Because he’d make me that way.
This realization pretty much rocked my world but I couldn’t give into that feeling when Apollo kept talking.
“I don’t want you just to be okay. I want you to feel safe and that will not be safe.”
“Honey,” I slid my hand up his chest to curl it around his neck, “I’ve endured far worse than mean people.”
“Yes, you have,” he agreed. “But that does not mean you need to continue to do it.”
“What I’m saying is, that kind of thing doesn’t faze me. And the Ilsa thing, it’s not like I haven’t had practice dealing with that too.”
He made no reply.
I pressed closer. “Does it occur to you that I don’t want you to go into what Draven called a den of vipers alone either?”
He sounded surprised when he asked, “You seek to protect me?”
“Well, you’re a big guy who can look out for himself. But still. Unpleasant situations are a lot easier to deal with for anyone when they have someone at their back. Or in this case, on their arm.”
At that, his hand slid up to my neck, then into my hair and he pressed my face in his throat while his other arm gave me a squeeze and I felt his lips at the top of my hair.
“I take it that means I’m going,” I guessed.
“I have still to decide.”
I sighed
Then I pulled out the big guns.
“If you don’t let me go, I can’t wear one of my kickass gowns. I’ve been looking forward to wearing one of those gowns since I saw them in Vasterhague. And with us at war, if we’re not at some gale where intrigues are happening and conspirators are conniving, where am I going to wear my gowns?”
He chuckled, taking the pressure off my head so I could tip it back. The instant I did, he moved in and gave me a sweet deep kiss with tongues.
When he was done, slightly breathless and tucked very close, I asked, “So, am I going?”
“I wouldn’t wish to deprive you of your chance to wear your,” he paused, “kickass gown.”
“Awesome,” I whispered and he wrapped both arms around me even as I felt his body move with his silent laughter.
When he was done, he whispered, “Sleep, dove.”
“Okay, baby.”
At that, I got another squeeze and closed my eyes.
Minutes later, I slept.
* * * * *
I felt the bed move and my eyes fluttered open.
This was because Apollo was joining me which made me groggily wonder why he hadn’t been with me. He never left me, except to feed fuel on the fire.
I had no idea what time it was. I just knew I’d been dead asleep. I also knew his body seemed strangely cold when it moved into mine, colder than it would be just leaving the covers. And last, I knew he had something on his mind and I also knew what that was with the way he moved into me. That was to say, shifting me to my back, covering me and rocking his h*ps until my legs opened and they fell through.
“Baby?” I called, sounding sleepy and confused because I was both.
His hand found mine and guided it between us, straight to his hard cock.