“By the gods, it’s cold out there,” Vivyka said through chattering teeth as Korin let her inside his small cabin. It was pretty much a duplicate of theirs, except with only one large bed. She took her boots off and set them by the door as people did here, so they wouldn’t track snow and mud across the floor.

“You should have kept your clothes on,” he replied neutrally as he went to stand in front of the fireplace.

He was only wearing his deerskin pants, and the firelight danced across the contours of his naked torso, touching his russet skin with a soft golden glow. She thought he looked more beautiful now than ever before. Something about him captivated her.

“Come here and warm yourself,” he said softly.

She nodded and walked over to him, then looked into his dark eyes, and started to speak, but she forgot what she was supposed to say. It didn’t help that he just stood there with that patient look on his face, as if there was all the time in the world and nothing else to do but pay attention to her. Finally, she remembered, “I came because…” The lie stuck in her throat. She looked down at her fidgeting hands. She was good at this, seducing a man was one thing she did well, but now that she was here, she couldn’t even get out the first line. She felt so vulnerable near him, it scared her, but the draw she felt made it impossible for her to stay away.

She watched him take her hands into his. He rubbed them, warming them. “You should not have gone out like this.” His voice was firm and yet gentle. “The cold is not something to take lightly.”

“I had to come,” she said simply.

One of his hands moved to her chin. He lifted her head, getting her to look at him. “Why?”

“Because I want you.” She let the words come out without thinking first. She meant physically, but there was also something else, something deeper.

His gaze was tender and caring. He moved his hand to her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb. “How?”

She swallowed past a lump in her throat. She suddenly felt so confused, her head whirled with uncertainty. “I don’t know.” She closed her eyes and felt her chest ache with longing. “I just want you,” she breathed.

“Look at me,” he said, and when she opened her eyes he gazed into them for a long time. Finally, he asked softly, “Has anyone ever made love to you?”

A thrill shot through her at his words. She wished she could say no, that he was the first. But again, she answered truthfully, “Yes.”

To her surprise he smiled—a small, tender smile. “You have had sex, I know this, but has anyone made love to you?” He continued to look into her confused eyes, and then shook his head slightly. “No,” he answered for her and brushed the side of her face with the back of his hand. “Do you want me to love you?”

She didn’t understand what he meant, didn’t understand the difference, didn’t understand anything other than the yearning she felt. She wanted him, needed him in a way that was so different from any one else. “Yes,” she whispered. “But I… I don’t know…. if I can give you what you want in return.”

“I ask for nothing.”

“You said you wanted my heart,” she reminded him. “And I wanna give it.” She realized the truth of her words even as she said it. “But I’m scared.”

He held her face in his hands. “Vivyka,” he whispered her name like it was a sacred word. “I will never hurt you.”

He kissed her, a hand moved to her neck and into her hair. His kiss was also different from anyone else, it said so much, he gave himself to her in his kiss. She parted her lips, inviting him in. His kiss deepened and became hungry. It sent wild little tremors through her, down to her toes.

She touched his stomach, then his sides and his back, pulling herself closer to him with trembling hands. She could feel his passion, could feel that he desired her and it made her heart soar as if no one had ever wanted her before him. Even in the fire that started, his strong hands were gentle. His mouth was firm yet tender. He was completely new to her and she was awed by him. He stirred things inside her that she hadn’t known were there—scary things, but wonderful things.

He stepped back, causing her hands to drop away from him. Grabbing the bottom of her nightgown, he pulled it up over her head and set it on the chair next to him. She reached for the ties of his pants and he stood still, watching her as she undressed him. Then he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her on it like a valuable treasure. She tried to pull him with her, but instead he began caressing his warm hands over every inch of her body, and his lips followed their trail.

When he finally found her mouth again, she was crying. She felt completely overwhelmed by him, by how tenderly he kissed her, how softly he touched her, how everything he did said she was precious to him.

He brushed away some of her tears with his thumb. “Do you still want me?”

“Yes,” she murmured. “More than anything.”

“And I want you.” He covered her body with his, but never took his eyes from hers. “I love you,” he whispered, entering her.

She sighed at the pleasure, but also at the connection, at the sudden feeling of being somehow whole.

“Do not close your eyes,” he told her. “Look at me, see my heart in my eyes, see how I am yours, and be mine in return.”

New tears came as she gazed up at him. “Yes,” she whispered and he smiled tenderly. She reached up to touch his face, to lace her fingers gently in his silky black hair. She whispered his name, letting all of her feelings be heard in the sound.

Beautiful had never been a word she had related to sex before, but there was no other word for it. He filled her with the most incredibly beautiful feelings, not just in her body, but in her heart.

And then, when she was floating back from the heights of bliss, he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. “I love you,” he said again, and then he told her with his deep kiss as well. Finally, he moved over onto his side and surprised her by pulling her into his arms.

She cried more, because of the aching sweetness of the experience, because of his love, because of the physical manifestation of that love, and because of the new world he had opened up to her. She clung to him and took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. “Don’t let me go,” she whispered.

His arms tightened around her. “Never.”

—————

When Vivyka woke up the next morning, she was alone. She instantly felt disappointed and stupid. Of course he wasn’t there. She moved out from underneath the pelts on his bed and found her nightgown on the chair. She pulled it over her head and turned to stare at the fire. She should get back to the group, but she groaned out loud when she thought of Sera’s knowing look and Matt’s smirk. Maybe she would stay awhile longer. She sat down on the rug beneath her and pulled her legs to her chest.

