The Battle of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book Two

Chapter Three

When we left for the lake trip later that morning, Dominic was acting as though we had never nearly set the hallway on fire with our kisses. He was back to his usual cheerful self. Odder still, Adrian had taken up the other spot next to me, since Jeanne had chosen to ride in the other limo with Brin. She and Brin had grown quite close, so I wasn't surprised at that. I was very surprised to have Adrian next to me, however.

In the morning, I'd woken up with the sheets twirled around Adrian, and I like a tourniquet and my friend looking down at me with the sun backlighting him. It showed off the bronze highlights to his cocoa-colored skin and made it appear like he had a halo about him. My shirt had ridden up, and I could feel the warm skin of his abdomen against mine. 

As we laid there tangled together, he was staring at me while propped up on his elbows. I could find the green and gold hints within his eyes and could practically count each curled lash.

While my sleep-addled brain tried to remember the words to ask him why he had been watching me sleep, he spoke up.

"Dang, Ace, you drool like a broken fire hydrant when you sleep."

I'd been so impressed by his compliment that I not only whacked him with one pillow, I also followed it up with a second. Then I wiped the drool off my mouth.

Afterward, it had been an awkward tangle of legs and arms while we tried to escape the sheet that held us in such a tight clinch. Despite our joking, I had known that his emotions and desires were far more than his quips, and it made each push and pull against each other a giddy confusion for me. I blushed at the memory, and a giggle escaped before I could capture it with my palm.

I never considered myself the sort that giggled. I'd become that girl.

Dominic mistook my giddy confusion to be directed towards him and pulled me onto his lap so he could cuddle me.

"I'm so sorry you didn't get to taste my brownies last night, Matt." His tone was filled with all sorts of entendre - double, triple, and quadruple. "I'd be happy to give you another lesson this evening if you wish?"

The determined possessiveness I felt in the link, plus his tone, made me lift my head to study him. He wasn't looking at me; he was looking at Luke and Ciaran with a challenging gaze.

Ciaran laughed aloud, then tilted his head to the side as he grinned. "Ah, Mr. Chef, trying to teach our Princess new things?"

Dominic grinned back, then raised a brow, "Of course. You can't be the only one. Sharing is caring?"

I tried to change the subject with a poke to Dominic's stomach, as it was becoming a little weird for me to hear them challenging each other. "The snow's melting..."

That caused Ciaran to guffaw. "Yes, Princess, indeed it is."

I glared at him, understanding he wasn't talking about the weather, then I pointed at the slushy patches as we passed by them. "No, seriously, look."

His gaze didn't stray from mine. "I've already seen the changes, Princess. What I am waiting to see is how they bloom." The colors in his eyes were shifting, and I swallowed, wondering what he meant by that. Ciaran was gifted at poker even with the link, but I could feel the wispy smoke of desire curl around him and something like anticipation. Anticipation felt like carbonated bubbles in my mouth.

He smirked as he leaned forward to cup my chin, "Ah... your keyholes expand like doorways when you are overcome."

Luke cleared his throat as his gaze followed Ciaran's hand to my chin. He looked into my eyes then clenched his fists. "I think it is time to discuss the royal consort and his role in the land, My Lady."