Nox had discovered the entry to the water source about five minutes after Rayne had left, but he stayed behind to think. Take a second to reflect before they left on another mission. Staring into the steam of the hot spring, he relived the earlier moment between them. Rayne’s silken skin. Her scent. The soft sound she didn’t realize she’d made when he’d kissed her thigh. She ebbed and flowed from him like the tide onto the shore.

Damn.

The spring was stored under the loft, and the seamless door was off the kitchen. Inside was a hot spring and a mammoth filtration system with temperature control to cool the steaming water. It was tinted white and almost opaque. Aegis water.

One.

There were mentions of ‘One’ in Elden’s second Verse, but, in Savis’ teachings, she’d assumed it was the figurative ‘One.’

“One cannot be trusted with One’s own motives.”

That sort of thing.

Rayne and Nox would resolve it. He trusted in it. He also trusted that if Rayne got in this hot spring, Nox wouldn’t let her wade in it alone.

Sweet torment. This was ecstatic.

Forever.

Nox could play this game with Rayne forever, as long as she allowed it. Their heart raced, and there was no way for him to know if it was her workout or his fantasies of them. The thought amused him into a smile as he stepped out of the hot springs and into the kitchen—

Rayne was stepping into the shower.

This time, Nox couldn’t look away from the display on the sheet, as Rayne wet her hair under the water and it poured down her neck, breasts, stomach, hips, between her thighs—

Cloves gave Nox away.

Even with his scent signaling his presence, Rayne did a most astonishing thing. She stopped massaging her scalp to trail her hands over her breasts and lower, lower…

Rayne gasped.

Nox left the kitchen area with the blood rushing south so fast he almost saw spots. He nearly left the treeloft because there was so little holding him back. And fuck him, Nox loved it.

From around the corner, he called, “I found the water source.”

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“Because you’re brilliant.” Rayne’s voice almost didn’t betray her, but for the slight airiness of it. She both knew and didn’t know what she was doing, and he respected her guilelessness enough not to resent the occasional frustration.

Nox countered, “Flattery will get you whatever you want, Rayne.” Including him.

Honeysuckle. As the scent drifted toward him, Nox wondered if she tasted of it and desperately wanted to find out.

The water stopped and while she dressed, Rayne asked, “Can you show it to me?”

Now if Korac were here, he’d laugh at the look on Nox’s face. Her phrasing… Can you show it to me? Elden, he felt immature for the direction of his thoughts. “Yes, of course. May I come in now?”

“You’re always welcome in here, Nox. The sheet is for privacy, remember?” Coy. Rayne sounded cute with coyness. She knew as well as he did the sheet made for a screen.

It was her shuffling in the kitchen, which made Nox turn the corner and face her again. With a tilt of his head, he asked, “What’re you doing?”

Rayne had discovered a device in a cabinet and, with her tongue sticking out, was trying to make it work. “I think this plays music—”

A modern ballad sounded from within the entire loft.

Rayne faced him and glowed. She looked like a sexy punk pirate dressed in that black corseted peasant top and white leather pants. The top was short, baring her midriff, while the sleeves were ridiculously big and puffy, hanging off her biceps. Once again, she left her shoulders bare. In fact, it seemed her clothes continued to shrink and cling tighter to her skin as the days went on.

Rayne said, “Show me the source, then dance with me. Please?”

This was trouble. Didn’t she realize…

Never mind.

Tired of fighting it, Nox did as she commanded. The hot springs reveal left Rayne grinning as she said, “We are totally swimming in that.”

Yes. Yes, they would. But first…

Nox held out his hand with a bow, saying, “Your majesty, may I have this dance?”

Rayne took it and let out a cry of delight as Nox immediately spun her into his arms. He winked. Her delighted laughter was even more sexy for the breathiness. Nox let her up and pulled her tight with a hand on her lower back. Rayne reached one hand around his shoulder and placed the other on his bicep.

They danced around the kitchen, twirling and spinning, breathless from the close calls and near misses. There was a cobalt ribbon tied around her neck he wanted to slip away, and her breasts heaved against the corset as if they wanted out, and Nox was more than tempted to free them. When he dipped her, Rayne let herself fall, trusting him, and righted slowly in a heady daze. Her lips were half-parted, and Rayne gazed at Nox with longing. She closed her eyes, ready for him to kiss her.

Nox wanted to show Rayne how good it could feel between them, but this wasn’t the moment. Their next mission was time-sensitive within the next hour, and Nox would need longer with her if they were to kiss.

He brushed the loose strands of her braided hair from her face and cupped her cheek until Rayne opened her eyes, confused and a little hurt. Nox beamed at her, letting her see how much he appreciated her trust. It chased the confusion away, and she smiled.

They straightened and stepped back, regaining some composure. Rayne turned the music off. With her back to Nox, she announced, “We should get ready to go.”

Back to work.

“Lead the way home, your majesty.”

As Rayne passed Nox on her way to the door, she brushed a hand down his shirt, against his chest and stomach, saying, “I like you in blue, too.” There was heat to the look she gave him before Rayne stepped into the woods.

Perhaps forever wouldn’t take so long.