by Kirk, A
I folded my arms over my chest. “Me! Uninterested in me.”
“Uninterested.” He looked to the heavens for a brief moment then sighed. “You mean sexually. Uninterested. In you.”
Why did he keep repeating everything I said? Certainly didn’t sound better a second time around.
He shook his head. “This just gets better and better.”
Really? Because that wasn’t how I was seeing it.
Then he started laughing. It built from a chuckle to full-on shoulder-shaking, near knee-slapping guffaws.
I squinted. “This is funny to you?”
“Oh,” he wiped his eyes, “you have no idea.”
Humiliation stung. “Glad I could be such a joke.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“You should go.” I made a shooing motion. “Don’t want to keep you from your important meeting thing.”
“Won’t do me much good if you think—” He laughed again. “Never mind. Sorry. Everything can wait. Let’s stay on topic. You feel I’ve neglected you. Physically in general. Kissing specifically. Fair enough. Challenge accepted.”
“Challenge? I didn’t issue any challenge.” Did I?
“Let’s do this.”
“Do what?”
“I’m going to kiss you.”
“Whoa!” My hands flew into the air and I moved to escape. “This is stupid.”
He blocked my path. “Hold on. Not stupid at all. You have a valid point, just give me a minute.” He rolled his shoulders, shook out his arms, rocked on the balls of his feet a few times, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. “Okay. I’m ready.”
I frowned. “You have to gear-up to kiss me?”
“Aurora.” Ayden’s voice was low and deep and seemed to reach across to stroke my skin. He walked toward me with slow measured steps. Under heavy lids, his eyes stalked me, the faintest amber simmering in the dark brown depths. “You have no idea what I go through when I’m near you.”
And he was near me now. So close the heat from his body snaked around and enveloped mine, holding us in a cocoon, isolating us from the cold outside world. Even without touching me I felt like his captive, wrapped within some aura of daring emotions that weaved around us, waiting for a chance to strike. Waiting for a chance to hook under my skin and never let go.
He murmured, “Close your eyes.”
“What?” I started to step back, but he caught my arms, fingers tight around my biceps, keeping our bodies close.
“Aurora.” His voice took on a commanding edge that made it clear he expected no argument. “You’ve made your concerns clear. Now give me the chance to…address them.”
“By kissing me?”
“By kissing you.”
He really liked to repeat stuff.
One side of his mouth quirked up. “At least, that’s where we’ll start.”
Ohhh, boy.
He sighed. “Don’t panic.”
“I’m not panicking.” I was so panicking.
“I can see you panicking.”
“How can you see me panicking?”
“I see a lot more than you give me credit for. So for now, just a kiss, I promise. Better for both of us, anyway.” Before I could ask what that meant, he slid the fingers of both hands into my hair and held my face in his hands. His look filled with intensity. “Close your eyes. No, I didn’t say roll your eyes. You know what, just hold still.”
“Wow. You really know how to sweet talk a gir—”
He kissed me. Quick and fast. Like he was tasting a medicine to judge the level of horrible flavor.
Odd. Borderline insulting.
He raised his head and let his gaze meander over my features. He appeared pleased, seemed to relax. A faint smile touched his lips. He breathed deep, gave an almost imperceptible nod then his head lowered.
This time the kiss was slower. Softer. And short. His lips barely brushed mine before he pulled away. But his mouth hovered, his breath coasting across my lips and cheeks, tickling down my neck. I smelled the sweet aroma of baked banana bread. And licked my lips.
My hands came up, grazing across his stomach. My fingers skimmed over the firm contours of his abdomen, and through his thin T-shirt, I felt the muscles tense harder at my touch. His breath paused. His eyes flicked down, but otherwise he seemed to freeze. When I laid my palms lightly on his chest, his heart th-thumped several quick beats, then steadied. He inhaled slowly, regripped my face in his hands, and moved in again.
Lips against mine. Tender. Lingering longer between the moments when he took his mouth away. Tingles zinged across my skin. I was zingled. Great new word. I raised on tip-toe, trying to follow his lips each time they backed off, because the zingling was oh-so delightful, but his hands firmly held my face and kept me at bay.
