Chapter 239: Between Duty and Desire

“I know,” Zande whispered, her lips brushing against the corner of Jacob's mouth, teasing and tempting him. There was a note of longing in her voice, an echo of the deep ache he felt within himself. “We will have our time.” Jacob growled softly in response, meaning every word. “It had better be soon,” he muttered, the hunger in his tone unmistakable. He could sense the hidden laughter in her mind, a gentle humor at the situation they found themselves in. Despite their mutual frustration, she found amusement in it, though her desire for him was just as fierce and urgent as his for her. A small smile crept onto Jacob's face, despite the intensity of his longing. Zande's laughter, whether expressed aloud or in her mind, was infectious. It had the power to lighten his mood, to bring joy where there had once been none. That was the essence of her—joy, pure and simple. And now, for the first time in his life, Jacob was beginning to feel that joy, to embrace it in a way he never had before.