Arun

  Alexios’s warm hand in mine makes it hard to think. It’s not the first time we’ve touched, but…

  There’s something different about the way his fingers lace with mine. He seems gentler, like he’s truly letting me decide how far this goes.

  I can still feel the sunlight on my back as I walk into the house. I tug lightly at his hand and he follows without a single word. The coolness of the hallway is a contrast to the heat simmering underneath my skin.

  I don’t let go of his hand as we walk upstairs. My pulse is steady and I can feel his eyes following me.

  We pass my bedroom door.

  I keep walking.

  When we reach his, I stop and take a deep breath in. The scent of spice and leather slip through the air even before I push the door open.

  Only then do I look back at him as I step inside the room first. The afternoon light peeks through the curtains and catches in a few strands of the white in his hair.

  I guide him toward the bed and when we’re close enough that my knees brush the mattress, I let his hand go.

  “You said you could take that stress from me,” I whisper. “Show me. Please.”

  I can tell Alexios is trying to test whether I really mean what I’m saying.

  I do.

  Whatever he finds in my eyes must be enough because he finally steps closer, his hand coming to my jaw first as his fingers brush over my skin. I don’t look away from him. I can’t.

  His lips press again mine with a patience that makes the tension in me coil tighter somehow. The restlessness that’s been bothering me for days sharpens at every point of contact with him. His thigh brushes mine as his fingers continue to trace the line of my neck.

  I can’t help but lean into him. I think I need this.

  I think I need… him.

  I slide my hands around his waist and for a few moments, I let myself breathe him in.

  “I want you to be gentle,” I say, words coming out a bit softer than I intend.

  He presses a soft kiss to one of my horns and pushes a loose strand of hair from my forehead.

  “Gentle,” Alexios repeats.

  “Yes. Just… stay with me.”

  His stern expression softens a bit at my words.

  “I can do that,” he says.

  He kisses me again and all I can feel in it is his aching tenderness. The kisses feel more like a question rather than an attempt to “claim” me. I melt into him even more.

  The bedsheets are cool and soft against my skin as we sit down on the edge. Alexios’s hand finds the tie keeping my robe on and he begins to pull at it gently. My own fingers work at the buttons of his shirt. We undress each other slowly in the light of the room.

  When the last of our clothes are off, I expect Alexios to instantly reach for me, but he doesn’t. His eyes simply roam over my body and I can’t help but blush. There’s nothing but admiration in his eyes as he takes me in. He’s so open with it that I have to fight the urge to cover myself.

  “You are unreal,” he says. “Even more so than I could ever imagine.”

  I look away, too shy for my own good. I’ve never really been good at accepting compliments and when they come from him, it feels like too much.

  Almost like I don’t really deserve them.

  Before I can even answer back, Alexios tells me to turn around, voice laced with seduction that sends a shiver through my body.

  “Get on your hands and knees, okay?”

  He speaks the command with such gentleness that I find myself doing it without hesitation. My hands press into the sheets as I lean forward. I realize I’m exposing myself to him completely and the vulnerability should absolutely terrify me, but it doesn’t.

  I feel a different kind of anticipation now.

  “Perfect,” I hear him whisper. Is he talking about me or just to himself?

  I tremble a bit when I feel his weight behind me. The mattress dips with his movements and I feel his warm hands trace circles on my lower back, just above the base of my tail. I know it’s meant to soothe me, but it doesn’t exactly calm the frantic beating of my hear.

  Then I feel something wet pressing at my entrance. I gasp softly as Alexios’s tongue begins to explore me, circling slowly before gently pushing inside. I grip the sheets tightly as the sensation sends waves through my body.

  I can’t stop the sounds that escape my lips as he takes his time to discover every sensitive spot of mine. I let out soft whimpers as he works me open with patience. One of his hands slides up to hold my hip steady as his mouth continues.

  He pulls back, moaning softly before speaking.

  “Everything about you is just… absolute perfection. Do you realize that?”

  My legs begin to tremble and Alexios notices, his free hand moving to the other hip to ground me even further. I feel his tongue return and his movements become much more confident now that he’s getting a better idea of what brings me pleasure, but he never loses that gentleness that I asked for.

