Becausewhydid it sound so sexy, so primitive?
Ugh.
“Both,” he replied, his eyes glittering with something. Amusement? Desire?
“You’re crazy, you know that right?” she whispered.
His neck turned, his gaze sliding down the alley between the two houses. Then his eyes returned to hers.
“In three spans, I will need to return to my outpost. To Troxva,” he said. “You will be coming with me.”
Lainey’s mouth dropped. She would’ve laughed if she didn’t think Vixron would hear.
Maybe it was best if her guarddidhear, on second thought. At least then he would burst into the room and break up whatever was happening between them.
So why did she drop her voice even lower? “Youarecrazy if you think I’m going anywhere with you.”
Kirov didn’t seem put off by her words. He had that same calm expression on his face and his body language told her just how relaxed he was, talking with her in secret at her window late at night. It was only his eyes that showed how much he wanted her to agree.
“I expect a fight from you about the matter,” he told her. “I am simply informing you so you are prepared to leave when the time comes.”
Thenerveof this male!
“You—you,” Lainey started, her heartbeat stuttering. “No way.”
Smooth, Lainey, real smooth.
She scowled.
Then she froze, her lips parting when he suddenly reached forward through the window to cup her cheek. His fingers were rough, cold, but they felt good on her skin.
He frowned suddenly, his thumb brushing over a sensitive spot on the bridge of her nose that made her wince.
“What is this?” he whispered, his eyes suddenly intent on her. “Did something happen? Did someone harm you?”
Lainey’s brow furrowed at the alarmed concern in his gaze, which quickly morphed to anger at the prospect that she’d been harmed.
Stunned, she said, “No. No, no one hurt me.”
Kirov relaxed, but only slightly. His fingers shifted to her cheekbone. “What is this then? It looks like you have been marked.”
“It’s sunburn,” she said, still not sure why she was letting him stroke her cheek. Any moment now she would pull away. Any moment now she would tell him to leave.
“Sunburn?” he repeated slowly.
“Yes,” she said. “I’m fair-skinned. I burn easily in the sun and you guys kinda havetwosuns here, unless you haven’t noticed.”
Kirov’s brow bone lowered. “You burn from sunlight?”
“That just makes me sound like a vampire,” she tried to joke. Why did she sound so nervous? When he didn’t even blink in comprehension, she sighed and said, “Usually I cover up with a hat, to keep the sun off my face.”
“I will find you this hat,” he declared softly.
Lainey almost smiled because her guard had lowered without her realizing it. She wondered if he even knew what a hat was, but something told her that he would figure it out.
“Does it hurt you,luxiva?” he asked, his other hand also coming up to cup her other cheek, until her face was cradled in his palms. “Is there a way to heal it?”
How did this even happen?