Was he teasing? Playing with my emotions. But his expression was so serious, as if he was concentrating hard to…
What? I didn’t know. But I had his full attention now and didn’t want to break his avid focus. My skin prickled with goosebumps, awakening new sensations, feelings of desire bubbling up from deep within.
His hand slipped behind my neck, and his head dipped, and I readied for a real kiss, a hard kiss, something to help alleviate the mounting pressure of my cravings. But his lips merely brushed mine, so soft it almost wasn’t a touch, yet my body reacted as if electrified.
Nerves ignited. Anticipation fluttered in my stomach as his lips dropped faint kisses along the line of my mouth, taking great care to cover every inch, and taking way too much time about it.
My hands clenched. He was kissing me, but he wasn’t kissing me, and he wouldn’t let me kiss him and…I wanted to.
When his tongue flicked the corner of my mouth, my breath hitched and my lips parted with a sigh. Although why I could still breathe was beyond me. My knees were trembling. They’d probably give out any second. Not that I cared. I’d closed my eyes ages ago because these overwhelming sensations sapped my strength, leaving me on just this side of limp, and it was way too much work to keep eyelids open.
Ayden’s tongue traced along the delicate skin on the inside of my lips. It was as if every nerve ending gathered to each spot he touched, making the flesh so terribly sensitive the contact was almost painful. Almost.
When I shivered, he paused, and I took the opening to capture his lips with mine. Finally.
He jumped at the contact. His hands tightened on my face, became warmer, and just when I thought he would back off, his shoulders relaxed, and he returned the kiss. A huge relief, because stopping now should be against the law. Maybe it was.
Cruel and unusual punishment.
His touch was sensuous and unhurried and settled all of my anxious energy into something languid. I leaned into him, my fingers spreading over the solid feel of his chest. The rhythm and pressure of his kisses increased, and he seemed more and more reluctant to pull his lips from mine.
His hands slipped down to cup my neck, thumbs stroking slowly up and down my throat. My pulse quickened. I reached one hand up to slip it around his neck, to pull us closer, to have his mouth stop teasing mine, to crush him into me.
But he pulled away, and took a step back.
I wanted to tell him to stay close, to keep touching me, but with my breath coming in such halting bursts, I couldn’t speak.
Staring at the ground, he licked his lips — luscious lips that should be on mine. Then he swallowed. Blinked slowly, lids heavy. I knew that feeling. But in his case he was probably having trouble holding up those ridiculously thick lashes that cast mysteriously sexy shadows on his cheeks. Mysteriously sexy shadows? Yeah, I was in trouble.
The rise and fall of his chest increased. “Aurora, I…”
In a deliberate movement that appeared to take great effort, his gaze lifted to meet mine. The dark chocolate was almost gone, nearly overcome by sparks of red and orange, like burning coals ready to ignite.
My breath caught at the heat of that look. Something tangible and alive jumped across t
he space between us, something in a hot rush to infiltrate my body, pulsing with the beat of my heart, wild and strong and asking for more.
“I think…” His voice was rough, every syllable skating on sandpaper. He shook his head, his expression frustrated. “Was that…more of what you were looking for?”
More? I almost laughed. Oh, yes, it was more. More than I expected. And everything I’d imagined. At my silence, dark emotions flickered across the handsome lines of his face. His jaw tightened.
I touched a hand to his cheek. “I believe that was both more and,” I took a shaky breath, “not nearly enough.”
It took him a beat, but then a smile of satisfaction curved his lips, and when my hands slid up to tangle my fingers in the silk of his hair and pull him to me, he didn’t resist.
I loved his sweet taste. The feel of his mouth as it moved with sensuous longing over mine. Warmth tingled along the back of my neck, shimmied down my spine. His arms slid around my waist as his mouth pressed harder. The tingling heat wrapped around my rib cage, sparking a fire that burned in my belly. My body arced against him, trying desperately to capture the feel of every part of him. His arms around my waist tightened. His hands started to roam, exploring my body—
He loosed his hold. I pressed closer, but his hands moved to my sides, his mouth pulled away.
