He wanted to protest, but he knew she wasn’t wrong.
She forced a smile. “Well, when we finish the portal, there won’t be any moreveritafor you to hunt, and inventing won’t be illegal. So that should solve all our problems. Right?”
There was so much hope in her eyes, but he knew her well enough by now to know that there was doubt there, too. Just for tonight, he would hold on to her hope instead.
He nodded and gave in to the temptation to touch her, sliding one hand up her neck to cradle her cheek. “Can I kiss you?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes. “I would think the answer is rather ob—”
He kissed her before she could finish, but she didn’t seem to mind. Before he knew it, she’d made her way onto his lap, and it was so simple to release her hair from its braid and drop the ribbon. He might have done it anyway, just to have his fingers tangled in her soft waves.
“You know,” she said breathlessly, “we could go somewhere a little more comfortable.”
“Gods, yes.” He rose, still holding her.
“Des, I can walk!” She batted at his arm, but he only held her tighter.
“And risk soiling your dainty feet? I think not.”
“My, Lieutenant Commander Whitlow, you certainly are a gentleman.”
He started toward the cottage, but as they passed Easton Hall, she stilled him with a hand on his chest. “There,” she said, and pointed to her laboratory.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “I was thinking a bed might be nice.”
“You said you wanted to experience my world, Des. My lab is the very heart of it.”
How could he deny her now? “Your wish is my command.”
He proceeded up the steps, not even winded, and set her down at the top. When she pulled out her key, he touched it lightly. “Does that mean this is the key to your heart?” he asked, unable to keep a straight face.
She puffed a small laugh and moved the key aside so that his hand was resting on her chest. “Youare, silly.”
She dodged his next kiss, pulling him inside and practically skipping down the stairs to the long hallway. When they were in her laboratory and she was settled on the sofa, Des knelt in front of her and began to unlace her boots.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Helping you.”
“I think I can manage that...” She reached up to her braid and frowned. “My ribbon. I must have left it behind.”
He hadn’t expected her to notice so quickly, wouldn’t have minded a few more minutes together, but this was always the plan. “That’s my fault,” Des said, rising. “Do you want me to go and get it?”
She hesitated. “Would you mind? Normally I wouldn’t care, but it was from my mother.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be back in two minutes,” he said, kissing her forehead. “In the meantime, you can get a head start on those boots. And whatever else you might want to remove.”
She grinned. “Presumptuous, aren’t you?”
“What can I say? You’ve turned me into something of an optimist.”
Des hated lying to Aurelie, and if he’d believed there were any other way to ensure they all came out of this alive, he would have moved mountains to see it done. But trapping Everard’s thrall was the only option.
He’d never meant to rope Gareth into it, either. The boy had caught him sneaking out of the armory yesterday with three iron spears, a length of chain, and a bundle of fake foliage.
For a moment, Des’s life had flashed before his eyes. He had no good excuse for what he was doing, no ready explanation. But Gareth had only asked how he could help, and wouldn’t be dissuaded. He was the one who discovered the grotto on a campus map.
It was always going to be a risk—but if they were successful, this could solve all of their problems.So far, so good, Des thought as he headed for the front gate. All except for the lying to Aureliepart. He could see Gareth’s silhouette, shifting from one foot to the other. He jumped when Des hissed at him.