I looked up.
We were close.Tooclose. I was standing between his knees, leaning in to reach the wound on his shoulder. His face was inches from mine. His eyes were locked on my lips.
The air felt charged. Electric. My heart was pounding so hard I was sure he could hear it.
I thought about what it would feel like to be kissed by him. To close this distance, stop fighting whatever this was between us. My lips tingled at the thought of his soft mouth against mine, how he might bite my lower lip before plunging his tongue deep, battling with mine. How my hand would tug at his hair, the other one dragging through his abs and lower…
His hand came up slowly, giving me time to pull away. He cupped my chin and tilted my face up toward his.
His breath ghosted across my lips. Warm, minty from my toothpaste.
I started to lean in. Just a fraction, enough that our noses almost touched-
Then panic hit me. Cold and sudden and overwhelming. I couldn’t do this. This wasn’t -Hewasn’t - And I couldn’t-
“The portal,” I blurted out. “Is it still open?”
He blinked. The moment shattered. “What?”
“The portal. To your world. Can you go back?”
I stepped back, putting distance between us. My hands were shaking so I clasped them together to hide it.
He watched me retreat with an expression I couldn’t read. “I have not tried.”
“Why not?”
“Because I am too weak.” He gestured at his wounds. “The first crossing took all my energy. If I attempt to return now, in this state, I will not survive the journey.”
My stomach dropped. “So you’re stuck here.”
“For now, yes.” He stood, moving closer. I held my ground this time. “But even if I could cross, little mate, I would not wish to. You are here. Where you are is where I wish to be.”
My heart clenched. Actually physically clenched in my chest.
“Right. Well.” I cleared my throat. Pointed at the clothes still in their package on the counter. “You can try those on now.”
I turned away as I heard fabric rustling. The sound of him moving. Changing. I stared at the wall, at the coffee maker, at anything except the half-naked werewolf behind me.
“Okay,” he said after a moment. “You can look.”
I turned around.
Bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.
Holy hell.
He was wearing a black compression shirt with long sleeves that clung to every muscle in his torso. Gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips. His hair was still messy from sleep, and combined with the outfit, he looked absolutely devastating.
Heat flooded through me. My mouth went dry. I needed to open a window. Turn down the heat. Jump in a cold shower. All of the above.
“Do you like it?” His voice was pure sin. He knew exactly what he looked like. The bastard was smirking.
Fucking hell.
“Is that a yes?”
Oh god. Had I said that out loud?