“Aurora, this isn’t—”
“Yes, it is.” I didn’t know what he was going to say, but I was sure I wouldn’t agree because these feelings were too vitally important to my immediate emotional and physical well-being to do anything but act on them.
Ayden had his hands on my wrists, trying to disengage. “No, I really think—”
“Don’t think.” I kissed him to shut him up. “You talk too much.” And I didn’t want to hear it.
He started to kiss me back, then groaned and slipped his hands to my hips to push me away, so I reached up both arms and wrapped them around his neck. The move lifted my shirt from under his hands and when his skin made direct contact with mine, something snapped.
He became unnaturally still. The air thickened. A warm breeze spiraled around us like a coiling serpent. An intense energy seemed to ripple through his entire body. And then he moved.
One hand slipped under my shirt and around my waist, hot fingers splayed against my bare skin and crushed me to him. His other hand dug into the flesh of my hip and somehow, a moment later my back was up against a tree, the rough surface biting through my shirt.
His mouth never left mine. There was no relief, no holding back. His kiss was all-consuming, the only thing on his agenda. His lips bore down with a voracious intensity, demanding, unyielding. My chest tightened. Stomach constricted. My entire body was ready to burst, heart hammering through my ribs, veins unable to contain the torrent of blood. Heat filled my very core and pleasure raged, unstoppable, exhilarating, and rushing through every part of me.
While his body pinned mine against the tree, he ran a wide palm down my side, over my hip, my thigh, and back up. The other hand cupped my neck, my cheek, twisted in my hair. His mouth took control of mine. Hungry and hot. My lips parted and his tongue—
He ripped my arms from around his neck and jumped away. Literally, jumped back and put up his hands.
“Whoa! That is, ah…” He looked over his shoulder, breathing hard, face flushed. “You were right. I should go.”
“Go?” Was he kidding? I had to lean on the tree for support. “Now?”
“Yep, yeah, yes,” he nodded. “I told you I had that meeting thing.”
“What happened to everything can wait?”
“Not anymore. And I, uh, we’ve had enough of…” his hand waggled in the air, “of this.”
“Enough?” Great. Now I was repeating everything. “You’ve had enough?” And I couldn’t stop myself.
“Because I don’t want to— I can’t—” He tried to smile but couldn’t pull it off. “I’ll call you. Later.” He raked his hands through his hair, backing further and further away, looking lost and miserable, and leaving me with a cold and empty feeling.
“Call me?” I really needed to say something more effective, but I was so confused and hurt. Did I just get…played? He got me all hot and bothered only to rebuff me? Yes, that’s what he did and— Wait, why wasn’t I saying this out loud? Because I was a big wuss. No. Aurora you can do this.
I breathed in some courage and opened my mouth to speak just as a fire-breathing monster flew around the corner.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Eyes flashing a dark, cold, sharkskin gray, Matthias jabbed a hostile finger in my direction. “What the bloody hell was that in there!”
“Matthias,” Ayden groaned, “not a good time.”
“Like I care.” Matthias started to rant at me but then took a double-take at Ayden. “What’s wrong? You look like crap.” He glanced from me to Ayden then looked nauseated. “Oh. Well, no wonder. But better she’s kissing you than me.”
“Matthias, shut up!” Ayden glared.
Heat pricked my cheeks. How the heck did Matthias know? What did Ayden say about me?
“Hey, mate, don’t take your bad mood out on me. You signed up for this pretend boyfriend fiasco.” The Aussie glanced pointedly in my direction.
“Oh, for— That’s enough!” Ayden was furious.
I was toppling into the realm of humiliated.
“Whatever.” Matthias stalked my way and made a show of wiping his palm down the cheek I’d kissed. “Don’t you ever do that again. Disgusting. And don’t give me any crap about getting Selena in trouble.”