  I’m a whimpering mess when he finally pulls away again. A slick finger replaces his tongue as he continues showering me with praises. It makes me blush harder, but there’s no shame in it now. He sees me as something worth cherishing right now.

  His finger slides in slowly and my body tightens instinctively, but Alexios pauses for a few moments to let me adjust. His other hand moves to stroke the base of my tail and I find that it’s helping me relax into his touch even more. As he begins to move his finger in shallow little thrusts, a loud moan escapes me.

  “So that’s what it sounds like when the gods sing,” Alexios breathes out.

  His voice is rough with desire as he adds a second finger inside me and the stretch is more noticeable now, but it blends with absolute pleasure. I grip the sheets harder, my back arching as he moves his fingers inside me. The bedroom fills with the sounds of my gasps and his deep groans as he leaves precious kisses on my lower back.

  When a third finger presses into me, I cry out sharply and my body trembles. Alexios matches the sound with a moan of his own and I realize his restraint is fraying.

  “Fuck,” I hear him whisper.

  His fingers curl, hitting a spot inside that makes me see stars, and his control seems to slip again. His movements become slightly more urgent and I’m fully open for him now.

  My initial timidness has been completely burned away.

  I push back against his hand in an attempt to beg for more. The bed shifts again as Alexios reaches for a little vial inside his bedside table. I watch over my shoulder as he pours some of the oil into his hand and then onto my entrance, fingers pressing in more to prep me better. The sight and feeling of it makes my breath stop for a moment and I can feel the heat radiating from his body as he grips my hip again and lines his length up with me.

  He pushes inside excruciatingly slow to allow my petite body to adjust to his size. The stretch is so much more intense. It’s a fullness that shifts to a profound sense of being… complete. A loud moan bursts from my mouth as he eventually buries himself fully inside.

  “Arun, are you okay?” Alexios asks. I can hear his voice straining even more as he leans over my back, chest pressing against me. “Am I hurting you, my love?”

  It’s clear that his control is hanging by a thread.

  When I shake my head no and push back against him a bit, he lets out a soft gasp.

  “I need to hear you say it. Please.”

  “I’m okay,” I whisper as my fingers tighten in the sheets. “It feels… it feels good.”

  I think he can hear the truth in my words and it breaks through just enough to allow him to move. He begins with shallow thrust and I know he’s watching my reactions closely. Every few thrusts and strokes, he pauses to ask if I’m still okay.

  I realize he’s showing me that the care for my comfort is above even his own desire.

  Every gently thrust inside me pulls deep groans from him and his hands tighten on my hips, the angle hitting just right to make my eyes roll back. More praises come out between his heavy breathing and his voice grows rougher as the pleasure grows too, but I can still feel him holding back. Every muscle in his body is tense with restraint despite the pleasure clearly attempting to take him over completely. Knowing that he’s controlling himself for my sake makes me lose myself in the moment even more.

  His breath comes out in harsh pants as he stops moving and I almost reprimand him for stopping. Then he slowly pulls out, leaving me a bit disoriented.

  “Will you get on your back for me?” he asks softly. “I want to see those beautiful eyes of yours.”

  My body feels like jelly, but I comply as best as I can, turning onto my back and looking up at him with wide eyes. The sunlight bleeding through the windows catch the sweat beading on his forehead. His red eyes sweep over my exposed body in what feels like worship before he captures my lips in a passionate kiss. When he pulls back, his thumb traces my lips gently.

  “There you are,” he whispers, his voice changing from raw lust to something much softer. “I want to look into your eyes when I’m fucking you.”

  Alexios keeps his eyes on me as his fingers wrap around my wrists. With soft pressure, he pins them against the pillow right above my head. Suddenly, he lowers his head and I feel his nose brush against the skin of my underarm. I tense slightly and a soft gasp escapes as he inhales deeply to take in my scent. His tongue follows right after, leaving a wet stripe that makes me grind against him. The feeling is rather… unexpected and intensely intimate.

  His attention moves upward again as his tongue traces a path up my shoulder, neck, chin and all the way to one of my curved horns. His movements are so specific in their worship and I can’t help but fall into him even more. When he pulls back to admire me again, his pupils are blown wide with desire.

