13. Seraiah

After what was decidedly the best afternoon tea she’d ever had, it was all she could do to keep her eyes open. Zarin took one look at a drooping Seraiah and called for a zippy lift to take them the rest of the way to the palace.

The transport looked like a bubble on three wheels, complete with a cheerful automated driver and room for two passengers. Zippy lifts were staples in larger cities around the galaxy, best known for their cheap fares, ease of maneuverability, and the little putt-putt sound the engine made. These were slightly different from the ones she’d seen on vids, outfitted with wider tires, giving them better traction on the steep streets.

There wasn’t enough room for Zarin’s personal guard, so they got two of their own, following close behind.

The vehicle’s bench seat was a tight squeeze for the two of them, but Seraiah didn’t mind being pressed up against Zarin’s big body. Even better was when he looped an arm around her shoulders, hauling her close to him. Resting a cheek against his chest, she breathed in his cedar-and-lemon scent. How had it become such a comforting smell so quickly? She took another deep breath as she stroked his thigh. When her fingers accidentally grazed the large bulge in his pants, she couldn’t help but notice it grew longer and thicker.

He shifted on the seat.

Smiling to herself, she did it again, her fingers stroking between his legs.

He grabbed her hand, lifting it to his chest, away from his cock. “Seraiah,” he said in a stern voice. “If you don’t stop that, there will be consequences.”

She wiggled her fingers in his grasp. “What kind of consequences, your majesty? Naked consequences?”

He groaned, shifting on the seat again. “Goddess, fuck. Woman, you make me want to forget that we’re riding in a bubble and everyone can see us in here.” He pressed a kiss to her palm. “If we were alone, away from the curious eyes of everyone and their mother out on the street today, there absolutely would be naked consequences, ones that would end satisfactorily for both of us. But right now, you’re giving me blue balls.”

She giggled, rubbing her nose against his chest.

“You’re tormenting me for your own amusement, aren’t you?” he asked, his finger tracing along her arm.

“Yep,” she said, closing her eyes and relaxing into the comforting heat Zarin generated. “Fun to tease you.” She gave a happy sigh. She wouldn’t mind staying right here in his arms forever.

He kissed the top of her head. “Love you,” he whispered.

Adrenaline flooded her senses. He loved her? Oh, holy olives. He loved her.

But he’d whispered it. Did that mean he hadn’t meant for her to hear it? Should she say it back? But what if it had been an accident, and he didn’t really mean it? What if she said it and he laughed and told her he’d been teasing?

She nibbled her bottom lip. She was overthinking things again. Doubting. Fixating on what could go wrong rather than what could go so very right.

Bold Seraiah looked on in disappointment. What had they just talked about? That’s right. Be brave. Open your heart and your head to what could be. What if this man actually, truly, deeply loved her? And what if she felt something similar?

Embracing the truth of it made her feel giddy, like she’d had too much bubbly. Faster than she ever thought possible, she’d reached a point where she didn’t want to imagine her life without Zarin in it. She needed him by her side. She wanted him in her and in her life. It felt right, the thread of connection knotting tight.

Her hand clenched against his thigh. Say it, Bold Seraiah whispered in her ear.

“I think I’m falling in love with you, too,” she said. And those words, they set her free.