Rowan sat on the edge of the bed and grinned at Aelin. "I'm glad to see you haven't changed since I last saw you."

"Well, I almost wish you had changed," Aelin replied, throwing a sly grin back at Rowan.

"You don't mean that. You probably didn't know what to do without me by your side," he said, throwing a pillow at her.

Aelin easily caught the pillow in one hand, and said, "Oh, trust me, prince, I can handle myself just fine." She walked across the room to where he was sitting and pushed the pillow into his chest. "I just let you tag along." As she turned to walk back to her original spot on the other side of the room, Rowan caught her hand and pulled her back towards him.

"Aelin," he said, his voice low and deep, tinged with something that made Aelin's heart stumble. "I've missed you. And I don't ever want to be apart from you again."

"Rowan…" Aelin said, her voice trailing off. She'd known that he'd missed her. Gods above, she'd missed him too, missed him more than anything. After all, they were carranam, and were bonded for life. But she'd never thought that he'd say anything like this to her. She glanced down at his hand around her wrist, trying to find the words to say back to him. Slowly, she let her eyes travel up to his face to meet his intense gaze. Taking a step closer to him, she said, "You won't ever have to be apart from me again. I am never going to leave you, no matter what."

Rowan's eyes shone with relief, along with something that Aelin hadn't seen in them before, and he loosened his grip and let go of her wrist. Suddenly missing the warmth of his touch, she found herself taking another step towards him. She was near enough now that she had stepped between Rowan's legs, which were spread out on his seat on the bed. She timidly placed a hand on his broad chest, not knowing why she did, just that she needed to feel him, make sure he was really there in front of her.

Rowan seemed to be thinking the same thing, because before long, he said, "Good. Because I'm not going to let you leave me. No matter what." He took her hand and moved it over his heart, and she felt reassured by its steady rhythm. "You know, Aelin, I spent more time than I'd like to admit these past few months wondering if you were okay; if you would come back to me in one piece. Of course I realize now that it was foolish of me to ever doubt you, even for a second."

She didn't say anything, didn't need to. She placed her other hand on Rowan's cheek, feeling a new kind of heat that wasn't just embarrassment begin to flood her cheeks. Slowly, she raised her gaze to meet Rowan's eyes. At best, she had expected him to be indifferent to her touch, but when she looked into his eyes, his gaze was anything but disapproving. Aelin wondered if he could sense her heartrate pick up, because she could definitely feel his. Knowing that she was potentially walking a frail line, but not caring, Aelin kept her hand on Rowan's cheek and ran her thumb over his lips.

Rowan closed his eyes and slowly turned his head into her touch. After a moment, he planted a slow, gentle kiss on her palm. Aelin gazed down at him, her heart fluttering in her chest. Slowly, without turning his head, Rowan opened his eyes and laid a smoldering gaze on Aelin. Knowing that Rowan could read every emotion on her face, Aelin's cheeks heated and she made to turn away, but was stopped by the hand that Rowan placed on her waist. He pulled her even closer to him, and she relished his warmth, wanting more.

After looking into her eyes for a moment longer, Rowan's own eyes slowly travelled down to Aelin's lips.

Now she knew that he wanted her too. Standing there pressed up against Rowan, Aelin bit her lip. She slowly slid her hands over his shoulders, and he responded by pulling her even closer with the hand on her waist. Despite the fact that there was no space left between them, they still weren't close enough.

As their eyes met again, Aelin felt a rush of heat course through her and settle in her stomach. No… lower than her stomach. With his other arm, Rowan reached up and rested his hand on her neck. A small smile flitted across Aelin's lips as she leaned down the rest of the way and closed the gap between her and Rowan, meeting his lips with her own.

Their kiss was soft and gentle, and after a moment Aelin pulled away, afraid she had misread Rowan's actions. But when she looked at Rowan, there was a hunger in his eyes that sent another wave of fire coursing through her veins.