  “You are absolutely addicting,” he whispers as he positions himself between my thighs again. He presses back inside and it makes both of us cry out in pleasure. This angle feels much deeper with him and it lets me see the raw emotion crossing his face as he moves. His eyes lock with mine and I know it’s meant to convey what words can’t say just yet.

  I am completely exposed to him, both physically and emotionally now, and it’s absolutely overwhelming in the best way possible.

  As Alexios continues his gentle movements, a thought presses into my mind. As I watch his lips part with each gasp and as more sweat drips down his forehead, I realize…

  He feels like home.

  I feel completely safe right here even in such a vulnerable position. He watches my face, careful to notice every small flicker of my expression.

  The thought is so overwhelming that I can’t help but let a few tears slide down my face. I’ve been so cautious around him, waiting for that darkness to resurface again., but as our bodies move together, I think I’m starting to understand that that isn’t really the whole story of who he is.

  In this moment here, he’s exceptionally tender, paying careful attention to my pleasure and comfort levels. When our eyes meet each other again, I wonder if he can see just how much this moment means to me.

  Alexios seems to notice my tears and his movements halt as concern paints his features.

  “Arun, did I fuck up?” he starts to ask, but I immediately cut him off by wrapping my legs around his waist tighter to pull him in deeper. A choked sound leaves him and his eyes roll back before trying to focus on me again.

  I know he’s just asking if I’m still okay and if this is still what I want.

  The answer is an absolute yes.

  He resumes his movements and I finally let go of the last of my reservations. I’m perfectly wrapped around him as he moves inside me again.

  In this room…

  In this moment…

  I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

  “Alexios,” I gasp. “Let me… let me ride you. I want to ride you now.”

  His eyes widen a bit at my request and for a few heartbeats, I can only hear us gasping for breath before he finally gives me a wicked little smile.

  “Fuck yes,” he breathes out, slowly withdrawing from me before rolling on his back beside me on the bed. His hand reaches out to help guide me over him. My limbs feel both heavy and energized at the same time as I straddle his hips. His hands move to rest on my waist, simply meant to connect us.

  I sink down on his length, taking him inch by inch until I’m fully seated on his lap. Alexios’s fingers dig into my hips as he throws his head back against the plush pillow and a guttural moan rips from him. Each slow movement of my hips draws gasps from both of us.

  His hands continue roaming over my ribs and occasionally gripping tightly when I angle myself just right.

  I can’t help but reach between us to grab my own length as the pressure builds even more. Alexios watches with fascination as I begin to pump myself, matching our rhythm. My name falls from his lips like prayer as he continues showering me with praises.

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  I cry out his name as my orgasm pushes through me. My body convulses with the pure force of it and through the dizzy haze of pleasure, I watch as Alexios catches streams of my release on his lips. I collapse against his sweaty chest and I realize I am completely his in this moment.

  Alexios lets me catch my breath for a few moments before wrapping his arms around me and gently shifting us both until I’m resting on my side, back pressed to his chest. He slides back inside, his arms wrapping securely around my waist to draw me closer as he begins to move again.

  His fingers tilt my chin to the side until I can finally meet his red eyes again. His pupils are still filled with desire, but… there’s something else in there too.

  It almost looks like… vulnerability?

  He claims my lips in a fiery kiss and our movements are becoming more erratic now. He’s desperate for his own release and the sound of wet skin slapping against skin fills the bedroom. When he finally finishes, my name is on his lips again as he buries his face in the crook of my neck. I can feel the pulse of his release spreading inside as he gasps and shudders against me.

  We stay tangled in one another as our breathing slowly returns to normal. My tail wraps around his leg and I think it’s because I’m genuinely afraid to let him go right now.

  Our bodies are slick with sweat as Alexios eventually slides out of bed and presses a soft kiss to my shoulder. I watch him move across the bedroom as he goes to retrieve a small towel. When he returns, he pauses at the edge of the bed.

  “Will you turn over again for me, love?” he asks and I almost lose myself again at the husky tone of his voice.

  I move without even thinking and feel the bed dip against as he kneels behind me. I gasp abruptly as the unexpected heat of his tongue slides across my entrance. He begins to lick, cleaning me with slow strokes. He takes his time, his movements gentle, until I’m trembling and whimpering again. When he finally pulls away, he uses the towel to finish cleaning me before lying back down beside me.

