I did my best to keep my smile on and my voice gentle and patient as we said our farewells to far too many people. Had some of the young ladies gone round the back of the line and taken a second turn? Torion kept his arm around me, which was good and kept me upright, but even he walked out of the McKinney front door and down the drive with a not entirely disguised eagerness.
"His line is far too prolific. There must be some way of keeping him from taking another omega after this one," Torion whispered in my ear, drawing out an unguarded snort from me.
And then a squawk as he scooped me up in his arms, my hands clutching hard at his shoulders as his wings beat and he lifted us from the ground.
"You're flying!" I cried out. The night was cool and dark enough to hide my blush at the silly words.
"It's not quite as fast this way, but my bones are tired of shifting back and forth," Torion admitted, and then he grinned at me. "And this way I'll be sure not to let you fall to your death."
"It would be a waste after that clever story you spun of us at dinner." I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, mostly to keep from noticing how close his face was to mine, chin still smooth and cut with such lovely angles, ones that begged to be studied by some form of touch. His mouth had a very full bottom lip, one I'd been looking forward to sampling last night…before he'd opened it.
"Ah, I was hoping you'd approve. I imagine McKinney will expand on it nicely. I suppose I got injured on a hunt somehow, crawled my way to your door, and fell in love with you as you nursed me for days on end. Maybe even weeks? Granted, I haven't gone missing that long, but who really likes facts in gossip?"
"You haven't seen my cottage. I'd have nowhere to put you."
"You shared your bed with me," Torion said easily, and I hoped he mistook the sudden jerk of my body for me adjusting my position. He continued, eyes focused ahead but a sly smile curling at his lips. "I would've been too weak to take advantage, of course. At least for the first couple nights."
I let out another snort, glad the wind and cold night could explain away the color no doubt flooding my cheeks. My bed was a loft above the work table of my cottage. If itdidhold both Torion and I together,it would do so only in the closest of terms—body to body, and not an inch to spare between us.
"Does it bother you to sound disloyal to Barr?" Torion asked, all the teasing rinsed from his voice. The keep loomed, tall squared frame traced in silver moonlight.
I choked and found myself tangled up in Torion's dark gaze too quickly to shield myself against its potency. "No. Fang's fire, no. It's… I doubt Malcolm was bothering to talk of me as his any longer."
"I never paid much attention to him until my father's passing. He hid his ambition well," Torion mused.
"Aye, he liked hiding things," I snapped.
Torion fell quiet at that, and I cursed my bitter tongue. His arms tightened around me, hands hot on my hips and waist, chest a comfortable furnace to lean against. Every so often, the wind would catch one of his black curls and brush it against my cheek or forehead like a playful feather. I wanted to close my eyes and fall into this man, because I missed the way that felt, being safe and held up and surrounded by someone you trusted. But I didn't feel safe and I didn't trust this man, and I didn't want my body fooling my heart into letting its guard down.
"About last night…" Torion started.
"Oh, don't," I said, too tired to be meek and agreeable.
For a moment, I thought he'd let it die, but then he cleared his throat. "I only sought to be sure it was what you really wanted. You don't owe me your body, Brigid. Regardless of any bargain we made, that's your choice."
You don't have to do this.
Torion's throat flexed with a swallow, a brief shimmer of buried scales glinting at me, the muscle and heat of him enveloping me. In this moment, it was easy to imagine putting my lips to that throat, letting my tongue flick out, the sound he might make. I'd been a shy but eager participant in bedsport with Malcolm, and it was the celebration and release of the act that I still missed. But last night I'd been thinking of my placeat the alpha's side, thinking of the risk of surrendering my body to another man, what he might take along with it. My hands had shaken, and it hadn't been desire coiling in my belly. Had Torion sensed that?
"You dismissed me," I said, trying to put things back in place.
Torion's feet touched the ground in front of the keep, but he didn't release me. "No, I wasn't asking you to leave. You took the opportunity, though."
I flinched and pulled myself out of Torion's cradling arms, but his hands caught me at my waist, keeping me in the halo of his heat, his face lit warmly by the fire inside the keep, the doors opened and awaiting our return.
"We don't have to rush anything," he said, body bowing over mine. And perhaps it was some alpha nature influencing mine, or perhaps it was my body still craving the memory of a long lost sensation, but I arched in his hold, stretching up to him. His mouth found mine, slightly parted, our first kiss made of our shared breath. My blood rushed through my veins as his feet bracketed mine, one hand sliding up my spine to hold me in that swoon, his lips pressing gently. His purr vibrated through his entire body, thrumming into mine, and even with my eyes closed the world spun.
Too much, my mind cried, but my fingertips pressed to Torion's chest, barely gripping. I flicked my tongue against that tempting bottom lip, finding the burn of whisky and an appealing salt. I had a sudden ravenous hunger to consume this man, to devour him in a feast of touch and taste and violent desire. It made my entire body throb and my good sense rebel.
That way led carnage. That way led me leashed to another man who didn't love me, my own feeble heart foolishly trying to find purchase.
Torion's hand on my waist moved away and I took the opportunity to spin out of his arms.
"You will—" I was embarrassingly breathless, and I shook my head, stumbling another few feet safely out of reach. "You will have to tell me when your rut approaches, my lord."
"Brigid?"
I glanced over my shoulder and the sight of him, enormous and beautiful, hands still reaching and legs spread, a perfect structure to throw myself into, made my knees weak. I needed to run.
