Definitely easier said than done. She was thoroughly captivating as she ran her hands through her hair. He could imagine doing the same while he buried his face against the nape of her neck and just inhaled her soft, rosy scent. He didn’t know how she managed it, but she always smelled divine. Even after an entire day of riding.
The woman held her own unique magic. He wouldn’t have thought anything could be stronger than the magic Candara brewed in her cauldron.
He was wrong.
And he wasn’t about to pressure her or anyone else. His life was screwed up enough. The last thing he wanted was to screw up someone else’s.
Gisela tuckedthe comb away in her saddlebag and took a quick glance toward Xaydin. He lay on the floor, with his back to her.
How strange that she’d become accustomed to his presence. She no longer slept fretfully at night.
I’ve begun to trust.
And that terrified her more than anything else she’d ever experienced.
She trusted someone. Trusted them enough to sleep in their presence.
Why? She had no idea. There was no guarantee he wouldn’t turn on her. No reason to think he wouldn’t become a monster hell-bent on her utter destruction.
Her mother could kiss the cheek of a lover one minute and then watch them be gutted in front of her, minutes later. Little to no reason on most days.
That capriciousness had always left her on edge. The feeling that whomever she was with would pop off and start attacking for no reason.
She hadn’t seen anything to make her think Xaydin was one of them.
Still…
Regret was a hard thing to live with. She knew because she regretted much of her life.
And what will I regret tomorrow?
That question had barely gone through her mind before she knew one thing she’d definitely regret.
Xaydin.
He was within arm’s reach.
But did he feel anything for her? That was the other important question. He was as guarded as she was. Impossible to tell what he felt or thought.
There’s only one way to find out…
It was terrifying. Just like he was.
Mostly because she’d never been with a man before. Not that she hadn’t had a chance to or that some hadn’t tried to force themselves on her, but because she’d never been interested in them.
At all.
Xaydin changed that.
He made her want to take something for herself. To know what it would be like to lay with a man. It was something she hadn’t thought about in years. Back when she’d been young, she’d tried to imagine what sort would interest her.
As a woman…
No one came to mind. Not until Xaydin had slammed into her life.
For that alone, she should thank her mother.
Don’t.