  “May I hold you?”

  I’m silent for a moment, still processing what just happened.

  “Yes,” I stutter. “Sorry, I just didn’t expect… um… that. You cleaned me with your mouth.”

  Alexios chuckles softly and presses a kiss at the base of one of my horns.

  “Arun, I don’t care if you’ve been sweating all day in the gardens. I would gladly get on my knees for you. Anytime, anywhere. You could run for hours and I’d still want to lick the sweat from your body.”

  I shift to face him now and my hand comes up to caress his cheek. At first, I think he might just be teasing me with his words, but when I look into his eyes… I only see the truth of his words staring back at me.

  “Alexios,” I start, but I don’t even know where my train of thought is trying to lead me so I just kiss him instead in an attempt to say what words can’t right now.

  As our lips pull away from one another, he gently runs his thumb against my lower lip.

  “I’m so sorry, Arun,” he begins. “I’m so incredibly sorry for what I did to the servants and for the man I was when you witnessed it.”

  I stay quiet to give him space to continue.

  “I really do want to be a better man,” he continues as his thumb moves to trace little circles on my cheek. “Not only for myself, but for you too. I mean it.”

  The vulnerability is so at odds with his usual personality he presents and it takes my breath away. The memory of that day clashes against this tenderness he’s showing me right now and it’s making me feel both overwhelmed and deeply moved at the same time. It’s a confusing mix of emotions for me.

  “I know it won’t happen overnight,” he adds quietly. “I know I don’t deserve your trust yet, but I am trying. I want to be worthy… of you.”

  I’m beginning to understand now that these words are not just an apology.

  I think he’s speaking from a genuine desire to be better.

  I wrap an arm around his waist and pull myself closer until there’s no space left between us.

  “I think… I believe you,” I whisper, my cheek pressed against his chest. “I see you trying, Alexios.”

  I look up at him and see his eyes shining a bit with emotion and it fills me with warmth. A playful impulse strikes me in the moment and I lean in, pressing my lips to his throat before gently letting my teeth drag across his skin there.

  A sharp gasp escapes Alexios and his entire body arches against mine as his fingers dig into my shoulder blades. His reaction is far more intense than I thought it would be.

  “Fuck,” he breathes out. “Again… please.”

  I suddenly remember his confession from weeks ago about loving to be bitten... and for his hands to be kissed gently. This time, I press my teeth into his neck harder, pulling a strangled moan from him in response. His head falls back to expose more of his throat to me. I grab one of his hands in mine and bring it to my lips, softly kissing his knuckles and palms with the same gentleness he’s shown me today. The contrast between the bites and the soft kisses seems to completely unravel him.

  “My love,” he whispers. His eyes are wide with pure wonder. “You…”

  But he doesn’t even finish the sentence, choosing instead to pull me into another kiss. As the kiss ends, I lift his wrist to my lips and allow my tongue to trace the pulse point before my teeth sink in deeper than I did at his neck.

  Alexios’s back arches off the bed again as he responds with a sharp cry, his fingers clenching around my forearm, so I move back up to his throat and press my teeth there again. I can feel his entire body trembling beneath me as he wraps his arms around me to pull me closer.

  His fingers tangle into my sweat-soaked hair to hold me gently against his throat, not wanting me to pull away too soon. This moment feels like we’re beginning to truly understand each other now. I finally release his neck after a few more hard bites, leaving an imprint of my teeth against his skin.

  It feels like something rather… primal has gently been stirred inside of me.

  Before I can linger in the feeling too long, Alexios takes my hand in his and presses a kiss to the back of it.

  “Thank you,” he says quietly.

  “For what?”

  “For trusting me with this and for letting me hold you.”

  I think about the way he touched me and how he stayed exactly as gentle as I asked him to be.

  “You make it sound like I did you a favor,” I whisper, a finger brushing the line of his collarbone.

  “You did,” he says simply.

  For a few seconds, we just… look at each other. Then I lean back down, resting my head lightly to his chest again.

  His hand drifts up and down my back before eventually resting flat against my spine.

