Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

Olivia

“ W hy would you say that?” Ruune’s expression fell. “I have agreed to all your rules.”

It was true. He had. He’d also tucked a blanket gently around me and looked at me with enough intensity to ignite an iceberg.

“Neither of us are natural rule-followers,” I said. “Do you really think we can pull this off without getting into more trouble than we usually do?”

He sank back in the carriage. “I hope so. The last thing I want to do is have Griff angry at me.”

“And the last thing I want to do is to spend another miserable New Year’s Eve being picked apart by my mother and the next few weeks spiraling as I try to recover.”

He swiveled his head to me. “Then we have to make this work.”

I gave a determined nod. “You’re right. It’s only a few days, anyway. We’re already off to a good start with a romantic carriage ride through Central Park.”

“Caroline said this would be romantic, but I'm baffled that riding behind a smelly animal is considered arousing.”

As if on cue, the horse let out a noxious odor that drifted back to us. I quickly pulled the blanket over my nose, as my shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. Ruune grimaced, which only made me laugh harder.

"On Valoria," he said dryly, "only the poorest citizens would ride behind flatulent livestock."

The driver shot him a look over his shoulder. "Who are you calling flatulent?"

I dissolved into a fit of hysterics, and Ruune couldn't help but join in. His laughter was deep, and the sound rumbled through my bones and practically shook the carriage. The driver continued to grumble, but it was hard to hear him over our laughter.

It had been a long time since I’d laughed with a guy—truly laughed, not just humoring some sad joke he’d made. It made no sense that I would feel so comfortable with a guy I didn’t have a lot in common with. Hell, he wasn’t even from my planet, but I felt oddly at home when I was with him.

As we followed the trail deeper into the park, the sound of the horse’s hooves echoed off the snowy ground. Bare-limbed trees glistened with frost, their branches creating intricate patterns against the pale winter sky. We passed frozen ponds where a few brave souls twirled on ice skates. It was peaceful here, away from the spotlight and gaping crowds. Even if I was supposed to be convincing people I was dating Ruune, I was glad to have a few moments of relative privacy.

“What else did Caroline tell you would be romantic?” I asked after a few minutes of commutable silence.

His face brightened and he stuck his hands under the blanket and began groping the seats.

“Whoa,” I said. “Not only is that not romantic, that’s against the rules.”

“I am not engaged in any unauthorized touching.” He produced a paper sack with the Magnolia Bakery logo on the side. “Your friend said that even if it’s freezing outside, you love this.”

A moan of anticipation escaped my lips. “Is that what I think it is?”

His brow furrowed. “If you think it is something called banana pudding, then you are right.”

I grabbed the bag and pulled out two small containers, my mouth already watering. “This isn’t playing fair.”

He raised his hands as if in surrender. “I am only following orders.”

I suspected more intent behind this than he was letting on, but I was too excited about the banana pudding to care. "Magnolia's banana pudding is legendary. Almost as legendary as their cupcakes." I handed him one of the to-go puddings and a spoon. “But this is so much better than the cupcakes.”

“And this is made from that odd, pointy fruit?”

I stifled a laugh as I opened my pudding and scooped out a bite. “Yep.”

Ruune followed my lead, although the bite he took was more tentative than my enthusiastic one. So when his pupils flared, I smiled.

“Good, right?” I mumbled through a mouthful.

“Mmmhmm.” He lifted his container to take another bite.

Just then, the horse stopped abruptly, sending his face straight into the pudding. I tried not to laugh but his blue nose was covered in golden-yellow goop.

I reached inside the bag for a napkin as I giggled. "Let me help you with that."

I gently wiped at his face, the contact with his skin sending little sparks up my fingers. As much as I tried to focus on his nose, I found myself drawn to the eyes that were riveted to me.

"You still have some..." I murmured, pointing to his mouth. Then, to my own shock, I leaned in and kissed it off.

He blinked at me as time seemed to stop. "That's the second time you've kissed me."

“I broke the rules, didn’t I?”

“You might be worse at following rules than I am.”

For the second time, he kissed me back. His hand cupped the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my hair as he pulled me closer. I dissolved into him, savoring the sweet, slightly-banana-pudding taste of him.

The world around us faded away—the clomping of hooves, the crunch of carriage wheels on gravel, the distant sounds of the city. All that existed was Ruune, the urgency of his lips, the hardness of his body pressed against mine.

I lost myself in the heat of the kiss, forgetting the rules, forgetting for a moment that this was all supposed to be pretend. Because right then, with Ruune holding me and my heart beating in time with his, nothing had ever felt more real.