Asher
I looked outside the windows by lifting the drapes a little. The forest path through which we were traveling was quite dense.
This route was less used by travelers and it was the shortest way back to my castle. I craned my neck outside the window and noticed that the tree trunks were wide and thick, their dense leaves hiding the faint ray of the sun as we moved deeper into the forest. It was almost sunset but due to the thick foliage, it felt like we were traveling through the night.
There was also a certain cold seeping in through the forest. The fact that our carriage was made of metal meant that the walls were doing a poor job of insulating us from the chilly winds. I had asked the coachman earlier to remove the lanterns on the carriage because I did not want to attract wild animals or any other danger lurking in the forest. The more discreet we are, the less trouble we invite.
I peered at Kayla, she was on the opposite side of the couch leaning back and with her eyes closed. Since she wasn’t looking at me, my gaze automatically drifted to her and I began observing her features. It was fascinating to observe her when she wasn’t looking.
She looked way too troubled and her body posture was rigid and tense. I also recalled our last ride, and how she had been angry and cold towards me.
As much as I love her fierce nature, I didn’t like it when she was all cold and silent around. I preferred it when she hissed, yelled, and growled like an angry little kitten, that way I had an idea of what was going through her mind.
I would have to think of something to get her to speak to me again. Just anything to make her talk.
Immediately Kayla’s eyes flew open, she studied me a bit and tilted her head.
“Are you going to stare at me for the entirety of the drive, Alpha?” She asked and I blinked.
I was about to open the windows when the carriage had a jerk, throwing her upon me. The unexpected bump that the carriage had hit took her by surprise and she fell upon me, pressing me back on the seat. The spark that ignited at the contact of our bodies felt so surreal.
I could feel her soft skin pressed against my hard chest and despite the jacket, she had on, I felt her nipples hardening. The jacket flew open and my hand landed on her chest, resting a little below her breast. The unexpected contact made a shiver of delight crawl up my spine as her thumb lightly grazed my lips.
I stifled a gasp but she had heard it and her eyes immediately found mine again and did their customary thing of dipping to my lips.
It was too dark to make out her expression but I could feel the smoldering intensity of her gaze on me. The little light that was filtering in through the thicket fell on her eyes as the carriage righted itself.
“Sorry for the bump, Alpha” The coachman apologized but I did not respond. I could hear the chattering of her teeth as the hooves of the nightseeds clopped against the stones littered on the dirt path and the window pane had flown upon when the carriage had bumped against a stone and a cool gust of wind was flowing in.
I placed the backside of my hand under her neck and murmured, “You are cold”
She nodded, “I am”
Kayla held my hand close to her cheek and pressed it against her face, feeling my warmth seeping inside of her. “You are hot”
Under ordinary circumstances, it would have sounded like a compliment or that she was flirting with me. A playful smile appeared on my lips as I replied, “I know…both technically or figuratively”
Saying so I lifted her from the seat, making her shriek in surprise as I placed her on my lap, weaving my hands around her body.
She immediately leaned and relaxed in my arms as I let her nuzzle into my chest. I kept one of my hands firmly around her waist while the other reached for the window and gently pulled it close.
“Am I hot enough for you, my lady?” I inquired, as my hands reached for her neck and pulled her close, inhaling her scent and relishing in her warmness that cocooned me as she snuggled up further into my embrace.
“Mmm,” she replied and folded her hands upon my chest.
My grip on her tightened as the carriage went through a rocky terrain again, as we wobbled along with the carriage that rattled on the dirt-ridden road.
“Perhaps, I should get back to my seat” She offered
I shook my head, “Get all the warmth you can from me, I cannot let you fall sick”
Kayla’s breath lingered on my cheek as she murmured, “What if I ask you to give me more than just your warmth?”
“And what could be more important than my warmth?” I rolled my eyes, replied with a playful smile, and steadied her when the carriage gave another jolt, making our lips brush as I had been leaning forward. My body gave a shudder that had nothing to do with the cold. My eyes fell on Kayla’s perfect face, and her eyes were sinking into my soul. I could spend hours admiring her, the way her nose flared, the way her eyes alternated between going wide and squinting and she was sitting on my lap.
The memory of our last encounter in the woods came flooding and I wanted more of her but the restraint I was putting on myself was making me haughty.
I was not even sure what was not allowing me to just grab her, throw her on the bed, and fuck her senseless. Could it be my past, my fear, or something else?
I pulled away from my train of thought when Kayla got up from my lap and sat on her seat. She placed her hands upon mine and squeezed it. “How about you tell me everything about Emily?”