Ravensblood Forest we have both lived with lips more scar tissue than skin

If he noticed the reference (spoiler alert: he didn't) Verx didn't show it, and did as he was told, rolling up to his belly with a groan. He did, however, notice her smirk, and the way she came close, touching, crooning. . . Irritation tinged with some amusement rippled through him, and he let out an extended sigh through flared nostrils, shifting slightly away.

I appreciate your confidence in me, but I'm not down to fuck, he said, looking past her shoulder into the forest. I'm tired, Aure. Just do what you need to do and let me go back to sleep.

It seemed like they were on completely different pages -- fucking different novels -- in terms of intimacy. Sure, he could still pork her and be fine with it, if he turned his brain off, but the emotional chasm between them was still far too vast to be bridged by sensual pleasure. She, however, still acted. . .like nothing had changed. Like they hadn't messed up several things between the two of them, for both themselves and for the kids.

Things were different, now. The carefree sex romps within the redwoods of Drageda were long past them, and he wasn't sure whether they'd ever get back to that point. Maybe one day, after everything had been mended. But would that day come?

Fucking hell. . .he was getting existential. Must be the goddamn fever.