Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Dinner consisted of roast beef, gravy, carrots, onions, and crispy roast potatoes. Carra deserved most of the credit since she was a far better cook than I was, and that was saying something since she’d only lived in this dimension for a year and most of the ingredients were foreign to her.
“I’m glad your stay in the prison this time around was less eventful,” I said after Vas and Sven had regaled us with some stories from over the last year. “What about Sarasin’s Midnight though? Did you really never get invited again?”
Vas shook his head. “Funny you should mention that. Sarasin stopped inviting people to his glass house a few months ago. Nobody knows why but he’s gone completely silent.”
My eyebrows jumped. “Really? Do you think he was finally released?”
Vas shrugged. “Like I said, nobody knows. The elves are the only ones who go up to the roof now and they’re tight lipped about the whole thing.”
“There haven’t even been any rumours,” Sven added. “Just complete radio silence.”
“That is strange,” I said, before finishing the last bite of my meal.
“Who’s Sarasin?” Carra asked.
“It’s a long story. Want to take a walk and I’ll tell you all about it?” Sven asked.
She dabbed her mouth with a napkin and smiled shyly. “Sure, but what about all the dishes?”
“Vas and I will do them,” I said and Vas shot me a devilish grin. I knew what he thought. He thought I was trying to get them out of the house so that we could be alone. The truth was I was still recovering from earlier, and I certainly wasn’t ready for round two yet.
Sven and Carra grabbed some coats and I started clearing the plates. I half expected Vas to pounce on me as soon as they were gone, but he didn’t. Instead he quietly helped me load the dishwasher.
“When do you and Sven start your community service?” I asked as I wiped down a countertop.
“On Monday.”
“Any idea what sort of work you’ll be doing?”
His eyes came to mine. “I don’t care. Whatever it is, I’ll do it. So long as I get to stay here with you.”
He kissed me softly then drew back. “Is there a bath in this place?”
“If you’d let me give you a tour instead of jumping on me earlier then you’d know that yes, there is a bath.”
He smiled. “Perfect. I’ll go run us one.”
Wait, what?!
Before I could object he was already halfway up the stairs. I heard him checking through rooms before he finally found the main bathroom. There was a large claw foot tub and my stomach did somersaults at the thought of sharing a bath with him again. The last one had certainly been an experience.
When I finished in the kitchen and went upstairs, I found Vas in the bathroom undressing, the scent of lavender and bergamot in the air, the bath high with bubbles. I stood on the threshold, staring at him for a long moment, unable to take my eyes off his form. I was captured by the cut lines of his shoulders, his tapered waist and muscular back.
“Come in and close the door,” he said, sensing my presence. I’d almost forgotten that the mark meant he always knew when I was near.
“I bought some clothes for you. They’re in the closet in your room.”
He turned his head slightly, his eyes sparkling. “I already told you, I’m not sleeping anywhere but in your bed.”
I dipped my chin, belly flip flopping at the possessive note in his voice. “No, I know that. I just wanted you to know where you can find clean stuff after your bath.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “After our bath, you mean?”
“I showered this morning.”
He took one long stride and was in front of me a second later. “I distinctly remember dirtying you up. Now strip and get in. This bath is way too big for one person.” A pause as he winked. “Using it alone would be a terrible waste of water.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want to waste water. Yellowbranch does pride itself on being a sustainable community.”
Vas’ expression smouldered as he lifted my dress. I raised my arms and he pulled it off over my head. Reaching around, I unclipped my bra, letting it fall to the floor. His eyes were hot as the molten lava in the Oreylian rivers when I slipped out of my knickers and stood before him, completely naked. Holding his gaze, I climbed into the bath and lowered myself into the soothingly warm water.
Something flickered in his jaw, neither one of us prepared to look away while he quickly undressed and came to join me. Vas climbed in behind me, my back to his front, his arms wrapping around my middle. I closed my eyes, savouring the feel of his embrace, the comfort of having him here now that his sentence had been served.