Chapter 30. Special Flavors

But before she could pull away, Alaric's hand moved with swift precision, wrapping firmly around her waist, his grip both steady and gentle, as if repositioning her was second nature.

"Don't move. You need this, unless you want a nasty scar," he scolded softly, sounding almost like a parent worried for a child. Emerald pouted at his tone, feeling small and fragile under his care.

His voice was calm, authoritative. His expression held a quiet strength that demanded obedience, and Emerald couldn't help but melt under it. She stopped struggling and obediently leaned back into his embrace.

He had just returned from the grocery store and they'd just finished eating the noodles she prepared. A few beads of sweat clung to his forehead, and she could feel the warmth radiating off his body. The heat from his thighs gradually seeped through her thin skirt and reached her lower back, pooling into the curve of her hips where she sat.

Pressed against his broad chest, she breathe