Page 90 of Legend
“I didn’t say that,” she sputtered, “but you can’t just announce it like that without asking me first.”
“Then I am asking,” I husked, jerking her even closer and lifting her slightly off the ground.
Fiona rolled her eyes. “Yes, but only because someone really needs to teach you how to handle women.”
“You do not like the way I handle you? Then why do you moan—?”
“Aaagh,” Fiona let out a strangled sound as she put her hands on both sides of my face and pulled my face to hers. “You’d better shut up and kiss me before I have another urge to kill you.”
I forgot all about the admiral and his adjunct, as I followed Fiona’s suggestion and kissed her until she no longer wanted to kill me.
Chapter
Sixty-Eight
Fiona
“Are you going to raise?” I eyed Vyk across the long, wooden table in the staff dining room, only breaking eye contact to glance at the significant pile of credits between us.
It had been several days since we’d successfully averted a swarm attack and a card game had seemed the perfect way to blow off some steam. Several bottles of Noovian whiskey later, the rest of our friends had either bowed out or gotten bored of losing to Vyk
He slid his gaze from me to his cards, then to the pile. “If I do, you will be out.”
I leaned back, glad that it was only the two of us remaining, just like it had been the first time we’d played againsteach other. “Just because I’m out of credits doesn’t mean I can’t bet.”
“You still owe me from our last bet.”
I gaped at him before realizing that he was right. I technically had only spent two nights in his room. “The climbing wall counts as one.”
I was glad no one else was around to hear the throaty rumble of his laugh. “I did enjoy the climbing wall. I’ll agree to that. Now, what do you have to wager that I do not already have?”
I blinked rapidly at this. “Just because we share a bed now doesn’t mean you have everything.”
“I believe it does.”
I couldn’t help smiling. The gruff Drexian had gotten much better at showing his feelings, almost to the point of it being awkward for everyone around us. He made no secret of his affection and his unquenchable desire. “That’s sweet, but you’re assuming that you’ll win.”
He moved his head back and forth. “I believe I will win.”
“Still so cocky.”
“Confident,” he corrected.
I leaned forward. “Okay, well I’m confident that I can beat you, so let’s talk wagers.”
Vyk braced his forearms on the table, grinning at me like a wolf preparing to pounce. “Last time, I set the wager. This time, I will let you.”
I thought for a moment. What did I want from the commander that I didn’t already have? “Tell me that you love me.” Heopened his mouth to speak but I cut him off. “Tell me that you love me more than life itself and that you would do anything for me. Tell me that your life didn’t begin until you met me, and that I’m the best thing that has ever happened to you. Admit that you fell in love with a human woman, and that you were wrong about us from the beginning. Tell me that you were wrong about me, and about all the humans at the academy.” I held up a finger. “Oh, and tell me that you will spend the rest of your life making up for being such a colossal dick to me when we met.”
His eyes were wide, but he nodded. “You have yourself a deal.”
Satisfaction flushed my cheeks. As demonstrative as the Drexian was with his affection, he had still never told me he loved me. The warrior was still a Drexian of few words, and they were mostly growls. Not that I minded his growls.
I fanned out my cards, grinning at the high hand that could only be beaten by one or two other hands. “Well?”
Vyk studied my cards, his shoulders sinking as he laid his own hand on the table facedown. Then he raised his head and locked his gaze on me. “I love you, Fiona. I love you more than life itself and I would do anything for you.”
I drew in a sharp breath, startled by his statement even though it was what I had wanted. I wasn’t only surprised he’d remembered the words, I was stunned by how intently he was saying them. He wasn’t just repeating them by rote. He meant them.