She couldn’t keep her mind from drifting to memories of the previous night. Korin had been so amazing, so… different. But had he meant what he said? It wouldn’t be the first time that someone had said they loved her in the heat of the moment, and none of the others had meant it. Did she care? She got what she wanted, didn’t she? And it had been fun, good, great even. She frowned at the inadequate words. It had been more then that, so much more. Her chest ached dully. Instead of feeling happy and satisfied, she only felt empty because she wanted him to still be with her.

She was about ready to get up and leave when the door opened and Korin entered. Her first reaction was relief and joy. Her heart thudded a little faster, practically calling out to him, but then she felt unsure and scared. She watched him, trying to keep her face neutral, as he took off his heavy, snowy coat. It annoyed her that he continued to be silent as he removed his gloves and boots and set them by the door, his pace unhurried, as always. Finally, when he was just in his deerskin pants and tunic, he came to her, sitting in front of her, cross-legged.

He smiled at her with that warm, tender gaze and her heart did a small flip in her chest. “Did you sleep well?” he asked.

“You weren’t here,” she blurted out. She could have groaned at the hurt in her voice.

His dark eyes grew sad. “I am sorry. I would not have left you if it was not important,” he told her softly. “My brother became very ill in the night. I was summoned early this morning to see to him since my father is not here right now.”

She felt sheepishness, then automatic disbelief; it could be a cover story. But as she looked at his earnest face, she knew that he wasn’t lying to her; there was nothing but honesty in him. “I hope he’s okay,” she murmured.

He smiled again. “We are blessed with having such a wonderful healing cleric among us. Sera is with him now.”

She nodded. “I’m glad. Which brother?”

“Tana.”

“The youngest,” she said.

“You remember.”

She nodded again.

“You seem to enjoy children,” he noted.

“Yes. I adore them. They’re more honest than adults, more real. They don’t want to hurt you, they just want your attention, your love,” she said, looking off into the fire.

“I adore them as well,” he told her. “They are good and pure.”

“Untouched yet by the harshness of the world,” she mumbled.

It was quiet except for the crackling of the fire, until she finally asked, “Why did you say those things last night?”

“Because it is the truth in my heart,” he answered.

“I wanna believe you,” she whispered.

He touched her face and gently turned her head to look at him. “In time, you will,” he promised. “When you see that I will not leave you, that I will not hurt you, that I will always love you… then, you will believe. It is not chance that our paths crossed, Vivyka. We are meant for each other.”

She moved to sit on her knees and leaned closer to him. He kissed her tenderly, but hers in return was emotional and urgent. He met her passion for a moment, but then broke the kiss and pulled her into his arms. He just held her and stroked her hair and back. She was confused, but the comfort of his embrace calmed her and she melted into it. When he held her, she ached because she never wanted him to let go, but she knew he would eventually. No one ever stayed, not with her.

—————

“Why aren’t you with Sera?” Tess grumbled. She was still in bed, wrapped around Ayden, and, judging by her attitude, not happy to be clothed.

“Because healing works best one on one,” he answered, though she already knew that.

“Well go somewhere else,” she told him.

“Go out in the cold so you can have privacy?” he asked, then scoffed. “Not a chance.” He had no intention of moving from his chair beside the fire until he absolutely had to. “Besides, no one’s stopping you.”

She laughed. “You’re a sick man.”

“Sex is just something people do.” He shrugged. “Like eating or sleeping.”

“You’re a perv.”

“I think the only reason you care is because Ayden does.”

“We don’t have that much in common, Matt,” she said, rolling her eyes.

He chuckled. “Go to the bathroom then.”

“I’m not having sex on the cold, hard floor,” she grumbled.

He shrugged. “Then go without.”

“Didn’t see you getting any,” she pointed out.

He sighed. “Oh trust me, I would if she’d go for it.”

“You’re a sick man,” she repeated. “I bet Viv’s like that too,” she said, forgetting that he would know.

He smiled. “Yep.”

“Ugh, mental image,” Tess complained. “Why’d I say it?”

“'Cause you’re a perv too.”

“Shut up,” she said and he chuckled again.

Vivyka and Korin were the first to rejoin them. Vivyka was wearing what Matt guessed was some of Kokora’s clothes—simple deerskin, like Korin. She handed Korin back his jacket and retrieved her own from a hook near the door.

Matt smirked and raised an arched brow at her. She uncharacteristically blushed and looked away as she grabbed her bag and headed to the bathroom. Matt shared an amazed look with Tess and Ayden.

Sera arrived shortly after and smiled knowingly at the new couple. Matt watched her face, Sera’s expression usually told him enough about what people were feeling since her eyes showed everything. And it seemed that Vivyka had gotten what she wanted, but so did Korin.

Sera put a hand on Korin’s shoulder. “You’re brother’s fever is gone now. He’ll be just fine with a few days rest.”

He returned her smile. “Thank you.”

“Glad to help,” she told him. “Should we put off our journey for a few days until he’s better?”

“No. If you say he will be well, than I am unworried,” he said easily. “And my mother and Ashir are here to care for him.”

“Great,” Tess said, finally pulling herself away from Ayden and getting out of bed. “Let’s go.”

Matt snickered. “She needs some action.”

Tess walked by him and smacked the back of his head on her way, making him laugh more.