Left to her own devices, Rowena let herself out of the flat, pay fob in hand.
She’d memorized the door code when Slay keyed it in earlier, part of her habit of noting details that might prove critical to her survival later. It hadn’t even occurred to him to wonder how she’d get back into the apartment if she finished with her errand before he did. Clearly Slay’s life had been a lot easier than hers, but it reassured her that maybe one day she could take comfort and security for granted. As of now, she didn’t even take the sun and sky for granted.
Ro traipsed downstairs and wandered through the garden. Families played together on the grass, a field of green she couldn’t even have imagined in the undercity. Among the Animari, there was a beautiful range of skin tones, much different than the pallor of Golgerra. She walked idly for a while, basking in the sunshine and listening to the laughter of children.
In time, she headed for a pretty café she’d spotted while shopping with Slay. Back in Hallowell, she’d glimpsed Alastor and Sheyla drinking hot spiced tea and eating sugared fry bread; she’d wished that she could share such a moment with someone special. Her heart fluttered a little, putting herself in that scene with Slay.
Does he even like sugared fry bread or hot spiced tea?
They’d shared so much, but at the same time, it had been during a high-stress period, so maybe now that things were calm, they would find that they didn’t have too much in common. Or possibly she was borrowing trouble. Deep in thought, she nearly bumped into the café door. Abashed, she pushed it open and breathed in the incredible aroma of fresh bread and various sweets. She read the menu with care because everything about this experience felt brand new.
“Can I help you?” a boy asked from behind the glass case.
Rowena perused all manner of sandwiches, fresh cut fruits and sliced vegetables, and various drinks available. She studied each choice with dawning wonder. Supply lines must be open again, or they wouldn’t have so much amazing food on offer.
“Miss?” the clerk prompted.
“Is it okay if I look over my options for a bit?” People probably came in knowing exactly what they wanted, so her indecisiveness must seem strange.
Yet the boy only smiled at her and settled down on the stool behind the counter. “Sure, just let me know when you’re ready to order.”
This would probably seem simple to anyone else. Walk into a restaurant, order food. But Ro had never been given so much freedom or so many alternatives in her life. Was this how it would be from now? She didn’t even know what her preferences were.
Holy shit. I just learned that I like the color blue.
Finally she said, “Do you have hot spiced tea?”
“We do. Flavors here.” He handed her a printed card and she skimmed it.
“One lemon twist and one green goer, please.” She didn’t know what either of those were, but the names sounded fun. “And two turkey club sandwiches and a fruit bowl. Oh and two big cookies. Those right there. Is that okay?”
The young man raised a brow. “I mean, yes. It’s fine, you’re the one eating it. Wait, sorry, that was rude. I’ll have your food ready soon. For here or to go?”
“To go, please.” She handed over the pay fob like she did this every day.
The attendant touched it to the screen, it beeped, and then he handed it back. In all honesty, she had no idea how any of this worked, but she guessed there was a record of how much money Slay had and using the pay fob deducted funds somehow and they would be transferred to the café account.
There’s so much I need to learn.
Suddenly, she realized that was what she wanted to do. She had no formal education; in her early life, she’d been taught by her mother or people at the comfort house. She’d learned a bit more from Alastor, and she had read as much as she could when she had access to books, but those opportunities had been few and far between. Probably there were hurdles to jump across before she could study…anything, but maybe—
“Order up!” the young man called. His words didn’t help her understand what he meant, but she got the message when he set two paper bags on the counter.
“Thank you very much,” she said.
The vendor leaned on the counter, flashing her a brilliant smile. “I haven’t seen you around here before. I’m Darvid, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you.” That was what Pru had said, so it was probably the polite response.
Ro hoped that Darvid didn’t ask for more information because she didn’t wish to be identified as different this fast. Being unknown was better; nobody here had any idea about her past, and she’d rather keep it that way.
“If you’ll be staying for a while, maybe we could get to know each other better.” The boy was handsome like a young fawn, big brown eyes and coppery skin. “Hand me your phone, I’ll input my number.”