Running her fingers through his hair, Aelin kissed Rowan fiercely. His lips were soft and warm, and she couldn't get enough. Soon, Rowan's hands were moving from her waist to her hips. Lost in the kiss, Aelin reached down to the hem of Rowan's shirt, which he helped her take off. She ran her hands over his broad chest and along his strong back, savoring the feel of his powerful muscles beneath her fingertips. Rowan's own hands were travelling up and down her body, and she practically moaned at his touch. When he began to take off her shirt, she broke off the kiss and helped him get her shirt over her head. Aelin saw the look of lust on Rowan's face and knew he wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

He stood up, towering over her, barely leaving her room to breathe. He slowly pushed her up against a wall, where he pinned her arms above her head. Rowan's lips began travelling over Aelin's neck, leaving a trail of kisses as he went. He paused as he passed over the exposed skin where her neck and shoulder met, his teeth hovering over the tender skin. He lightly grazed his teeth over her neck, causing Aelin to shiver.

She thought that she was prepared, but as Rowan bit her, she let out a gasp. She turned her head to the side, further exposing her neck to Rowan. Her cheeks flushed with color at just how much she enjoyed Rowan's bite. The feel of his teeth on her neck brought far more pleasure than pain, and Aelin moaned. A deep growl rose from Rowan's throat, full of desire. He released Aelin's hands and placed both of his own on her waist. He began undoing the ties on Aelin's pants as he trailed kisses back up her neck and across her jaw. He then helped her step out of her pants.

He swung her around, never breaking the kiss, laying her down on the bed, her body beneath his own. Her body had never seemed so small and lithe body until she was lying beneath him. He deepened the kiss, his tongue gliding over her own tongue and behind her teeth. Then he began to move his kisses along her jaw and down her neck. Aelin relished the feeling of her skin against his; the feeling of his powerful chest against her breasts. Still, she needed more. She reached down and began unfastening his belt. It only took her a moment before she had it off and was tossing it onto the floor, and only a moment longer for Rowan to remove his pants the rest of the way. Aelin moaned and arched her back, rubbing her hips against Rowan's. Rowan slid one of his hands along her body, continuing to kiss her neck, until his hand stopped on her thigh, gently easing her leg up over his hip. She wrapped her other leg around him as well, holding him close enough that she was sure he could feel the heat coiled inside her.

His hands began roaming over her bare skin, his thumb slipping underneath her brassiere to stoke the bottom of her breast. She arched her back again, pressing her breasts into Rowan's chest. He slid his hand underneath her and undid the garment over her breasts, exposing her chest to him.

His kisses began to trail down her throat, between her breasts, and across her stomach, where they stopped at the lacy undergarments that she was wearing. Raising his head just enough to look at her, Rowan gazed up at Aelin and raised an eyebrow. She felt herself blush, but was secretly glad that she had chosen those undergarments to wear today. Soon it didn't matter what either of them thought of her choice in undergarments, though, because a moment later Rowan had taken them off and tossed them onto the floor, completing the trail of clothing leading to the bed.

She was completely bare, completely exposed to Rowan. She felt vulnerable, and she could tell that Rowan sensed it, because he slowly raised himself up again until their noses were touching. He ran a finger along her jaw, and then slowly closed the gap between their lips. This kiss was gentle and reassuring, but Aelin could still feel the passion behind it.

As she opened her eyes, she saw the question in Rowan's expression. Are you sure? The corners of her mouth tugged upward, and Aelin responded with an expression of her own. I'm sure. I've always been sure. A smile began to bloom on Rowan's lips, the hunger returning to his eyes, and she hooked her legs around his calves.

Rowan reached between them to position himself just outside of her. He let out a low growl that vibrated his lips against hers, and Aelin dug her fingers a little bit further into the muscles of Rowan's back, barely restraining her moan. A second later, there was nothing between them at all as he plunged inside of her.

Aelin broke the kiss to let out the moan she had been holding back, her legs coming up to wrap around Rowan's hips. As he began pumping in and out, she dragged her fingers down his back and moaned his name. She could feel the tension slowly melting out of his shoulders as he found release inside of her.

As she gasped for breath, it was all she could do to moan Rowan's name, until they reached that point together where the world bloomed with light at their pure ecstasy.