“This bathtub is divine,” I sigh, and she chuckles with an I told you so look in her eyes. When the water level sits a few inches from the lip of the tub, I grab Laurel and bring her to rest between my legs, massaging her shoulders. She lets out her own contented sigh, and the sound settles something deep inside of me, like her satisfaction is my own. I press more kisses to her shoulders, then wrap her up in my arms. “Can we stay here for another week?” I ask, and she bursts out laughing.

“While I’d love to, I promised Silene I’d join you guys for dinner tomorrow night. She said she had some big surprise. And the idea of disappointing Silene upsets me way more than the idea of disappointing you.” I huff out a laugh.

“On that, we can agree. If Silene has a surprise, then it’s something enormous. She’s incapable of small gestures.” I don’t tell Laurel the reason for tomorrow’s surprise dinner, not wanting to ruin our moment. She smiles, a vulnerable and open quirking of her lips, and the sight steals the air from my lungs, the sensation not unlike the one when Laurel does it with her magic.

“When we go back to the palace,” she begins, tentatively, “would you consider announcing to the Council that you and Silene aren’t really engaged? We won’t tell them we’re mates, but I don’t want to hide my relationship with you. Or at least, I don’t want others to think I’m desperately flirting with a betrothed prince. We don’t have to confirm anything about us yet, but I’m sure they’re whispering. Let’s at least let them know our flirting is wholesome.” I can sense Laurel holding her breath, but the worry is entirely unnecessary. I kiss the top of her head.

“First, how dare you say our flirting is wholesome. I don’t do anything wholesome.” She laughs, and it eases the worry in her gaze as I intended. “And second, nothing, and I mean nothing, would bring me more happiness, Laurel. I want to hold your hand whenever I’m in your presence, and now that you’ve accepted the mating bond, I think it’s going to be extremely hard for me to keep my hands off you, anyway.”

She grins. “It really is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” she admits. “I love Silene like a sister, but there’s a part of me that wants to rip out her throat when I remember that she’s pretending to be engaged to you.” I bark out a laugh, and she grins.