Page 68 of Omen of ice
I offer her one of the cloaks from my bag, but she ignores me and leans back against the fallen tree. “As soon as day breaks, we might be able to climb high enough to get a better lay of the land. If I had to guess, I’d say we haven’t made as much time as we should have.”
“Damned trolls.” She closes her eyes.
The bark of the log digs painfully into her head. She shifts, eyes still closed, trying to find a better position. The move only makes it worse. “You can come over here,” I say, trying not to sound too enthusiastic. The truth is, I’ve been wanting her to move closer all evening. For warmth. For…other reasons. “I promise, I won’t bite unless you ask nicely.”
She adjusts herself several more times before giving up with a grunt and stomping to where I am, on the other side of the fire.
“Isn’t that better?”
She stares at me. “The view is worse over here.”
“I didn’t know Aphelians were so funny.” I wad up my cloak and shove it into her arms before she can protest, then sling my arm around her shoulder. She freezes—both physically and emotionally. The link doesn’t necessarily go dead, but there’s an odd kind of static to it. Like she’s holding her breath in every sense of the word.
“I like this,” I say before I can stop myself. Her eyes widen, and I decide to just open the floodgates. I’ve been tiptoeing around my thoughts when it comes to Tania the last few weeks, but she’s the one person I should never do that with. “Having you this close is—”
“Dangerous?”
She licks her lips, and I feel the link between us shudder as her heart beats faster. Or maybe it’s mine. It’s impossible to tell. All I know is that she’s watching me with a mix of hunger and hesitation, and my fingers itch to explore the curves of her body. “Would it really be?”
“Be specific, Valen.” Her breathing quickens just a bit. “Wouldwhatreally be…?”
“You. And me. Would it be so bad if we were to—”
“Yes.” Her gaze flickers to Daroose sleeping on the other side of the campsite.
“We could go someplace private.”
“No. That’s not— Well, it is. A little. But that’s not it.”
“Then what is?” I take her hand and trace circles across the back of her wrist. I don’t know if I’m feeling the sensations from my perspective or hers, but it’s electric.
“It would complicate things,” she says.
“I like things complicated. Besides, it’s not going to complicate anything too much. There won’t be any feelings involved.”
“Won’t there?”
“I thought—”
“Valen, just because we can’t fall in love with each other doesn’t mean there are no feelings. I care about you.”
“You trust me, right?”
“I do.”
“Then how about a compromise?”
“What are you talking about?”
“We’re obviously attracted to each other.” I stand and dust myself off, then pull Tania to her feet and gesture to myself. “I mean, how could you not want all this? I’m magnificent.”
She rolls her eyes. “Anyway…”
“Anyway, kiss me. See howcomplicatedit feels.”
She glances back at Daroose, who snores softly. “You’re ridiculous!”
“What’s so ridiculous about it?” I whisper. “One kiss should tell you everything you need to know.”
