As much as I wanted to hear what Aerolus thought, my first concern was for Tessa. “Fill me in later. I’m putting her to bed.”
“Attaboy.” Cadmus smirked before stumbling over his feet with the help of a heavy wind. He turned to glare at Aerolus. “What the hell was that for?”
“Do I really have to explain it to you?” Aerolus sighed and nodded to me. “Stay with Tessa. We won’t know how safe she is until I have a brief talk with Arim.” Then he ordered our brother to stay sharp and vanished.
“I was just kidding,” Cadmus grumbled. “I’ll be down here the rest of the night, keeping watch.” In a more serious tone, he added, “Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks.” I carried Tessa upstairs to my bedroom.
I laid her gently on the bed and shut the door, giving us privacy. In the safety of my room, I took stock of what had almost happened, and my heart thundered.
Tessa could have been harmed, was all I could think. In my agitation, I paced the room, wondering what I should do to help Tessa avoid a future wraith encounter.
As I paced, I couldn’t stop myself from watching her, admiration warring with worry.
She looked so beautiful laying there. So still, she afforded me my first opportunity to study her without the threat of reprisal.
In sleep, she looked serene, soft even. The golden tan of her skin shone under the bright light keeping the night at bay, and I couldn’t lie to myself. I wanted her. Auburn tresses framed a strong yet feminine face full of promise and passion. And her mouth… Full lips begged a second taste. I immediately recalled how supple and inviting they’d felt under my mouth.
Needs stirred, and though I knew now wasn’t the time for fantasies, I couldn’t help myself. I paused in my pacing and sat next to her on the bed, tracing the line of her petal-soft cheekbone. Such strength.
For the past six months, I’d tried very hard not to notice the autocratic redhead with a mouth made for sin. She demanded the very best of herself and her peers and never talked down to anyone. I’d been surprised to realize she’d deliberately avoided me, but considering the fierce attraction I’d been unable to shake, I figured her instincts had served us both well.
Having worked so closely with her this past month, I couldn’t help wondering what it was about me she found so offensive. I had no real complaints about her, except for her recent penchant for breaking into my office.
Yet the woman found me lacking. My mood soured.
A woman like Tessa Sheridan walked like she owned the world, and she very well did. She had a successful career, friends, and a close family—I knew this because her brother had sent her flowers on her birthday, and she’d worn a smile for days.
She could have any man she wanted with the snap of her fingers, and she walked with an air of confidence that made one take a second look. She had it all. Perhaps she’d sensed that same assurance lacking in me, that “perfect” quality I’d been missing for most of my life.
Though others saw what I wanted them to see, I had the uneasy feeling Tessa sensed the truth of my character. Yeah, and mauling her over your desk the other day must have really put you over the top. I grimaced in remembrance.
“Marcus?” She groaned and opened her eyes.
“Tessa? How do you feel?” I stroked her hair, unconsciously seeking a measure of the closeness I feared I’d destroyed after whisking her from the office.
“A bit hazy.” She slowly rolled her head on my pillow, her hair spreading like a silken curtain across my sheets. The image made my blood surge, and my hunger for her grew.
Suddenly, she froze and blinked up at me, her eyes narrowed with accusation. “You knocked me out. Right after you killed that, that thing, you did something to me.” She fingered her blouse and eyed me with distrust.
I refrained from rolling my eyes and sighed instead. “I did nothing more than take you away from a dangerous situation. I most assuredly did not take advantage of you.” Unable to resist, I leaned closer and murmured, “When I do, you’ll know.”
She blushed then frowned, and I could almost see her reliving our battle with the Netharat. But instead of asking me questions, she thanked me.
“For what?” I couldn’t help but ask. It was my fault the Netharat had endangered her in the first place.
“You saved me,” she said simply. “They would have killed me if you hadn’t put yourself between me and them.” She swallowed hard at the memory but quickly regained her composure. “But about your little threat to take advantage of me…”
Instead of leaning away or cursing me out, which I would have expected, the surprising woman kissed me.
She pulled back and smirked. “Promises, promises.”
Chapter 10
Tessa
I tried to tell myself I suffered from a head injury, or perhaps the aftereffects of dealing with those nightmarish creatures. But the powerful attraction I’d been feeling since setting eyes on Marcus Storm had finally come to a head.
