“Leila.” Tobias sat tall, grinning. “What are you doing here?”
Leila wove her way inside, closing the door behind her. “I thought you might be lonely with Orion gone.”
“How are you?”
“I’m all right.”
“You’ve said that before.”
“I am. I promise.” She played with the folds of her dress. “I wanted to thank you. For being so kind the other night.”
“There’s no need to thank me. I’m your man. Whatever you need.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she glanced at his easel. “Are you painting?”
“I am.” He patted the empty spot on his bed beside him. “Join me?”
Leila took a seat at his side, studying the canvas—covered in large white petals dotted with pink. “Lilies?”
“I promised you lilies,” he said. “And I also promised to fill the wall.”
“This is for me?”
“Of course. Who else would it be for?”
Leila stared at the canvas, her lips parted. “It’s so beautiful.” She clasped her hands beneath her chin. “I don’t even know what to say, I’m so excited.”
“It’s nearly finished.”
“Then it’s mine?”
Tobias nodded, and Leila squeezed his face, kissing him hard on the temple. “Thank you. I love it so much.”
Tobias chuckled, eyeing her over. “Let me look at your shoulder.”
“Oh, it’s fine.”
“Don’t you brush me off like that, show me.”
“Listen to you, spouting orders like your words hold title.”
“Shoulder,” he said. “Now.”
Donning a cheeky grin, she pulled her strap down low. “As you wish, Your Highness.”
His gaze swept her milky skin before focusing on the injury—light scratches and thin, even scabs.
“Better?” she asked.
“Much better.” He raised her strap, pleased with himself. “I think I might’ve missed my calling. Perhaps I should be a healer as well.”
“I much prefer you as an artist. That way I get gifts.” She scanned him up and down. “And I must say, you look awfully adorable covered in all those spots and smudges.”
“How adorable? Show me.”
Leila raised an eyebrow, wise to his ways, but she kissed him anyway, lingering on his lips long enough to leave him hooked. Just as she pulled back, Tobias dove forward, giving her a deep kiss that she met with a laugh.
“You’re in a fine mood this morning,” she said.
“It’s all your fault. I never get to see you this early. You look stunning, you know.”
She nodded at his canvas. “You don’t mind if I watch you work?”
“Not at all.” He handed her a brush. “Do you want to try?”
“Try?” Her eyes widened. “You mean paint something?”
“Sure.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly…”
“Of course you can. I’ll show you.” He plopped the brush into her palm, then guided her arm, pressing the bristles into the canvas. “Soft strokes. See? Like that.”
Following his lead, she delicately dabbed at the canvas. “Like that?”
“Perfect. You’re a natural.”
She scoffed, “You lie. I’ll ruin it.”
“No you won’t. And if you do, I’ll fix it. You forget, you’re sitting with a master.”
“Oh, so you’re a master now?”
“Indeed I am.”
She chuckled under her breath. “Loon.”
“That’s no way to speak to a master.”
Leila’s laughter softened, and she focused instead on her short, reluctant strokes, her eyes squinted and lip wedged between her teeth. Clearly she was the adorable one between the two of them, and he looped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder and taking in the scent of her hair.
“Am I doing this right?”
“Absolutely.” He dragged his face along the side of her neck.
“Are you even looking at the canvas?”
“Mhm. Yes. Completely.”
“You know, I’m trying to learn.”
“And you’re doing wonderfully. A star pupil.”
She dropped her brush and sighed, relaxing into his arms. Her fingers wove between his, and her gentle touch drove his lips to the curve of her neck.
“Don’t kiss me there, you know it makes me weak,” she said.
“That isn’t much of a deterrent.”
She laughed. “You fool.”
Another kiss, and then he faltered. “Do you really want me to stop? I will. Just say the word.”
Failing to hold back her smile, she shook her head.
The two collapsed onto the bed, tangled up in one another. Leila nestled beneath him, kissing his bottom lip and turning him to butter. Perfection. He immersed himself in the taste of her mouth and the lure of her curves, working his hands up her hips, while her fingers slid down his chest to the front of his pants, where they stopped at his bulge and squeezed.
Tobias went stiff, and Leila released his cock as if it had burst into flames.
“Apologies.” She stared up at him, red-faced. “Oh my God, was that horribly presumptuous of me?”