The clearing was silent again, save for the gentle clinking of the pearl tiles on the pavilion's roof.
Bai Yue forced her eyes away from the raspberries. Stay strong, she told herself. Do not sell your husband for fruit. Do not sell your husband for fruit.
She looked back up at Zhāo Yàn.
The Fox Lord hadn't even glanced at the golden pavilion. His crimson eyes were entirely, wholly focused on Bai Yue. His tails were still wrapped snugly around her, and his smirk had softened into a look of deep, burning affection that was frankly ten times more dangerous than his smugness.
"So," Zhāo Yàn murmured. "You defended me against a dragon. You staked your claim. What's next, my fierce little mate?"
He leaned in closer. His gaze dropped to her lips, the ones he had just thoroughly kissed, and his thumb gently brushed her cheek. The slow-burn they had been dancing around had suddenly been thrown onto a blazing bonfire, and Bai Yue was absolutely not prepared to handle the heat.
