Raelyth concluded his work by the fall of evening. He leaned back upon the chair, stretching his limbs before closing the ledger he had been engrossed in. Rising from his seat, he stepped out of the home office and paused by the railing on the third floor. His gaze wandered downward, where Valerie sat quietly below, her delicate fingers turning the pages of a book. Fingers he longed to draw into his mouth, to taste and worship.
He exhaled softly, shaking the thought from his mind. Surely, he had frightened her with his impulsive act—the kiss against her ear. He ought not to have advanced so hastily; after all, they were not yet wed. The thought of their union returned to him often, and he wondered when the time would come for their marriage to truly take form.
He exhaled again, then made his way down the stairs, approaching Valerie from behind. She was too focused on her book to notice his presence until he rested both hands upon the couch beside her shoulders.
