Turning to Patrice, Jarek smiled softly.

"Come on, the rain is almost here."

Taking Patrice's hand, Jarek guided her away from the balcony.

It had started to rain, a soft sprinkling that was refreshing. By the time they reached the doors, the storm had arrived. Lightning cracked with a heavy boom, startling Patrice. Her eyes lifted to the dark sky, watching the bolt stretch across and splinter several times.

Jarek said nothing as he gently pulled on her hand. Anxiety filled him. The belief that she'd refuse and he'd be left to stare at the ceiling of his bedroom, waiting for death to find him plagued his mind. Jarek believed that he deserved it after his efforts this morning.

Still, she responded positively to his affection, something that Jarek thought wouldn't happen for a while.

When they reached the upper floor, Jarek looked at the two doors. One was hope, the other was despair. Taking a deep breath, he turned and took her other hand.

"Stay with me."

The request was simple, though there was a lot more to it than what was said. Jarek pointed to a door near them.

"My room where I hope that you will join me."

Patrice looked at the door and knew that what lay beyond it was far grander than anything she had in her room. That wasn't the point of it, though. She knew that despite her thoughts of progressing with Jarek, that room was not where she should be.

"Did you sleep with Adella in there?"

Jarek's mouth opened, but he could not say it. He did not want to. If he did, Jarek knew that Patrice would refuse him and their passion-filled night would be gone.

Patrice's eyes widened with momentary frustration. They both had pasts. Patrice would not fault him on that.

"You know what I'm going to say, right?"

Reluctantly, Jarek nodded.

"Good."

Stepping back, their hands extended as the gap between them grew. Jarek felt her slipping away from him as Patrice took another step. Their fingers were barely touching but enough that they were still linked. One little tug gave him renewed hope.

"I'll replace the bed," Jarek murmured as he drew her closer.

"That is a brilliant idea."

Pressing her to the door of the guest room, Jarek lowered until he was a breath's distance from her lips. Patrice smoothed her hands over Jarek's chest, finding an odd familiarity about it.

"We could decide together."

"Sounds romantic."

Having Jarek pressed against her body again was tantalising for Patrice. The firm figure was heavy, but she didn't mind. It was the desire pressed against her hip that caused her grief. There was, of course, a solution to that particular problem.

The gentle caress of his nose against hers as they stared into each other's eyes caused tension. His hands moved over her hips, gliding down until he couldn't reach any further. Raising the skirt to her thighs, Jarek lifted Patrice's legs and wrapped them around his waist. A gasp escaped as his hips flexed, rubbing himself against her groin.

Their lips traced, and Jarek gently tugged on Patrice's bottom lip. The desire multiplied as the taunting continued. It was wicked and sinful.

Patrice had never experienced anything like it. Eddie was her one and only. He was a man of limited moves and had already been outplayed by the elf king.

"So," Jarek whispered against her lips. "Am I allowed into your bed tonight?"

"Just the bed?" Patrice teased. "Or would you prefer to go beyond the bed and be allowed into my body as well?"

Smirking, Jarek nodded. To make it worse for her, he pressed a little harder. Patrice gasped, her hands tightened on his shoulder. Every time he moved, it felt as if he set her body on fire.

"Yes?" he asked, a whisper against her neck.

Hedonistic sensations flooded her mind as Patrice enjoyed the affection. It was small and brief, but it was perfectly placed.

"Yes," Patrice returned.

She wanted to add that if he didn't hurry up, she might explode.

One hand moved behind her, opening the door. Lifting her to his body, Jarek carried Patrice into the guest quarters and closed the door. It was barely shut when the passion began. A heated kiss that was far greater than anything they'd shared before. Jarek pinned Patrice to the door, kissing her as he slid his hands under the skirt of her dress.

The soft material shifted under his palms, finding a path to the skin of her legs. Layers of material stood in his way. Jarek needed more than just awkward fumbles against a door. They both needed more.

Lifting Patrice from the door, Jarek moved through the lounge room and into the bedroom. Flicking the door shut with his foot, he moved directly to the bed. The goal for both of them was simple. Get this done, stop the stone from ending Jarek's life and then work on what they had.

Laying Patrice on the bed, Jarek stood upright and began removing his tunic. The plan in his mind was laid out. It would soon be done. Then tomorrow, they could get to know each other. His brother's ridiculous ball would be a grand celebration of the odd relationship that Jarek was going to form with Patrice. It would become love. He didn't know when but it would happen sometime in the future.

Patrice's eyes widened as the tunic fell away, revealing the honed body of a warrior. The silvery light that shone through the glass doors highlighted every hardened line of his body. She'd never seen anything like it, certainly not on Eddie or anywhere else.

Fear and anticipation curled through Patrice as she waited for Jarek to remove his pants. She didn't know what to expect, aside from the obvious. It was always embarrassing. She often looked away when Eddie disrobed in front of her. Though right now, Patrice could not tear her gaze away from Jarek.

Disappointingly, Jarek did not remove his pants as she'd hoped. Instead, he pulled Patrice's hands and lifted her to her feet. Turning her around, he began undoing the buttons of her dress. The soft material fell over her arms as it slipped down her body, leaving her in the chemise and scandalously short bloomers.

Her arms instinctively closed over her body, hiding her form. The lights were off, but that didn't mean that she could not be seen. Every time the lightning flashed, it lit up the sky and the room.

Jarek laid the dress over the footrest, then returned to the timid creature that was trying to hide her shapely figure. Moving behind her, he pulled open her arms.

"Don't hide," Jarek whispered in her ear. "You are beautiful."

Turning Patrice around, Jarek looked at her and saw more than beauty. She was breathtaking, and he wondered why he'd not seen it before now. Maybe it was the stone that was clouding his view. Perhaps it was something else. It didn't matter, not now that he could see the truth.