I swallowed down the ball of emotion rising in my throat. “You’re not acoward.”
He let out a rattlingbreath.
“Liam, when you were at the inn, did you see Sarah?” Iasked.
“No.”
Worry suspended my breaths for a few heartbeats. “Did you ask them about ourSillin?”
“I did. They said they took what wastheirs.”
“They tookmore—”
“I was in no position tonegotiate!”
His tone made guilt well up insideme.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, a tad less gruffly, and then he hungup.
August pressed his mouth against my temple. Then, suddenly, he rose and pulled me up. “Go into thekitchen.”
I frowned. “What?Why?”
“Because I have anidea.”
I sniffled. “Okay.”
While I walked toward one end of the apartment, he went to stand by theother.
“I’m going to test my reach,” hesaid.
My eyebrows jolted up, and then I gasped as my body jerked forward. I caught myself on the island. “That was really . . .strong.”
His eyes gleamed as he strode toward the front door and extended his hand. “Let’s try it in thewarehouse.”
The T-shirt I’d borrowed from his closet twisted against the tops of my bare thighs as I followed him into the night and into the cavernous building that smelled of sawdust and wood varnish andhome.
After turning on a row of industrial lights, he said, “Stay here,” then padded down one of the aisles. When he reached the farthest shelving unit, he turned and concentrated onme.
A moment later, I felt a hard tug that had my bare feet shuffling over the cool concrete. Unlike in the apartment, he didn’t let go of his hold. He reeled mein.
“Dig your heels in, Ness. I want to see how much strength I canexert.”
“Iamdigging my heels in,” I calledout.
He pulled my body halfway across the warehouse before slackening his magical grip, and then he strode toward me, a new spring in hisstep.
“At least I can keep you safe tomorrow.” He locked his arms around my waist and rested his forehead against mine. “This way, you can concentrate on keeping Liamsafe.”
My thundering pulse beat against the delicate, knitted skin of my neck as his hope envelopedme.
“Good thing I desire you so much, huh?” Even though his tone was light and no blame limned his words, I couldn’t help but sense his underlyingsadness.
He still believed I didn’t reciprocate the intensity of hisfeelings.
After the duel . . . once my mind was clear and my heart didn’t beat with trepidation . . . I’d show him just how muchIdesiredhim.
44
