The 27th

Chapter 43

He matched her pace, allowing her to determine the speed and boundaries, despite his strong desires for more. He was more than sated from the feel of her in his arms the taste of her on his lips. The cold that one penetrated his body had long since been forgotten because the only thing that mattered was her. Whatever she wanted, whatever she needed, he would sacrifice anything to give her those things, even if it meant setting aside his comfort. It was worth it, more than worth it.

She pulled back slightly and he could feel her smiling against his lips. "Your lips are cold." Her hands detangled from his hair, he wasn't sure when they had gotten there, and settled flat on his shoulders, her thumbs rubbing the skin on his neck. "So are you." She frowned and fully disconnected their lips and cupped his face, warming his skin with her palms. "You need to warm up. Go sit by the fire and I'll make you some tea."

"I okay." He insisted, licking his lips in an attempt to taste her again and felt the coolness on his tongue.

"Please." She held one of his hands in both of hers, tugging on it to get him to follow her to the living room. She pressed on his shoulders to get him to sit on the floor in front of the open flames. "I-I need to make sure you are okay." He tilted his head all the way back to see her face as she loomed over him from behind. Reaching and cupping one of her hands that still remained on his shoulders, he kissed her wrist as he placed her palm on his cheek again.

"Okay." He leaned into her hand and she could feel the sharp yet soft stubble on his chin. "I stay." He watched as she physically relaxed, her shoulders dropping and could feel the pressure of her remaining hand lessen. Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his forehead before rubbing her cheek against the same area. He let out a low rumble of pleasure as she tried to rub her scent on him even though she didn't have one, which is another form of marking that she didn't understand yet.

"Thank you." She began to make her way further back into the house one again, glancing back a few times to ensure that he was actually sitting there and stayed where she wanted him to.

Left over water from the tea his mother made her remained in the kettled so she just lit the stove and waited for the water to heat up. She did leave to genuinely make him a cup of tea to help warm him but she also used it as an excuse to be left alone with her thoughts.

The pair weren't confident in their movements, having never kissed another before, but both throughly enjoyed it. Rather, she enjoyed it but she was unsure about his opinion on it. It seemed liked he did, and his mother also said that he would but she didn't know for sure.

Lost in though, contemplating if her actions were received well, she jumped when the kettle started to whistle loudly. Mindlessly, she fumbled around for the cups, about dropping one as she did so. Her shaking hands poured some of the steaming water on the counter as the missed the cup rushed to wipe it away, almost burning her hand from it soaking through the cloth. Sighing, she placed her hands on her head as her elbows rested on the counter as the tea began steep. She didn't really want to go back into the room, to face him, but knew it was worse to ignore it and him. She was the one that initiated so now she had to own up to it.

Giving herself a few more moments to collected herself she returns to the hearth and handed him his designated drink. He of course, just holds it until she takes a drink of her own, the smell and taste of the Lupus flower assisting her into relaxation.

Despite already having been warmed up due to the fire and his own body heat, Thaelia didn't sit until she had wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, draping it over his body to conceal his warmth inside.

Setting the tea aside, she watched it as it hit the floor, no longer in his hands. Shifting around, he grabbed the ends of the blanket and opened his arms to her. "Want to hold you."

Tempted by the contact she also craved, she crawled into his arms, carful not to spill the hot beverage on his lap as she did so. Once her back was to his chest, he wrapped his arms around her, adjusting the blanket so it surrounded the both of them. With the fire to her front and his large body surrounded her from all sides, her legs between his, she felt not only instantly warm but also protected and safe.

Each now holding onto their cups, slipping on their drinks occasionally in serenity as they watched the open flames, listening to the wood crack. His spare arm was wrapped tightly around her waist, keeping her pressed snugly against his chest, to which she didn't mind at all, nor did she want to be anywhere else. Her own traced paths on his skin, finding random scars as she did so, the raised skin catching her attention every time she found one. She wasn't surprised he had them but she seemed to think it him as some sort of invincible being. She had seen him almost bare dozens of times, and seen some of his others, the larger ones, but they weren't ones that looked life threatening.

He proved he was strong and capable of not only taking care of himself but her as well. For weeks, even if he slept rough or not enough, he would get up early to hunt, to provide sustenance for the both of them and didn't expect anything in return. He always put her first He risked his life for her only a few minutes ago just to get items to keep her occupied. It proved he would do anything for her, even if she didn't ask for it.

Turning on his lap, he loosened his arm to allow her but maintain its position, now wrapped around her back as she straddled his hips. Placing her now empty cup on the ground next to his as he had finished his before her. Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him once more and he responded almost instantaneously, his free hand tangling in her hair as his arm around her back pressed her closer.

"I love you." She spoke again his lips. It took a second but as her words registered, she felt him grin against her and she grinned back, kissing him again.

"I love you." He tucked his head into her neck as she rested hers on his shoulder. He laughed and held her tighter. "I love you."