“I don’t want to hurt you.” Her fingertips danced over his bare arms, feeling the curve of his biceps, hooking and twisting his sleeve.
“You couldn’t.”
“I am death and danger to everyone close to me. Misfortune might be in my blood.”Absolve me of the pain I might cause you, she wanted to say,because it might end up being too much for me to bear.
“You are everything I could ever want, nothing more or less.”
“Cullen—”
“Tell me you don’t love me, and you will be free of me. Come dawn, this night can be a forgotten dream, and I will be nothing more than a loyal friend.”
She opened her eyes, meeting his. Cullen’s nose was almost touching hers. His eyes searched her, wanting, seeking.
“I should,” she murmured.
“Only if it’s true,” he breathed. “Don’t break my heart for misplaced good intentions. The only thing I want from you is the truth.”
“Don’t breakmyheart.” Eira met his eyes. “I won’t survive it shattering a third time.”
“I will never hurt you,” he swore to her. “I love you too much to even dream of it.”
She looked at him through lashes and heavy lids and found nothing but truth. He had been there when she had been fighting to be a competitor, she had been his support in court when he didn’t want to face his father alone, he had been hers after her brother had died. Even after she had tried pushing everyone away, he remained.
“I don’t deserve you.”
He let out a huff of amusement. “Funny. I think the same of you every day.”
“Cullen, I love you,” Eira finally admitted. Shivers coursed through her like lightning dancing under her flesh with excited pops and flares. “But I—”
She didn’t get a chance to warn him that she was likely destined to bring him heartache. She wasn’t able to tell him that she had no hope for them. That there were a million reasons why they were a bad idea.
Cullen’s lips pressed against hers lightly, so terribly gentle that it almost elicited a whine from her. She wasn’t made for such tenderness any longer. She could hardly recognize it. He took a half step forward, closing the gap between them. His hand shifted. There were the nails brushing against her scalp that she’d been secretly yearning for.
Eira’s hands moved up his arms, to his shoulders, and down the wide muscles of his sides. They landed on his waist, pulling him to her. He had been right in that tonight would be a dream. Though it would not be forgotten.
He shifted, parting his lips and deepening the kiss. His tongue slid against hers and Eira moaned ever so softly into his mouth. A chuckle rumbled in the back of his throat, all gravel and sensuality that she had only fantasized he might possess.
When he broke away, it was only for a second before returning his mouth to hers. They kissed until her knees were weak, his face was flushed, and they were both left breathless. He rubbed the tip of his nose against hers, releasing a groan that shot pure heat right down her center.
“I can’t tell you how long I’ve been wanting to do that again,” he murmured, kissing both her cheeks. “When I kissed you that day at court…it was the rawest form of magic I’ve ever known. All I’ve wanted is to see if the power you had over me could be replicated.”
“And was it?”
“In triplicate.” His hands had fallen to her hips and they tensed slightly, the pads of his fingers sinking into her flesh before he made lazy circles with his thumbs.
“You know this is a bad idea, don’t you?” Eira smoothed her palms over his chest, thinking about pushing him away. She didn’t have the strength to. She never would. “You’re already at risk because of me. You don’t even have any idea of everything I’ve done…”
“I don’t care.” Cullen pulled on her slightly, jostling her from her thoughts. “Look at me.” She did. “I don’t care. I love you, all of you. I want you, all of you. Not just the parts you think are lovely…because I thinkallof you is the most beautiful person—inside and out—that I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
Eira closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she held herself against his lean and sturdy form. “What about your parents?” she whispered. “Your father will have something to say about us.”
“Several things, I imagine. But leave him to me. This isn’t his choice to make.”
“I don’t think it’ll be so simple. I don’t think any of this will be simple.”
“If I wanted simple I wouldn’t want you.” He chuckled.
The sentiment brought a bitter smile to her face. “I suppose that’s true.”