“Not a chance in hell,” said Slay just as Rowena replied, “I don’t have a phone.”
I should get one.
He smirked as he kissed the side of her head and plucked the two bags off the counter. “I can’t leave you alone for five minutes, woman. You’re already making me sweat the competition?” To the young man, he added, “Take a hike, Halek.”
The boy glared at Slay. “I work here, you should be the one to leave.”
Ro ignored the interplay, pondering why that surname sounded so familiar. “Wait, are you Sheyla’s little brother? It really is nice to meet you!”
The boy grinned. “So you didn’t mean it when you said it before?”
She laughed more with her eyes than with her mouth and decided not to answer. Slay nudged her gently. “Enough flirting, I’m starved. Let’s go already.”
“Are you jealous?” she asked, delighted.
“Yes.” A blunt response, spoken with a delicious little snarl. “Darvid is harmless and I still want to pull his head off. He should’ve been able to smell me on you.”
Rowena blinked. “You know that’s weird, right?”
“It’s an Animari thing.” Slay nudged the door open, perfectly casual.
“How did you find me, by the way?”
Since his hands were full, she linked her arm with his, something she’d seen couples in Hallowell do. Back then, she was so busy, drilling with the troops, keeping morale up after Ded nearly died, that she hardly had time to breathe.
At last I can make up for lost time.
“Another Animari thing. I could find you in a forest in the dark,” Slay said.
“Should I be happy about that or concerned?” Ro teased.
“I’ll let you be the judge of that.”
As they headed back to the apartment, she decided it was reassuring. Ro hurried ahead to key open the door, noticing that Slay never questioned how she knew the code. She held the door for him and hurried in after to watch in delight as he unpacked the first meal she’d ever bought on her own. Not with my money, but one step at a time.
“Ready to eat?” Slay asked, setting out the food.
She picked up the two cups, peering at them with great interest. “I’m so excited. Do you want the lemon twist or green goer?”
“The fuck is that?” Slay asked.
Rowena shrugged and set one down with a grin. “Too slow, I’m taking the lemon twist.”
“Whatever you want, love.”
Her heart twisted in the best possible way. “You’re so getting laid after I digest my food.”
“Promise?” With a grin, Slay took a huge bite of the turkey sandwich.
He recalled the grim days after the bombing when there was hardly any food to be had, just endless pots of that awful soup. Thanks to Ro, returning to Ash Valley hadn’t been as terrible or tragic as Slay had feared. Even the awkwardness with Dom and Pru had been blunted by the fact that they didn’t need to feel guilty about being happy together when he was miserable and alone. Thanks to Ro, he was neither, anymore.
“I might take a nap too. But once I’m rested, definitely. Maybe even twice.”
“How am I supposed to eat when I’m so hungry for you?” Slay pounced on her, tugging her into his lap and biting gently down the side of her neck.
It wasn’t until afterward that he realized he could’ve scared her with that maneuver, but instead she clung to him and giggled, waving her sandwich around.
She really fucking trusts me.
“Eat your food.” She pushed the turkey club against his mouth and he snapped up half of it playfully.
“You thought I wouldn’t? Don’t underestimate me.”
With mock defiance, she maintained eye contact and devoured the rest and then she fed him cut pieces of fruit: orange segments, apple slices, grapes, and cubes of melon. Slay savored each morsel, licking the juice from each finger. He couldn’t remember when he’d been this happy, no complications, nothing to fear about the future. His only worry was whether she’d stay with him for good.
“I would never,” she said with overly innocent eyes.
Those eyes…
Ro could entice an entire legion to their doom with a glance. Lucan had lost his mind because she didn’t love him, and Tycho Vega let an obsession with her drag him down the path of cruelty and madness. Some assholes would blame Ro for that, because she was beautiful. And Slay would like to punch all of them in the nuts. Then he lost coherent thought when she kissed the spot behind his ear and it took him a minute to remember what he was about to say.
“You know, back in Golgerra when they said you could be queen, it scared me shitless.”
