As her expression turned to hurt, his chest squeezed. “What happened to the man who let a vampire deer attack me?”
“That was before?—”
“No,” she snapped. “I thought better of you. You always had such confidence in me, even when I did not. This is exactly what I fear…why I don’t want to beher.” Silla’s brows drew together, uncertainty written all over her face.
Rey struggled for the words. “Youarecapable. Stronger than any I know. When I saw you…and I thought you could be lost…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence. Couldn’t tell her in that moment, Eisa Volsik had been the farthest thing from his mind. It wasSillahe’d feared for.
Her hurt melted away as understanding settled in. Those dark eyes fell to his mouth, the air seeming to crackle between them. All he could think of was how soft her lips had felt.
The tip of his boot edged against hers. This close, he could count each freckle scattered across her nose, trace the crescent scar at the corner of her eye. Her gaze met his, and it felt as though she’d reached right through his chest and squeezed his heart. And then his hands were sliding along her jaw, and he had to kiss her.
Warmth exploded through him as their lips met. Soft, she was so soft and tender, so responsive to his touch. Her hands wrapped around his, holding them in place, and as his lips moved against hers, all thoughts melted from his skull. Why had he fought against this? Why had he thought this was a bad idea?
Silla’s face flashed in his mind’s eye, bruised and terrified as she fled through Kopa’s woods. Jonas. She’d been hurt by Jonas. Rational thought surged back,along with all the reasons he shouldn’t be kissing her. She was Eisa-gods-damned-Volsik, and Rey hadvowedto do right by her.
He broke the kiss, running a hand down his face as he tried to gather his wits. But all the blood in his head seemed to have rushed south to his cock. Desire thrashed through him, and gods, he needed to kiss her again.
“What is it? You don’t want me?” There was a note of uncertainty in her voice, a note that snapped clean through his restraint.
His hands were on her waist, pulling her hips flush against him. Silla gasped, looking up at him with eyes dark as midnight, and he knew she felt just how wrong she was.
“I want you every minute of the day.” He rolled his hips against her. The friction was maddening, and not nearly enough. “If you knew the sordid thoughts I’ve had, Silla, you’d run the other way.”
Rey’s nose was in her hair, drawing deep pulls of her scent. She smelled like a gods damned meadow. Felt like everything he could never let himself have.
She tilted her face up to his. “Then what is it?”
“I have no business wanting you.”
But his mouth was on hers once again, a low groan escaping him. Kissing her was more than mere need. It was a compulsion, and he was helpless. Closer, he needed to be closer. Needed to hold her and touch her and learn the shape of her everywhere. But he pulled his mouth from hers, running his nose along her temple.
“I’m not a good man.”
“I disagree.”
Outwardly, Rey scowled, but inwardly, it was as though a hook had caught in his belly, pulling and twisting his insides up.
“You need someone of standing. Someone who can guide you?—”
“You,” she replied, her fingers sliding into his beard and drawing his lips to hers. “I want you.”
His heart sang loudly, cock straining against his breeches, and Rey knew he was in trouble. His grip on her waist tightened, fingers digging into her skin, as he fought desperately for control.
“I’m notnice, Silla.”
“And I can’t be so easily frightened away, Galtung.”
With a growl of frustration, his lips found hers in a demanding kiss.I’m not soft, he told her with his lips and tongue,and I’m not gentle. But rather than retreating, she gripped his elbows, arching closer. And as a soft sound came from the back of her throat, lust surged through him.
Rey groaned, wrenching back. Her lips were swollen, begging for more, and it took everything he had not to devour her.
“I’m violent,” he tried. He was holding on by his fingertips. Soon he’d wash away, and there would be no turning back. “I’m a killer.”
“You have reasons.”
“Gods damn it, Silla! You should run the other way.” But he was walking her backward with slow, deliberate steps. “You never did have the good sense to be frightened of me.”
