[POV: Solenne]
Solenne's heart raced in her chest. She had gone out on a limb to ask Ruvan if she could mark him, and his silence was stretching so long that she began to worry he might turn her down or get angry.
Ruvan's piercing golden eyes bore into her as they stood there, so discerning and pensive that she could have sworn he was staring directly into her soul. He studied her carefully, as if he had never seen her before.
She couldn't take it any longer and shook her head apologetically, motioning with her hands that she wanted him to forget about it. She grabbed the paper from the table and was about to crumple it when Ruvan's hand caught her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.
"Yes," he said, his low and hungry. "You can mark me."
Solenne nodded energetically and gently pressed her free hand against his chest, slowly snaking her fingers down to his nape.
