A Trickster's Love

Chapter 26

Maryn awoke to the feel of Loki's lips on her neck and smiled, her eyes remaining closed, as she leaned into him. "Good morning husband."

His fingers slid over her hips and ribs before continuing their journey into the loose strands of her russet curls. "Good morning, wife," he murmured against her skin, his breath playing over her flesh sending goosebumps up and down her body before he spoke elatedly into her ear, "It is snowing."

With an excited gasp, Maryn's eyes flew open, and she pushed him away so that she could sit up and look out of their balcony doors at the white world beyond. "May we go out in it, Loki? Oh, please say we will. It does not snow in the main city of Mithros and I have not seen snow for years."

Her husband grinned at the excitement that made her almost bounce up and down where she sat. His gaze then travelled down her torso. In her haste to see the snow she had sat up, and the sheet that had been covering her glorious, nude curves from his eyes, was now pooled around her hips. "We will do whatever you wish, sweet one. I have begged us off our duties with Frigga and Odin today so we have the entire day to explore the snow covered forest."

With a very unladylike squeal, Maryn launched herself at him. He caught her in his arms and leaned into her tight hug before whispering suggestively into her ear.

Pulling back, Maryn blushed but nodded her head, allowing him to hook her thigh over his hip and roll her under his body.

An hour later, after cajoling a picnic lunch from the kitchens, the couple walked hand in hand out of the palace gates, Loki's steed ambling along behind them, their packed lunch forming a large bulge in one of his saddlebags.

Maryn laced her fingers through Loki's and pulled her cloak a little tighter around her body as the frigid wind nipped at her fingers and nose. Even with the long sleeves of her cream gown with the silver embroidery at the cuffs, shoulders, high neck, and bodice, she still felt the cold chill her skin.

They walked in silence for a while before Loki suddenly reached up and spoke a spell. Maryn's hair fell from its elegant low bun and her curls tumbled in waves down her back to her waist. With a sly smile, he then wrapped an arm around her waist and dropped to his back against a bank of snow, Maryn held tight to his chest.

The air left her lungs in a soft oomph and Loki laughed at her affronted glare. "Loki, I'm already cold enough without you burying us in snow." Even though she was annoyed at him, she couldn't help but feel her heart flutter in her chest at the sight of the happiness dancing through his bright eyes and the white snowflakes dusting the midnight strands of his hair. The collar-length locks were no longer slicked back, and framed his face in messy curls.

He grinned impishly, his hand cradling the back of her head and pulling her face a breath away from his. "Let me warm you, sweet one," he purred, his voice deepening with each word, her loose tresses curtaining them from the world around them.

Maryn crossed the small distance between them eagerly and pressed her lips to his, drinking in his scent and the warmth of his body that was a wonderful contrast to the freezing cold of the snow under them. His fingertips, however, were almost as cold as the white powder, and Maryn gasped into his mouth when they closed around the wrist of her hand, which was lying against his chest. A shock went through her as his thumb brushed across the pulse of her wrist, just under the cuff of her sleeve, the delicate skin there humming with each caress. She pulled back from his lips only when her lungs protested their need for air and leaned her forehead against his, not wanting to break the connection between them quite yet.

"I love you," the words were out before Maryn even realised she was speaking, and she pulled back a little to see Loki's eyes ablaze with the same love she felt burning deep within her heart.