I glowered. “If you weren’t such jerk, I might actually thank you because as much as it pains me, when you help protect my sister, it’s hard to hate you.”
His face screwed up. “Don’t go all gushy.”
“I said ‘hard’ to hate you. Not impossible.”
“Good. Because I have no problem hating you.” His eyes narrowed. “We’re just lucky it was some idiot kid. You bring demons knocking on your door. You put her in danger. You should give her tools to keep herself alive. It’s a wonder she’s not dead already thanks to you.”
I stepped back. Felt the blood drain from my face. I’d been hot, now I was cold…and going numb.
“Matthias!” Ayden shoved the Aussie hard enough to make him stumble. “That was a low blow.”
“But true,” Matthias said with satisfaction. “And she knows it.”
Ayden moved toward me. “Don’t listen to him.”
I held up a hand to stop him and chose to let my legs give out. My back slid down the tree, and I plopped on the grass. What a fun afternoon.
“And you.” Matthias flung a hand at Ayden. “Don’t get too attached, because if there is ever a time when she is too much of a danger to Selena, or any of us, traitor or not, I’ll drag her to the Mandatum myself.”
Ayden glared at the Aussie. “You are unbelievable. After I saved your butt in there.” A warm breeze swirled around Ayden bringing with it the luscious layers of fragrant scents from Mom’s garden. “Get the hell out before I—”
“What?” Matthias spread his arms wide. “Gonna hit me again? Take your best shot, mate.”
“Ayden, don’t.” I inhaled deep, but the garden’s sweet smells didn’t erase the sour coating on my tongue. “He’s right.”
“See,” Matthias smirked.
Ayden ground out, “No. He’s. Not.”
“You said it yourself.” I reminded him. “Fido’s on my side, and she could attack my family.”
“Not the same.” Ayden stood toe-to-toe with Matthias. “And the truth is he’s just trying to pass his own guilt off onto you. Ain’t that right, mate?”
The world darkened under the cloudless sky. Black spilled into the whites of Matthias’s eyes.
“Guilt?” I glanced from one to the other, expecting the ground to crack from the tension rising off both. “About what?”
Matthias’s nostrils flared and his lips curled into a toxic smile. “I
think, my mate is referring to the fact that I killed my mum and sister.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
I stood in our driveway. Ayden was in the street, eyes following Matthias’s BMW as it screeched around a corner and disappeared. Ayden was completely still for a moment, then his body spasmed, fists pummeling the air, body spinning, feet kicking. It was the fireball flying from his hand and sizzling in asphalt that finally gave him pause. He looked around, worried, and saw me watching.
“Sooo…” I ventured. “You were serious? Matthias killed his mom and sister?”
“I didn’t say that. He did. Because he’s such a…” Ayden punched one more fist through the air, “friggin’ idiot.”
No argument here.
“Okay, but his mom and sister are dead, yes?” I knew his mom wasn’t around, and she was definitely a taboo topic, but I hadn’t heard any reasons why, and this was the first I’d heard about a sister.
“I can’t say.”
“Are you kidding? You can’t just leave me in the dark.”
Ayden rubbed his forehead. “It’s personal. I can’t talk about it. That’s the deal.”
“Like why Tristan lives with his grandparents and Blake with his Uncle Reece.”
“Right. Whatever their story, they get to tell it.” Ayden studied the empty street, face grim. “Even if they tell it in the worst possible way.”
“Great,” I muttered. “I love being on the outside of this wall of secrecy.”
“Secrecy?” His tone was absentminded. “You’re one to talk.”
“Excuse me?”
“What?” He dragged his eyes away from the road. “Forget it.” He glanced at his watch. “How about I take you for that coffee before I head off.”
“To your big important meeting thing? Yeah, I don’t think so, hot stuff.” My ego still smarted from the recent rejection.
He blinked. “What’s wrong now?”
“On our last outing there was a kidnapping on the menu with me as the main course.” Did that even make sense?
“That wasn’t my fault. It was Matthias trying to prove a point.”
“That I’m a useless piece of crap?”