Page 36 of His Winter Wonderland

“I want to hear you say, Rhen, I want you to come inside.”

Of me… she waited for him to finish the sentence. Oh, he was done.

“Someone’s mind is in the gutter?” Vicky purred.

Why did her throat suddenly feel dry?

“Need some lube?”

“Shut up, Vicky?”

“Say it, Winter,” Rhen urged in a voice as smooth as velvet. “Say, Rhen, I want you to come inside.”

It was just plain words. But the way he said them, in that low, sexy, voice, it felt like he was talking about something else. Something wicked. Something forbidden between the two of them. Winter cleared her throat.

“I’m closing the door and turning the wards back on in five seconds if you don’t get in here. Five. Four. Three. Two…”

“One day, you’re going to beg me to come inside,” he told her, words barely above a whisper as he stepped onto the porch then into the house.

She moved out of his way, making room for him to enter. Despite having plenty of space, he still brushed his front up against hers. His chest rubbed against her nipples and they hardened instantly. Winter hoped he didn’t feel them.

“Sorry,” he said, but his gaze didn’t match his apology. “I’m a big man.”

I remember. I mean, fuck that. That’s what I meant. Fuck that. She took another step back when she heard a growl coming from him. The mating mark on her neck tingle. Her leopard was excited. She was going to have a chat with her inner beasts in just a moment. Rhen was the enemy. They were never to forget that.

“Well, big man,” she said and was thankful her voice sounded normal. “Next time, try not to touch me. Okay?”

He chuckled then stared around her living room. This was his first time being in her place. It bothered her that a part of her wanted to know what he thought of it. She took in her home also, trying to see it through his eyes. Over the years, Winter had acquired a lot of items. She’d tried to turn her home into her haven.

A placed she enjoyed being. Especially since she didn’t like venturing outside her home unless she absolutely had to. This year, she’d decided to redecorate with light colors. Whites, and light blues. A book she read said those colors brought peace. And with so much chaos on this plane, she wanted her home to be her peace.

Her curtains were light blue and so were her couches. The floor was a beige wood that was a little darker than the color on the walls. The pillows that decorated her couches were beige, white and blue. Pictures of beaches and birds soaring through the sky decorated her walls. She wouldn’t have been able to get any of this without Silvia.

“Nice,” Rhen said, with his back to her. “It fits you. The you of today. Confident. Bold. Fearless.”

“I’ve always been confident, bold, fearless.” I’m a Goddess of War.

“Yeah, but it’s increased over the years,” he told her while walking around her living room, observing the pictures on her wall.

“I had no choice. If you don’t grow, change, you won’t survive here.”

“I know. I’ve grown and changed too.”

“Good for you.”

He stared over his shoulder. “Do you want me to tell you about how I’ve changed?’

“If I wanted to know, I would’ve asked.”

“You should try asking someday.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’m not the same man from that night,” he said as he moved to another picture and stopped to study it.

She really didn’t want to have this conversation. “That happened a long time ago,” she reminded him.

“Yet, it haunts us to this day.”