All The Little Pieces

The Most Beautiful Thing

Loki ran his hands through his hair and tried to take a full breath. He had been spending his afternoons reading with Elizabeth every day for weeks, but today he could not breathe. The last few days, everything was fine. Holding her, touching her, going to sleep with her lying against his chest...all of it felt right and natural.

This morning had been different. Two nights ago, she had asked him not to leave, and in truth, he had been relieved to stay and make sure she was safe and comforted. Yesterday, she had comforted him in turn during the storm, and when it came time to leave at night, it was he that asked if he could sleep on the chaise again, merely to ensure she was safe, at least that was the reason he gave. When she seemed reluctant to leave his side, he was only too happy to pull her against his chest and once again hold her all night.

After he stumbled sleepily back down the hall to his room in the morning, alarms began shrieking in his brain. He had never experienced this before. In all the past women he had taken to bed, he had never felt more than passing desire, and once that was satisfied, nothing at all. His overwhelming need to be by her terrified him, not to mention the realization he had whispered into her hair as she slept. He wanted to run back to her room and pull her into his arms and run out of the palace and hide from her at the same time.

She was interested in him, of that he was sure, but was it simply the emotion of the week, the attention of a prince? A god? Did he dare say anything? He ran his hands through his hair. She might find him attractive, but his feelings were far deeper. He wanted her, but not just for a night, not just her body; he wanted her to feel the same way, to care, to long for his presence... to love him as well. He shook his head. What was happening to him?

Loki realized he had been standing outside her door, blinking, for several minutes. He attempted, and failed, at a full breath again.

He knocked, then entered the room and closed the door. Elizabeth was sitting on the chaise, already holding her book. Her hair hung loose down her back, dark against the lighter bluish purple of her dress. She smiled at him and tucked a stray strand behind her ear.

"You're late," she said, raising her eyebrows in mock reproof with an impish grin. Her lower lip was no longer swollen, and the bruises seemed much lighter than even this morning. He felt his pulse speed up at her nearness.

"Loki?" Elizabeth's voice pulled him sharply out of his thoughts. "You're standing there staring at me. Is, um...is everything okay?"

"Yes, I was thinking. I'm fine." He sat down next to her and studied her face. He could lose himself in the depths of those brown eyes. Instead, he forced himself to focus. "How are you?"

She smiled as she handed him the book and shifted toward him until their knees touched. "So much better. The medicines Elora gave me are practically magic. I'm no more than a little sore and the bruises are much improved. On Earth, I'd be bruised and sore for over a week, if not longer, with the same injuries." She ran her fingers across her bottom lip. "I can't even tell I had a split lip."

Loki let his gaze linger on her lips. They were so soft and inviting. An image of them whispering his name softly flashed across his mind. He took a deep breath, fighting the urge to take her face in his hands and kiss her lips and then neck-

"Loki?" He tore his eyes away from her lips as his daydream vanished. Elizabeth was looking at him appraisingly, eyebrows raised. "Are you positive you're all right?"

He rubbed his hand over his face. "Definitely. I'm a little tired, that's all." Loki was suddenly very aware of her knee and leg touching his under the open cover. He was extremely thankful for the position of the book and tried to appear nonchalant as he peered down at the play in his lap. "Where did we leave off?"