  “You’ve been different too.”

  I think back to standing with him in the garden and about the choice to take his hand and walk here with him, letting him finally see me at my most vulnerable state.

  “Maybe I’m trying too,” I admit.

  “Then… maybe we’re getting somewhere,” he whispers.

  I smile softly and let my hand rest over his heart again.

  “Feels like it, I suppose.”

  The sunlight is still moving through the curtains reminding me that it’s still daytime outside. My body feels oh so heavy and the peace between us makes me want to drift away to sleep.

  “We’re not even supposed to be in bed right now,” I say as my voice slows with drowsiness.

  “Then let’s be scandalous,” Alexios chuckles.

  I let out a quiet laugh.

  “If I fall asleep, you can’t hold it against me, okay?”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he replies. “Besides… if you don’t rest, I’m half tempted to keep fucking you again. And again. And again. And again.”

  His words pull another laugh from me, but I can feel the heat rise in my cheeks too. The steady beat of his heart pulsing under my ear makes it so easy to drift to sleep. My fingers rest loosely on his chest and our breathing slows down until we match.

  I am quite certain now that this really does feels like home.

  --

  When I eventually wake up, Alexios lying on his side beside me, one arm loosely wrapped around my waist. His breathing is slow and I just… watch him.

  That little crease between his eyebrows is smoothed away when he trances. He looks almost peaceful right now.

  Without even thinking, I lean in and place a careful kiss to his shoulder, hoping that it doesn’t pull him from his trance too suddenly. Then, I place another one at the edge of his collarbone.

  His arm tightens around me a bit, but he keeps his eyes closed. I smile and keep going with my gentle kisses. I move to kiss his throat and then his jaw. By the time I reach his lips, his eyes are half-open and he sighs warmly, almost coming out as a moan instead.

  “That’s a damn good way to wake up.”

  “Could be nicer,” I whisper, leaning in for another kiss.

  He smiles against my lips as his fingers thread lazily through my curly hair. I shift closer and I realize I’m pretty much straddling him again as my hands brace against the mattress on either side of him. His hands grip my hips again, encouraging me to continue so I do.

  I kiss the corner of his mouth and then just below it before trailing my lips up to leave a few soft kisses on his forehead.

  As I move back down to his mouth, I nip at his lower lip and he rewards me with a soft gasp.

  As I pull back enough to see his red eyes gleaming up at me, I realize I could happily spend the rest of the day like this.

  I settle back down against his side and rest my cheek against his shoulder. When I look up at him, he’s looking back down at me and there’s something in his expression that leaves me wondering what he’s thinking.

  “What?” I ask quietly.

  He looks away, moving his eyes to watch the shadows from the candlelight play on the ceiling.

  “Nothing.”

  I stare it him a bit longer in hopes to find whatever he’s trying to hide, but he’s already smoothed it away.

  Still… I can’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t just nothing. Things feel different between us.

  I decide not to ask any questions about it and press my head against his chest, letting my hand rest lightly over his abs.

  If there’s something he’s not comfortable saying, I’ll wait.

  For now, the warmth of the bed and his body are enough.

  Eventually, I shift a bit to stretch my legs under the blanket.

  “We should probably get up,” I say.

  “Probably,” Alexios responds, but his hands linger on my body for a few more minutes before he finally lets me sit up. We put our clothes back on in that halfhearted way that comes after hours spent tangled together with someone you lo-

  …

  Oh.

  As I awkwardly run my fingers through my hair at the revelation, I feel his eyes on me. When I look over, he’s sitting on the edge of the bed, one elbow braced on his knee as he watches me.

  “What?” I ask again as I laugh softly.

  He doesn’t look away from me.

  “What are we now?”

  The question… makes me pause. He’s been holding onto it, hasn’t he?

  I stay silent and try to decide if he’s just asking out of curiosity or if he’s testing me.

  “You mean… after this?”

  “Yes,” he answers simply.

  My first instinct?

  Deflect.

  Immediately.

  But something in his eyes makes me pause before answering. I don’t think he’s looking for a perfect answer here. Maybe he just wants an honest one.

  “I… don’t know,” I admit finally. “But… I think we’re better than we were yesterday?”

