5
" No. It couldn’t be. I shook my head, still disbelieving. Maybe the poison had warped my brain and I was delusional after all. I pulled myself to my feet, swaying against Drake, allowing his warm, hard body to prop me up.
“You know what that means.”
“I do.” His jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with intermingled anger and passion.
My heart, leaden and sick, suddenly was enveloped in a gentle warmth that did much to dispel the ills that had possessed it. “Are you sure? Really sure? It’s not something else? Maybe you’re sick.”
His face grew harder. “Do you think I’m a fool that I could mistake it?”
“No, but you don’t look very happy about it.”
“I’m not,” he snapped, irritation rampant on his handsome features.
A smile curved my lips as I kissed the corners of his mouth, ignoring the presence of those around us. “Are you going to say it?”
“No.”
“Come on. I want to hear it.”
“No!”
I allowed all the love I had for him to show in my eyes as I rubbed my nose on his. “Please?”
His face took on the most martyred expression I’d ever seen. “If I say it once, do I have to say it again?”
“Yes. With increasing frequency. It gets easier with time, honest.”
He sighed again. “I knew this would not come to a good end. Very well, I’ll say it. But I reserve the right to refer you to this conversation on occasions when you wish me to say it again. Aisling, I love you.”
I fought hard to keep the smile off my face. Drake’s declaration of love was delivered in such a brusque tone, I knew it had to be costing him a lot to admit the truth. “I love you, too,” I answered, and welcomed his mouth when it came to claim mine, my heart singing a joyous song of happiness and fulfillment. "
― Katie MacAlister , Light My Fire (Aisling Grey #3)
9
" You’re holding a challenge in a fencing club?”
“Yes. Is there something wrong with that?” He pulled on his black pants and the heavy silk green shirt I loved for him to wear because the material seemed to caress hisskin.
No, it’s just kind of an incongruous place to hold something so serious as a challenge, isn’t it?”
He finished with his shoes, grabbed another towel, and shook it out for me. I made sure Pal still had his back to me, hurrying out of the pool to clasp the towel around me.
“It is no less incongruous than holding a challenge in a bar.”
I smiled. “Yes, but my challenge to you wasn’t serious. I hope you’ll notice that I’m not freaking out about this at all. I haven’t even asked you how good you are with asword.”
“I noticed.” His mouth burned on mine for a moment, his fire being shared between us as his tongue twined around mine in a fiery—albeit brief—dance. “You are learning to have faith in me as is proper between a mateand her wyvern.”
“No, I am learning to ask around. Pal told me earlier today that Dmitri had picked swords and that you were pleased because you were some sort of master swordsman a few centuries ago. You’d better not have forgotten anything.”
Pal peeked at me out of the corner of his eye, his grin not too obvious. Drake pinched my bare behind as punishment for my saucy tone. “I never forget. Istvan will drive you when you are ready. The challenge is not for an hour. Do not be late.”
“Happy chevauchee-ing,” I called, feeling remarkably happy. "
― Katie MacAlister , Light My Fire (Aisling Grey #3)
