63. Cherish

Spending the afternoon curled up in Ivan’s huge arms listening to his ridiculous stories was blissful. I adored his scent, unable to stop myself nuzzling in closer to his body, toying with the strings that lace up his shirt. Waves of adoration meant I practically floated back into the huge castle courtyard before remembering Luna Helena might want my head on a stick.

In fact, the opposite occurred when we got back to our suite. A vast selection of fine dresses was laid out for me to wear alongside new, finer quality white shirts and pants for Ivan. I chose a rich purple off-the shoulder gown. Gently puffed sleeves rested on my upper arms, a semi-corset elevating my chest. I wore my hair up, a few loose curls trailing down, a Luna for a night I scoffed at Halo.

Ivan’s gaze hit me as he left the bathroom, flattening his copper tufts down. He moved to stand behind me in the mirror, hands softly on my hips and placed some kisses along my bare neck and shoulders. “You look beautiful.”

“