Eldrin turns to me, a triumphant smile on his lips. “Home?”
I square my shoulders. “Well, it’s not as if you’re going to let me escape, so I meant your home. Wherever is warm is home. Let’s get on with it.”
I’m confused, but I follow as he touches one tree after another, muttering to himself.
“Are you lost? Don?
?t you have like a Dewey Decimal System of your…tree energy or whatever?”
“You do have so many questions.”
“About this brand new magical world you’ve kidnapped me into? Are you surprised?”
“Good point. I should have factored in how difficult the transition would be for you.”
That’s an unsettling word. “Transition?”
“You’re adaptation from your world to mine. I hadn’t thought that part through. I only knew you belonged to me. But I understand your happiness in this new life is essential, so I’ll do my best.”
Chuckling through my shivering, I say, “Like my grandmother used to say, ‘If Mama ain’t happen, ain’t nobody happy.’”
He blinks at me as his brain parses what I’ve said. “Your happiness is assured, my Clara. Perhaps later you can explain some of these interesting human sayings.”
Eldrin doesn’t give me any further reassuring looks or words. He only furrows his brow in concentration as he runs his hands along the bark of tree after tree.
“Ah. I found it. Now stay quiet while I read.”
I mutter, “Can you check these books out and take them home? Because my face is freezing.”
In response, Eldrin gives a rough tug to the sash connecting us, and my body slams against him. Keeping one hand on the old hardwood tree, he heats my entire face, fingers, toes—everywhere—with the warmth that radiates from his glowing skin. He’s like a walking space heater out in the freezing forest, a fact that isn’t quite as noticeable inside his cozy home.
Reluctantly allowing myself to mold against him, I whisper, “You’d better find one of those romances with a good grovel in it after telling me I ask too many questions.”
Eldrin’s face begins to change. A yellow glow shines against his cheek, casting him in a light that’s more brilliant than his already-luminous skin. I look for the source of it. I see that the radiance emanates from his hand resting against the tree. It’s glowing brighter than the rest of him at the moment.
“My Queen gives good advice. I see what I have done now. I have hurt your feelings. I am sorry.”
I open my mouth to ask which book, exactly, he’s reading, but he lets go of the sash to press his two fingers over my lips. “Just a moment. Let me finish reading.”
I have to stifle a laugh. This is the same face I make at Reba when she interrupts my reading.
A part of me wonders if I will ever see Reba again. It’s not sadness I feel, but I do sense the loss. It’s strange how neutral I feel about it, which disturbs me.
I feel sad that I don’t feel anything more than that.
I cover the elven fingers that press against my lips. I need to be reminded that I can, in fact, feel things. I kiss those fingers as he reads.
Eldrin’s black eyes glitter, and his stony lips twitch. The heat from his hand warms my lips. I put the tips of those fingers between my teeth and scrape, watching his eyes hood.
There can’t be any human bedroom eyes that look half as sexy as elven bedroom eyes. It feels like seducing a god in the middle of some critical work, and it juices me up.
I gently lick, watching his nostrils flare.
With the slow slide of my tongue up the underside of his middle finger, I show my lover what I would do for him. Taking the cue, Eldrin curls his fingers into my mouth, and I welcome them in. Sucking, teasing the tips with my tongue. The ever-present glow in his face brightens, and his eyes darken. He now appears less human and more monster, and I could not crave him more.
I pop his fingers out of my mouth. “Tell me what you’re reading, El.”
He opens his lips, baring his teeth. I feel like he’s about to give orders. Make me kneel and take it out. And I would. I would spring him free and take all of that in my mouth and let him drain his essence down my throat and choke me with it.