Page 155 of Feathers of Ash and Hope
He gets rid of his boots and discards his weapons before climbing onto the bed next to me, close but not quite touching me. I huff out a breath. That won’t do at all.
I bite my cheek to keep from crying out while I turn until my head rests in the dip below his shoulder, my hand resting on his chest. I sigh, relief washing over me even though my skin hurts wherever my body presses into his. The tension leaves his body, and I smile to myself. So it does comfort him to have me close.
His arm, the one I trapped beneath my body, moves slowly, pushing up my shirt until his fingers touch the skin at the small of my back. His other hand cradles my face. His magic slips into me again, and I sigh.
“I think I can get used to being healed like this,” I whisper, and his body rumbles with laughter beneath me.
“Fine with me.” He chuckles. “As long as it’s me healing you.”
“Possessive, are you?” I tease.
“You have no idea,” he answers, his lips brushing over my forehead, his arm pulling me closer. I get lost in the moment, his body and scent wrapped around me, his magic under my skin. I feel safe and cared for like I never have before.
And like always, when I’m close to him, I want him. If it weren’t for my current weakness, I would have pounced.
I must have drifted off to sleep at some point because the next thing I notice is how Tate carefully tries to detangle himselffrom me. I make a sound of protest, tightening my hold and wrapping my leg over him.
I hear a groan and a chuckle behind me. Tate’s hand caresses my cheek before he tries again.
“Relax, Blackstone, I only healed her.” Tate’s voice is a grumble under my cheek.
“Oh, that is what you call it these days?” Jared’s teasing voice answers.
“Shut up, Jared.” Again, I feel Tate’s voice more than I hear it.
“Kyronos, if you don’t get your hands off my sister right now, I will break your pretty face,” my brother growls.
Wait, what?
The blissful state of half asleep dissipates while I try to make sense of it all. What are Tate, Jared, and Dar doing in one room?
Where am I?
My eyes blink open, and my gaze lands on Tate’s face right above me. His eyes are fixed behind me, though.
I study his face, noticing his ruffled hair, the shadows under his eyes, and a few dark streaks on his cheek and brow. He looks exhausted but beautiful, nonetheless.
My heart squeezes when I remember the haunted look he wore earlier. I stop my perusal of his face at his lips and watch them move, the conversation around me only a buzz in the background.
His lips are so close. I lean in and nibble at his full bottom lip, startling him. He looks down at me, stopping mid-sentence, and I seize the opportunity and push closer, slipping my tongue into his mouth, twirling around his, tasting him.
I groan, or maybe it’s him. Either way, he kisses me back, and I wrap my arm around his neck to pull him closer, angling my head to go deeper.
“Ara.” My name is wielded like a whip, reminding me that we are not alone.
Dammit.
Reluctantly, I pull back, smiling at the dazed expression on Tate’s face. Then I sit up and turn to face my brother.
“What the fuck, Ara?” Dar barks, irritation visible on his face but relief, too. His eyes dart to Tate behind me, promising violence, and I nearly laugh at that. Somehow, Tate doesn’t seem to be the guy easily intimidated by my brother’s antics.
“Just expressing my gratitude.” I shrug, trying to keep a smile from splitting my face.
“Oh, in that case,” Jared says, “I did help too, you know.” His eyes sparkle mischievously. Twin growls erupt from my brother and Tate, both so similarly threatening I burst out laughing, and Jared joins in.
At his unhappy expression, I scramble out from under the cover and launch myself at my brother, who catches me like he always does. His strong arms hold me close.
“You scared me there, little sparrow,” he grumbles into my hair. And my heart bursts with love for my softy of a brother who always has to play the cold and hard one.