She cocked her head. “What? Why?”
“Because then everything would be on your shoulders. You spent most of your life there, and I want more for you now.”
“That’s so sweet,” she said.
Slay enjoyed the kiss she gave him—on the mouth this time. “But I was completely willing to be your knight, if you’d chosen to take on that responsibility.”
“You’d carry my banner and fight for me?” Her silver-gray eyes shone like moonlight.
“To the death, my queen.”
Slay gazed at Ro until he couldn’t see clearly; her face blurred when he leaned in to kiss her. With Animari reflexes, he caught the half-empty fruit container and put it aside as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Slay pulled her astride his lap, already hard as a steel pylon. Ro squirmed while they kissed, and he tasted the sweetness of apples and grapes on her tongue.
Gods but she feels good.
“I thought you planned to take a nap,” he whispered, running his teeth along the sensitive skin of her throat.
“Suddenly I’m not sleepy. You were starving before. Still hungry?”
“You have no idea,” Slay growled.
Boldly she stood up and pulled her new dress over her head; Slay was amused when she folded it with tender, loving hands and placed it carefully on a side table. It was so typical of Ro. Even in the middle of passionate foreplay, she was careful with things that were precious to her.
Only when she was done did she finish stripping off her sexy new underwear and settle on his lap again. He loved her this way, naked and fearless. Gently he ran his hands down her back, framing the graceful curve and the delicate flare of her hips. She had the softest skin, pale in contrast to the gold of his. When summer came, she’d probably burn.
When she shifted, slowly gliding her pussy against his eager cock, his eyes almost rolled back in his head. So good. Trying to control himself, he held her hips and let her move as she wanted. At this rate, he might come before getting inside her and that was completely fine.
“That’s gorgeous, Ro. Use me.”
“Would you kiss me?” she whispered.
“You don’t even need to ask.”
Slay started with a soft, intimate kiss, all clinging lips and questing tongue, and he felt her physical response. Her juices wet his cock as he fucked her mouth with his tongue. Her breath came in soft little pants that he drank down until she pulled her swollen lips free and pushed up, setting her tits at mouth-level.
“You want those kissed next?”
“Please,” she whispered.
He was careful at first, almost chaste, but when she dug her fingers into his head with growing urgency, he sucked on her nipples, back and forth, teasing her relentlessly. She rolled her hips in response and he petted her from head to toe, lingering in the slickness between her thighs. Ro made an adorable sound when he grazed her clit, so he did it again.
“I’m aching so much. Please.”
“With my fingers, mouth, or cock?”
“All of those. But…your mouth first?” She sounded like she was asking him, not stating a preference, but he couldn’t wait another minute to make her come.
“Enough playing,” he bit out.
Like he’d wanted to before, he swept her off to bed and fell backward, pulling her onto his face. It would be better for her this way, her weight giving her more leverage and control. At first she was awkward, her motions jerky as she rubbed against his mouth and chin and he licked her up and down, occasionally bringing his fingers into the mix.
“Oh.” She paused, adjusted her angle and started moving again, slower this time.
He could tongue her clit, barely, when she rubbed downward, and the first time she let out a little scream. Ro panted, trying to get there, but he could tell she was getting too worked up, stiff and frantic, and possibly overstimulated.
“Relax, love. It’s okay if you can’t. Just let yourself feel good.”
He slipped a finger inside her, rubbing her softly from the inside. She jerked and shifted forward, so he fastened his lips on her clit, alternating the sucks and licks until an uncontrollable whimper squeaked out of her. He fingerfucked her slowly while dragging the orgasm out of her.
Her head fell back, hair spilling down her back, and she tightened on his fingers, her wetness filling his mouth. When she collapsed, he caught her, snuggling her close and tight.
“You didn’t come yet,” she gasped.
“I’d rather do that again ten times,” Slay said. “Maybe you don’t know this about me yet, but I’m more into giving than receiving.”
“I still want to reciprocate. I do. But is it okay if I take that nap first?” she asked sleepily.