I couldn't take another heartbreak. I didn't care how long I was in the Mongol Empire.
"I think I'm hungry," I said and cleared my throat. Stepping away, I crossed my arms. "You?"
He replaced the bows and arrows. I was no longer cold; the heat of awareness was skittering through my blood, heightening my senses, and leaving me too eager to experience the heat of Batu's body once more.
Rather than return us to our tent, he led me to Ghoajin's, where a boisterous feast was in full swing again tonight. We were warmly greeted, and I took a seat beside Suvdin.
We stayed into the wee hours of the evening before the wear and tear on my body dragged me close to a doze once more. Batu escorted me back to our tent, and I tugged off the over tunic, followed by my boots, the moment I stepped foot inside. Hoping the awkwardness from earlier was gone, I stumbled into bed and sighed.
"Suvdin is going to see if I am better suited towards any other skills tomorrow," I told him, eyes on the ceiling. "When I'm not translating, I want to be useful."
"You are determined, ugly one."
"I want to contribute, Batu. Is that so hard to understand?" I listened to the sounds of him undressing while forbidding myself to look. I already knew he had an incredible body, and I was working on suppressing the warmth of desire heating the base of my belly.
"No, goddess, it is not. You should not force it. Your skill will find you."
"Maybe. I need to keep occupied as much as possible, too."
"To take your mind off your home."
He read me way too well. I twisted my head to look at him. Shirtless, he was arranging his clothing and weapons on a blanket near the door. I watched the muscles of his chest and back slide beneath thick, smooth skin. "Thereabouts."
"Thereabouts," he repeated, amused, with a glance at me.
I wasn't certain what he found funny this time, either. While Batu wasn't complicated, he was too different for me to understand him at times. "Are you laughing at me?" I asked and sat up, wanting to know once and for all why he seemed so entertained by me.
"No, goddess."
"I swear, once a day at least, you look at me like you're laughing at me."
He shrugged. "You are different. I am trying to understand."
"Hmm. That's good."
He straightened from his chores and gazed at me, waiting.
"I don't understand you either," I told him. "You run around chopping off limbs and heads and then you hold me at night with such gentleness …" Bad example. My cheeks were warm. "You're so honorable, except when you're at battle."