  The answer makes him smile and he exhales softly like he was worried about what my answer would be.

  “Better than yesterday,” he repeats to himself.

  I nod.

  “We can start there. Is that… enough?”

  He stands and smooths the front of his fine robes.

  “Better than yesterday is more than enough,” he answers. Then after a pause, “Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

  There’s something in the way he’s speaking right now that makes it feel like he’s holding even more behind his words. Maybe he’s not ready to put it out into the open yet.

  He steps closer to let his fingers brush over mine before letting his hand fall away.

  “Come on,” he says, still smiling softly. “If we stay here any longer, someone will definitely start asking questions.”

  I follow him towards the door before eventually stepping out into the hallway. The soft creak of the floorboards breaks through the quietness of the rest of the manor.

  Alexios falls into step beside me. He’s not too close, but it’s close enough that my shoulder almost brushes his arm. If anyone were to see us now, they’d likely think nothing of it.

  As we make it downstairs, the manor is already moving through its late afternoon rhythm. Two servants carrying baskets of clean linens pass us. One even offers a polite nod before continuing on. Someone in the kitchen laughs and the sound of it spills into the main hallway along with the delicious scent of sourdough bread.

  Alexios leads us toward a small lounge area and the sunlight lingers beautifully across the floor.

  I take a seat on the relatively small couch and Alexios chooses the armchair closest to me. He doesn’t touch me or even lean closer, but when my eyes find his, it almost feels like he’s having an entire conversation with me without saying a single word.

  I look away before I let too much emotion show on my own face, eager to focus on anything else besides his sharp red eyes that have a way of pulling me in without even trying.

  If anyone in the manor suspects something has shifted between us, they don’t show it.

  But I know… and so does he.

  The sound of soft footsteps outside the room pulls our attention to the door and a few seconds later, a servant appears in the doorway as he bows his head politely.

  “I apologize for intruding,” he says to Alexios. “The dockmaster from Mira Port reached out in order to confirm the shipping arrangements to Contas Island.”

  I see Alexios shift forward in his chair as his facial expressions smooth into that composed manner he wears so easily when handling business.

  “I’ll have someone deliver the schedule by nightfall,” he says. His tone carries confidence in it, letting the servant know there’s no question that it will be done. “Here’s to hoping he properly follows this one. I am still very much aware of the delay on his end last month.”

  The servant bows again and leaves without another word.

  The room falls quiet again and I can’t help but notice how easily he moves between the version of him that curled up with me in bed and the version that commands an entire household with just a few words.

  When he looks back to me, I think he knows I saw both versions of him in the span of a minute.

  “Hmm?” he says lightly. “Are you alright, darling?”

  “I’m fine,” I answer. “Just… watching.”

  He tilts his head a bit, maybe trying to understand if I meant it as a compliment. I don’t feel the need to clarify.

  I glance back out toward the hall and then back to him.

  “Do you have more work to do today?”

  “Some,” he admits. “It can wait though. Come outside with me before night falls. The weather’s too nice to waste.”

  I nod and rise from the course as he stands too. When we step back into the hallway, there’s no rush in our steps.

  --

  We step out on the terrace and the evening air is much cooler than before. I lean against the railing and let some of the soft breeze drift through my hair.

  Alexios stands beside me and I can feel his attention even as he’s looking out toward the gardens. After a few moments of quiet, he looks down at me.

  “Did it work?” he asks gently.

  I look up at him with a slight bit of confusion painting my face.

  “Did… what work?”

  “Being in bed with me. Did it take the edge off that… restlessness you were talking about earlier?

  The heated memory of being upstairs in his bed with him floods my mind. The way he’d been so careful with me makes me look away towards the flowers. I try to decide how much of an answer to give him.

  “It helped,” I finally admit. “More than I thought it would.”

  “That’s good. I’m glad I could help you then.”

  I realize he’s not being smug right now or even teasing me with his words.

  “Would you come to me again if that restlessness came back?” he asks carefully.

  I can tell he’s hesitant and doesn’t want to necessarily push me for an answer, but he does want to know.

  “If I knew you’d be gentle like you were today… then yes.”

  I see his shoulders relax at my answer.

  “Then I’ll remember that. Thank you.”

