid to shatter the moment. “Are you okay with this?”

“With kissing you or being part of a sandwich?”

“Both? I think.”

Rixxis smiled and kissed him again, just a light peck on the lips. “I’m happy if you are, but can we please just go to sleep? We have to be up in a few hours for work and I haven’t slept a wink thanks to this damn storm.”

“Okay,” he said, despite his cock already getting other ideas. Rowan had given him specific instructionsnotto have sex with Rixxis. He didn’t know how long he’d be able to stick to that promise, though.

She settled into the bed next to him, curling an arm around his ribs. The next thing he knew, she was crushing him against her in a tight but comfortable hug, his head resting against her bicep.

Quiet settled between them. Ieduin waited for it to feel awkward, or heavy, but it didn’t. It just felt likethem.

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