To my shock, Maven's lips press against mine again, and I can feel she's smiling. "So, youdolike me."
Way too fucking much. The evidence of that is all over in my pants.
"Wonder where you got that notion from. Maybe the fact that you barely touched me and I lost control like a damn teenager?"
I cover my face again, mortified.Anytime now, Syntyche. Please.
Maven pries my fingers away until I'm forced to look at her and see the breathtaking smile on her face. There's no amusement or mocking—if anything, she seems extremely happy.
And dear gods, I like seeing her happy. She's just sopretty.
"Good. Then we're on the same page."
"Is that the page where I fling myself off the balcony?" I grimace.
"It's the one where we both accept that we like each other, and you tell me what your curse is. It can't be worse than my reasons for rejecting all of you."
I study Maven, my heart still hammering as I drown in her soul-stirring eyes for a moment. Finally, I can't take it anymore.
"Arati's high prophet told me that my curse will kill anyone I fall in love with," I whisper. "I've been a complete asshole because I can't afford to fall for you. And we can’t be bound to break our curses, I…damn it, Maven, I just—if I'm around you, you'll end up fucking dead. I can't do that. I can't lose you before I even get the chance to love you. Losing you would shatter me."
I take a shaky breath. There, I just bared it all. She has to leave now, knowing how much danger she's in because I'm already a fucking goner for her.
But then she…snorts in amusement.
I gawk at her. "Excuse me? What the hell is wrong with you? Did you even hear what I said?"
Maven tries to tame her smile and clears her throat. "I did. And you should know that's not an issue with me."
Did she hit her head during training or something? "What are you talking about?"
Her smile is something twisted halfway between wistfulness and dark humor. "It's complicated, but you don't need to worry about killing me by accident. Or even on purpose. I promise."
I shake my head. "Again, what the fuck are you talking about?"
She starts to respond but then clamps her mouth shut and removes her hands from me, rubbing one arm hard. Her breathing picks up, and she clears her throat again, glancing around the room.
"Where's your bathroom?" she asks hoarsely.
Oh...fuck. Is all that touch bothering her now?
My chest constricts as I realize that Maven might be silently panicking. Without another word, I pick her up and carry her through the small, half-hidden door in one corner of the office that leads into my attached apartment. I set her gently in front of the bathroom.
She slips inside quickly, and I hear the shower turn on. While she's in there, I change as swiftly as possible out of the clothes I just embarrassed the fuck out of myself in.
When Maven finally re-emerges from the bathroom, she looks fine. Her hair is wet, and she's wrapped in a towel that doesn't make it past her thighs, which makes my stupid cock twitch with renewed excitement. But I can't help the questions that bubble up as I fumble, reaching for her and then stepping back and rubbing my neck.
"What can I get for you? Would sparkling water help? I have Tums. And some other human medicine that might help. Or if you want something else, like a potion, I'll go find Silas and?—"
"Do all faculty apartments look like this?" she interrupts, brows raised at my apartment.
"No, I paid for professional designers to come in and modify this space." I realize I'm compulsively fidgeting with my clothes and force myself to stop. "Don't worry, I know it's over the top. I might be a trust fund baby, but I'm self-aware. I've seen plenty of normal rooms."
She eyes the full glass wall etched with intricate gold leaf designs, the minimalistic, tastefully abstract decorations and plush rug, and the massive bed with the chandelier made of countless swirling strands of nevermelt overhead.
"If you say so.”
I fidget again. "You're killing me here. There has to be something I can do to help with your…"
