Page 46 of How to Claim A Shadow King

The chill early evening air of fall should snap me back to reality, but I cannot stop thinking about what Aveline has told me—about the pieces of herself she's offered up over tea and tiny sandwiches.

"Is this what courtship is?" I ask abruptly, surprising both myself and, based on the strange look on her face, Aveline as well.

She gives me a long look, and for a moment I think she's going to make another tart reply, Instead I'm gifted with a beautiful smile and the sight of her pretty, white, even teeth behind that rosebud mouth. I feel myself grow hard, and dismay fills me because I am certain, without a doubt, that we are far from being able to sate that part of my need for her.

"Tea and sandwiches?" she asks finally, tilting her head.

A lock of her light blonde hair falls over her face, and I'm moving before I can even think about the action, brushing it back behind her ear. She doesn't yell at me, doesn't tell me not to touch her, or flinch away. Rather, she leans into my touch.

And I cannot help myself. Though her hair is neatly stowed behind her ear now, I take my time, and I lightly run my thumb across the stunning curve of her cheekbone.

"You're beautiful."

Her cheeks flush a lovely pink as she blushes at both my touch and my words. I drop my hand away, not wanting to overstay my welcome, not wanting her to retreat again from me.

"I suppose it is," she answers. "Courtship, I mean," she says, lowering her lashes as she picks her skirts up to traverse over one of the cobblestones that's not quite level with the rest of the road. "Maybe not the sandwiches, though," she adds, giving me a tight grin over her shoulder. "I'm not sure sandwiches are required for it to be courtship."

"And what of the cakes and pastries?" I ask, enjoying this lighter mood—this sunnier side of hers.

"I do think pastries and cakes are, perhaps, an underutilized mode of courting."

I make a mental note to keep her in sweets, if they are what help me unlock this playful part of her.

"How long does courtship last?" My thoughts keep turning to her legs. Her thighs, her sex.

I want all of her.

She doesn't answer, simply continues her path behind the building to where I can hear the sound of horses. I'd almost forgotten about the giant golden draft horse I disappeared a man for.

"Do you think the clothes are ready?" I ask her, trying to keep the conversation going now that we're no longer in that strange little nook of the tea house where time seemed to stand still. I have a feeling Lila may have, indeed, some magic of her own… and more than just brewing an excellent cup of tea.

"They did say that they would be done by the end of the day," Aveline answers slowly, clearly preoccupied with the prospect of getting to her horse more than she is with the clothes.

"Did you ride often?" I ask her. "Back in Stormspire?"

"Not as often as I'd like to have," she responds, glancing back at me.

There's a bounce in her step that wasn't there before, and she's practically skipping to the roofed stalls behind the tea house. In addition to the great golden and white-maned beast we've acquired, there's a beautiful black draft horse with a white star who wickers at the two of us, lips curling upward, clearly in search of a treat.

"It seems that Druze and Lila's horse is well loved," I say in amusement as the horse cranes its neck to sniff at my pockets.

"We should have ordered some more leather goods for the horse," Aveline says, putting her hand over our new member of Shadow Keep's broad face.

"I'm sure that the cobbler would be more than happy to make us whatever you wish, Aveline," I tell her sincerely.

"You think so?" Aveline asks, glancing back at me. "Who's such a good boy?" she says to the horse, who seems slightly daunted by all of her attention. "Do you think we should have his feet looked at before we leave?" she asks, biting her lip as she turns back to me.

"I took care of all of that," Druze says, appearing around the corner. "I also took it upon myself to get together some things that you might need," he tells Aveline kindly. He's holding a thick, woven horse blanket and a nice leather bridle with brass fittings.

I decide I like Druze, right then and there.

"Oh, you didn't have to do that," Aveline says, but she is already taking the well-oiled bridle and placing it over the big horse's face, her fingers nimbly buckling each piece into place. As for the giant horse, he simply stands there docile, too tired to do anything about it.

I immediately decide that Aveline should have another horse—not just this sad one rescued from that awful man, but something better, faster for her to ride on.

"Would you like to go riding with me tomorrow?" I ask her.

Druze gives me an appraising look then nods slightly at me in approval.