  He doesn’t seem to have any expectations of me, but I understand just by his words that he’d honor what I ask of him.

  He steps away from the railing eventually and I follow without him needing to ask. We follow the path that curves away from the terrace and into the gardens. The evening sunlight is turning the colors of the flowers into deeper shades.

  Reds turn into more of a wine color and the yellows shift to golden.

  Alexios keeps his steps slow to match mine without making it too obvious. I stop every so often to look at one of the flowers or to trace one of my small fingers over a petal. He pauses each time without impatience. I think he’s admiring me more than the beauty of the flowers.

  Somewhere nearby, a bee buzzes softly between a few roses and I catch a quick glimpse of a fox passing over the graveled path too.

  We don’t really talk much, but it’s not awkward. We’re simply existing together.

  Every so often, I’ll catch the same look in his eyes that I saw upstairs before he told me it was “nothing”.

  As we walk back toward the manor and make it to the steps, I realize that earlier feeling of restlessness is gone. I feel almost lighter, but I’m not sure if it’s because of the walk, the sunlight… or the man beside me.

  Instead of parting ways in the main hallway, Alexios goes into his study and I gladly follow. The warmth of the fire is welcoming against my skin and he moves toward his desk, moving a few loose sheets of documents aside. I linger by the bookshelf and run my fingers along the delicately carved wood.

  Alexios sits down at his desk and I eventually take a seat on the couch, watching him as I rest my head resting against the armrest. The light from the fire catches not only the white in his hair, but also those soft black streaks I’ve been meaning to ask about.

  As I continue looking at him, I realize there’s no trace of that version of him who commands a room with a single word. He’s just… Alexios.

  I…

  I think I love him.

  I wouldn’t dare admit that to him right now, but the way he looks at me now and the way he touched me in his bed earlier?

  I think it’s filled something in my heart that I didn’t even know was empty.

  I let my eyes close to just sit with my emotions. The feeling doesn’t really scare me. It just quietly exists.

  When I open them again, Alexios is watching me. He doesn’t ask what I’m think. I don’t think he needs to.

  The hours stretch by as Alexios eventually works through a few of the documents at his desk. I stay curled up in the corner of the couch with a plush blanket resting over me.

  At one point, he offers me some treats from a tray one of the servants brought in earlier. He waits patiently for me to take it and it’s such a simple gesture, but it means the world to me right now.

  He finishes signing his last page and puts his quill aside.

  “It’s late,” he says. “Would you like to get some sleep now?”

  “Can we stay in here a little longer?”

  He leans back in his chair and softly chuckles.

  “A little longer then, hmm?”

  A few hours later, the fire burns down to its last glow and Alexios rises from his chair. He offers his hand to me and I take it without thinking. When he helps me up, he doesn’t let go right away.

  It seems like the servants have gone to their quarters for the night because the manor is absolutely silent.

  Halfway down the hallway, we pass a small table where a bottle of red wine waits alone with two glasses next to it. Alexios stops and looks at me.

  “One before bed perhaps?”

  I nod and he pours for us both before handing me the glass. Surprisingly, the rich taste of the wine warms me in a way that feels more like an end-of-the day ritual rather than an indulgence now.

  Drinking this glass of wine with him is such an ordinary thing, but it kind of feels strangely intimate too. It’s a much softer rhythm than the one we found earlier in his bedroom.

  Once we finish our small glasses of wine, he takes mine and moves it aside with his own before we make our way up the stairs.

  We make it to my bedroom door and I assume he’ll just say goodnight like he usually does before leaving me to rest for the night.

  He doesn’t.

  “Would you like to come with me instead?” he asks after a moment or two.

  “To… your bedroom?”

  He nods and I see the faintest hint of a smile on his lips.

  “Just to sleep,” he adds quickly. “If you want to, of course. You can say no. There are no expectations here.”

  “I think I’d like that,” I answer softly.

  His smile brightens and we walk the short distance to his room together. Once we’re safely inside, Alexios draws back the covers and we settle in side by side. His arm wraps around me like it belongs there and I instantly let myself relax into the warmth of his body.

  His strong arms feel like the safest place I’ve been in a very long time.

  IN LOOOVE too, y'all.