“And this is why I’m important to you.”
“Yes. The mate of any male of my people is important, important enough to lay down his life for her. But you’re queen. Any one of my people would lay down their life for you.”
She stared at him a moment, her eyes unreadable then she commented, “That’s an awesome responsibility.”
His hands moved under her arms to pull her up his chest so her face was closer to his and he teased, “And I know how that feels.” He watched one side of her lips quirk up before he went on, “It’s my duty to prepare you to take on that responsibility. Today has not been a good day, baby doll, but I promise you, from now on, I’ll be more patient.”
“This would be good,” she whispered.
He grinned at her, pleased with his endeavors and even more pleased with the results, all the while wondering if it would be a tactical error to kiss her.
Then he thought, f**k it.
His fingers sifted into her hair and brought her face closer to his but before his mouth could capture her own, she spoke.
“Do all your people’s eyes do that?”
“The gold?” he asked in return and she nodded. “In a way,” he answered. “The eyes of those of us with royal blood go gold. Others, yellow or brown.”
“So only your family has that pretty color?”
Yes, Sonia Arlington was definitely sweet.
He nodded as he pulled her face closer at the same time tilting his to hers. “Yes.”
Her head resisted and there was resistance in her tone when she whispered, “Callum –”
He ignored both and finally captured her lips.
She continued to resist, pushing her head against his hand and her hand against his chest.
He slanted his head, his mouth opened over hers and his tongue touched her lips.
They tasted sweet too.
He felt her mumbled, “Oh,” against his tongue but used that opportunity to slide it between her lips.
His tongue touched hers, her head stopped pushing as did her hand and she melted into him, tilting her head, her hand sliding up to curl around his neck.
The kiss was not fiery or spirited.
It was simply, brilliantly, unforgettably, sweet.
And it stirred Callum in a way he’d never felt before.
Therefore, before he truly made a tactical error by exploring that feeling and pushing her too far after f**king up so royally that day, he broke his mouth from hers and tucked her cheek against his chest.
He slid his fingers through her hair and he could hear her breath was accelerated but she didn’t pull away. She just lay in his arms, her cheek against his chest.
And he prayed his damage control worked.
She took in a satisfyingly fluttering breath before she asked, “Do you want your whisky?”
“Yes, little one.”
She leaned forward, nabbed his whisky and handed it to him. She leaned again and hooked her mug with her finger.
Then Sonia lay silently, cocooned by his body with her cheek against his chest, occasionally lifting her head to sip her tea while he sipped his whisky, the fire burned and the snow fell outside.