Page 45 of Triplets for the Dark Elf

But then she nudges me hard enough that my body starts to rouse. She’s standing over me, and I have to blink a few times as I take her in. It’s unfair how beautiful she is.

She giggles. “You’re just tired,” she says as she shakes her head, and I realize I must have said that outloud. “Now I know from experience that that couch isn’t comfortable.” It’s then that I notice she is tugging on my hand. “Come on.”

I let her pull me to my feet, noticing that I’m in my underwear for the first time. As I shake the sleep from my mind, pieces start to come back to me. The fight. Her taking care of me. I was so exhausted I’m surprised I made it as long as I did.

And while I am still pretty tired, I feel a lot better. I wonder how long I was out for.

I bend down, reaching for my clothes, and Annliase tugs me again. “Leave them there. You can grab them in the morning.”

My mind whirls trying to keep up. “The morning?”

She chuckles. “You didn’t think I was going to make you go home, did you?”

“Well, yeah. Kind of.” I scratch the back of my head, hoping that didn’t sound rude. “It’s just that we haven’t–”

“You need rest, and no one is sleeping on that dreadful couch.” She pushes through the door to her room, a room I’ve never been in, and shuts the door behind us. As she turns around to find me still standing in the middle of the room, she raises an eyebrow. “Unless you don’t want to sleep with me.”

I shake my head. “No, no. That’s not it. It’s just… Are you sure?” I’ve been working so hard to win Annalise over and I don’t want to lose her over something like this. I fear she’ll regret it tomorrow and take it back.

But fuck do I want her. And not like that. Well, Idowant her like that, but to be able to just hold her would make me the happiest man on this damn planet.

“I’m sure.” She’s already dressed for bed so she blows out the candles and climbs onto the mattress. She scoots over to make room for me and she pats the space next to her.

Tentatively, I climb in next to her. We’re facing each other, tension building, and I figure I can’t make this worse. So, I go for it, something I haven't dared to this whole time.

I wrap an arm around Annalise’s waist, dragging her to me. I leave a sliver of space between us, but I couldn’t be in a bed with her and have that much space between us. To my surprise, she doesn’t resist.

With my mind much clearer and my body rested, I’m not quite ready to go back to sleep. And with the way she’s staring up at me, she doesn’t look all that ready to, either. In fact, I can see a question bouncing around in her mind.

I reach up, pushing her hair back softly. “What’s wrong?”

“You used me as a bargaining chip.” Annalise sucks her bottom lip between her teeth as she holds her breath.

A slow smile slides across my lips as I shake my head. “Annalise–”

“What if you had lost?”

At this, I chuckle. “I wasn’t going to lose, my little lumiola.” I keep stroking her hair and she watches me. I can see the hesitancy lying there, so I decide this is it. Even if it screws me, I need to stop holding back. “I would have sacrificed myself to make sure that he would have never come back around here.”

I cup her face, leaning closer. “No one is going to hurtmyfamily,” I growl. “I would have died protecting everyone in this house. And that includes you.”

“We’re family?” she gets out.

“Yes.” I drag her flush against my body and cup the back of her head. “You are mine, Annalise. You always have been, and I protect what is mine. I will always keep who I love safe.”

And maybe I shouldn’t, but I press my lips to hers.

My world rocks. It’s like I’m being brought back to life as I get my first taste of her in so long, and I know it is a huge mistake. Because there is no restraining myself anymore.

To my credit, when she pulls back from me, I do let her go. Even if I am nowhere near done. It is satisfying to see her flushed and breathless.

“But how do you know he’s gone?” she gasps.

I cock my head. “What?”

“Almu. You made a deal, but he doesn't seem honorable to me.”

Chuckling softly, I trace her jaw. “But he is an elf. And elves are prideful. He won’t want to risk me telling everyone that a chivdouyu was bested by a k’sheng – or worse, for me to challenge him to duel in public and everyone see it.”