Page 107 of Of Love and Treason
He gave a single nod and reached out, curling the hair behind her ear, his fingers tracing the line of her jaw. She sucked in a breath. His thumb brushed over the scar nicking her cheekbone. When she opened her eyes, his had gone dark. She swallowed.
His breath sounded ragged as he let his hand drop. “What is the nature of your relationship with Titus?”
Iris blinked, the turn of the conversation confusing and startling.“Titus?”She took a step back and turned to pick up a ball of dough, hoping to mask the way his closeness had made her hands shake. “His father and mine were in the same Praetorian cohort—they were good friends.”
Valentine leaned a hip against the table and crossed his arms, watching. The way he’d touched her and the look in his eyes now set her heart in an uneven thumping. He smelled of sandalwood and ink.
She cleared her throat and tried to focus. “They were both stationed at the Castra Praetoria at the time of the civilian siege. Titus’s father was killed. My pater took in Titus’s mother for a time.” She smoothed a new loaf, tucking the rough ends underneath.
“Pater has always been a sort of father to him.” She pushed the hair away from her face with the back of her hand and set the loaf on the rising board.
“And you and he are...”
“Like brother and sister.” She cut another lump of dough free from the bowl and turned to face him. “You can trust him. He’ll do all he can to help Pater; I know he will.”
Valentine’s hand slid around her waist, tugging her toward him. “A brother?” he repeated with something like relief or disbelief. His touch sent her pulse racing.
She didn’t resist as he drew her against him, except to say, “My hands are full of flour.”
His response of “I don’t care” was whispered against her lips. The kiss was short. A mere brush of the lips. Over as soon as it began.
When she opened her eyes, his pupils were wide, ringed by thin bands of amber. Her throat went tight. He kissed her again, like he drank his calda. In tiny, careful sips. Gently. Sweetly. Maddeningly short. She closed her eyes.
When he started to pull away again, she leaned in, flour-caked hands disregarded as they left trails of white on his tunic and in hishair. At her response, he kissed her fully, his lips warm, undemanding and firm.
“Praise the Lord!”
They lurched away from each other. Beatrix stood in the open doorway, hands clasped over her heart, gazing at them as if she’d just seen a batch of brand-new kittens. Iris’s face would have felt cooler if she’d stuffed it into the oven.
Valentine cleared his throat and murmured, “Hold on.” He brushed past her and moved toward the door.
“Valens, I havedreamedof this day.” Beatrix’s eyes glistened. “Prayedfor this day. I am so happy—”
“Pardon me, Auntie.” Valentine gripped the edge of the door in one hand and Beatrix’s elbow in the other and gently escorted her back two steps over the threshold before closing the door on her elated face. He put his back against the door and let out a long breath before looking at Iris with eyes full of mischief.
“Her timing is impeccable as always.”
Iris bit her lip, unable to muffle the giggle.
“Come here,” he whispered.
Iris skirted the table and moved toward him, watching the mischief leave his gaze. He swallowed.
“When do you leave?” she asked as he took her hands and tugged her closer.
“Whenever you’ll agree to go with me.”
Her breath caught. “But you said no good would come of any attachments just now.”
“I was trying to convince myself more than anything.” He rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles. “But try as I might, the thought of spending the rest of my life apart from you gutted me. I’d rather stay here in hiding, no matter the danger, than go to Lycia without you. Unless you don’t want me. In which case, it might be a bit awkward to stay.” He looked at her with an expression of mingled hope and apology. “I have nothing to offer you.”
She tilted her head. “I heard you had a stuffed ostrich.”
“You can’t have Struthio. Don’t change the subject.” He wassmiling now. “I know there’s a lot of uncertainty with your pater, and I don’t expect you to leave him behind.”
She pulled her hands free of his and tucked her arms around his neck. “I don’t want you to leave me behind either.” She kissed him again, and a fist banged against the door.
With a groan, Valentine dropped his forehead into the curve of her neck. “Why can’t she mind her own business?”
