around? Seems rather cumbersome.”
“You’re supposed to be telling me something.”
“Oh, right.” Her cheeks flushed. “God, you must think I’m mad.”
I love her. The words spun in his mind, demanding his attention, and despite the debacle from the night before, he felt himself giving in to their plea.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“I’m going first,” she cut in. “You’ve said enough already. No talking over me, do you understand?”
Smiling, he held his tongue. “As you wish.”
She took in a deep breath. “Well, for starters…you’re not dying today.”
“That’s a good opening. I hope this conversation continues on this trajectory.”
“And you won’t be participating in the Culmination. You’re staying here.”
“The good news continues.”
She tensed in his arms. “Additionally…I’m not betrothed. Nor am I married. But that is expected of me in the near future.”
“And I imagine laborers aren’t the sort of suitors the palace is looking for.”
Leila groaned. “You’re supposed to let me speak.”
“Apologies, you have me anxious.”
She froze, as if his words had only just registered. “You’d want to marry me?”
Tobias chuckled. “Of course. Isn’t that the entire purpose of courting someone? To eventually marry? I mean, perhaps not today or tomorrow, but in my wildest fantasies I had imagined it would come to that.”
She raised an eyebrow. “In your wildest fantasies, you married me.”
“Well, we did other things too.”
She planted her lips on his, kissing him passionately and raking her fingers through his hair. Breaking away, she scowled. “You’re not just saying this because I’m naked, are you?”
“Put your clothes on, I’ll say it again. Though I’ll admit, I prefer you like this.”
Again she kissed him, turning his thoughts to nonsense. “Please don’t be wonderful if you don’t mean it,” she whispered. “If you’re just going to take it back.”
“Leila, I’m bearing my soul to you. Laying out all my cards.” He threaded his fingers between hers. “I want you. No matter what you say, I’m yours. And this story—I want to hear it, truly—but all I really care about is whether or not it ends with us together. If it ends with this”—he squeezed her hand—“every day.”
Leila went quiet, her eyes locked on their hands.
“Now finish your story,” he said.
A long silence passed before Leila finally relaxed into him. “All right.”
Another kiss, though this one felt different—a little bit longer, as if she was giving it all she had. He held her against him, warm and content—until a knock sounded at the door.
“It’s me,” Delphi called from the other side.
“Tell her to go away,” Tobias said.
“Come in!”
He sighed. “Leila, that’s the opposite of go away.”
The door flung open, and Delphi waltzed inside.
“Good morning, Leila.” Her gaze panned to the naked man in her sister’s company. “Good morning, Tobias. I see our lost puppy dog has found his way home.”
He threw a sheet over Leila’s body. “This isn’t the best time.”
“I can see that, but unfortunately I must interrupt.” She turned to Leila. “The package is arriving.”
Leila went rigid. “The package? Now?”
“In minutes, if that.”
Cringing, Leila turned to Tobias, racked with guilt. “Tobias, I’m so sorry…”
“Wait, why?” He glanced between the two sisters.
“She has to go,” Delphi said.
“No, she can’t. She was in the middle of telling me something very important.”
Delphi spun toward Leila. “You still haven’t told him?”
Leila rolled her eyes. “I was trying to, but he keeps interrupting.”
Before Tobias could rebut, she sprang from the bed, and he yanked one of the sheets over his exposed bits. After scurrying across the room, she tugged open the doors of her wardrobe and hunted through her dresses, while Tobias eyed her naked body. He glanced over at Delphi, who winked.
“How can a package be of any importance?” he asked.
“It is,” Leila said over her shoulder. “Trust me.”
“But it’s just a package…”
“Tobias, this package requires her attention far more than your package,” Delphi scoffed.
He crossed his arms. “Well, that’s rather rude.”
Tying her violet dress along her waist, Leila darted across the room, then sat at Tobias’s side. “I’ll be back shortly. Until then, you stay right here.”
“He can’t,” Delphi said. “You’ve forgotten the Culmination.”
“He’s not participating. He’s staying here.” She looked him hard in the eye. “Do you understand me?”
Tobias sighed. “Leila…”
“I’m only leaving because I absolutely must. I promise I’ll return, and I’ll tell you everything. Every detail. On my life, I swear it.”
He stared back at her, watching as her gaze turned large and desperate.
“You’ll stay put, yes?”
A lump lodged in his throat, but he swallowed it down. “All right.”
Delphi offered a comforting smile. “I’ll have Pippa bring you