“I’m admiring my work.”
“Your work? It’s my body!” I scoff.
“That I have been training, honing, and sharpening for months.”
“You are…really something.” Shaking my head at him, I glance outside to where the group has disappeared into the hedge maze.
“I’m good at my job, is what I am.” His answering smirk is unnerving.
“You’re an ass.”
He shifts to lean his elbows against the window sill and peers up at me.
“Have I or have I not made you capable of putting a fae on their back with no magic and no weapons?”
“You may have shown me the steps, but I’m the one dancing.”
He scoffs. “Don’t get cocky.Ican still have you on your back in a second.”
I cross my arms over my chest, leaning my hip against the window.
“The thought of that is?—”
“Terrifying?” he supplies.
“Revolting, I was gonna say.”
“It wasn’t the night you kissed me.”
I come up short.
“I thought we agreed to forget about that?” I finally say.
He’s quiet for a long time, staring out the window.
“I tried.” He swallows tightly, then turns back to me, his gaze trailing down to my lips. “I really don’t think I can.”
His admission sends a flood of heat through me. I want to kiss him so badly. I almost think I’m imagining it when his hand reaches up to brush his thumb over my lower lip. He stares, transfixed, as my heart thunders behind my bones in anticipation.
“I can hear your heart,” he says in a bedroom-soft voice. “It’s racing.”
“I’m not used to you being nice to me,” I lie smoothly. “I’m worried hell’s about to freeze over.”
“I’m never nice.”
“You’re nice to Sorscha.” I don’t mean to say it, but it slips out, breaking the moment’s spell.
“Everyone is.” His voice is tight as he retracts his fingers, and disappointment settles over me. “As are you. And you’re an absolute menace most of the time, witch.”
I don’t acknowledge the mild gibe.
“I didn’t know.” My words are barely audible, but he directs his eyes to me, patiently waiting for me to continue. Shouts of delight drift up to us from below, momentarily filling the silence. “I didn’t know that you and Sorscha were…together. I wouldn’t have kissed you if I had.”
“We’re not together. Not yet. And something tells me it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. You were…unstoppable.” He glances at me doubtfully.
“I’m not like that,” I say earnestly. But standing here wanting what isn’t mine, I feel guilty as sin.
“You seemed upset. That I went to Zadyn first.”
