Her brow arches in question. “But?”
“The way I want to kiss you, Tempest, you’ll need tofullyfeel me.”Her heart races within my ribs.“I need you to believe in me. In us.”
It’s a desperate plea but I’m not ashamed to make it.
“I want to.” It’s the truth. I can scent her desire wafting in the air like sugarplums and dark cherries. It’s sweet and decadent. Absolutely mouthwatering. I also know I’ve never smelled it before, meaning she’s only felt this way about me.
It’s probably immature how happy that makes me, but I’ll take my wins where I can get them, considering she can’t even see my face yet.
“I believe you. But I’m not settling for a brief brush of my lips against yours. Not when I’ve waited months—years—for you.”
It’s taking everything in me to deny her. If this is what she smells like now, I’m certain when solstice hits I will shred through any space or season standing in my way.
Her palms come to my heaving chest, and I drop my hands from her chin, fisting them at my sides, ignoring the throb of my cock against my pants. Not that she can tell—thank Fate for that. If I let her see how affected I am by her, how badly I want her, I won’t be able to leave when spring arrives.
Slowing my breaths, I step back from her.“You’re rattled by what you discovered about Blake tonight, but what if you hadn’t? Would he be here now kissing you instead?”
“I-I don’t know.” Her hands are shaking, and I want nothing more than to take them in my own, steady her nerves, and pull her to me. “Tonight…it was like a blindfold had been ripped away. I should have been more enraged with him. If I truly cared for Blake like I believed, I would have been. But I see now how pathetic I—”
“There you go using that word again, but you’re the farthest thing from pathetic.”I refuse to listen to her self-deprecating remarks. My mate is a goddess among mortals, and I can’t help but close the distance between us, crooking her chin up to face me.
“I’ve watched you push your body all winter. You’re allowing yourself to begin to heal inside and out, asking for help when you need it. I’ve watched you build a life—all I could ever fucking want for you.”A tear slides down her cheek. I catch it on my finger, clasping it into my palm, releasing tiny, intricate flakes and letting them spin around us. Her pale-blue eyes draw upward, glittering in wonder.“Every day you continue to amazeme. One day, when I get to claim you, body and soul, I’ll show you just how much you do.”
The air sweetens and I stifle a groan.
Fucking hell.
“But you won’t kiss me?” she rasps. Her body warms, melting me in some ways while crystallizing me in others. She doesn’t even understand what she’s doing to me.
“I’m not saying Iwon’tkiss you, Tempest. Just not like this.”I tousle her hair, the pins releasing to the ground and curls framing her face, wild and beautiful.“I want you too much for that.”
“I’m so sorry, Jax.” Her eyes drop. “You must think I’m horrible for having you stay with me and then finding me likethis.”
“Never.”While I don’t want our first kiss tainted by the events of tonight, I’ve never been threatened by that idiot. Far from it. The connection we have transcends anything they ever could. Besides, it seems as if Jolie has finally figured that out for herself.
Her gaze is pinned to mine. My silvers, blues, and whites sparkle in her irises, reflecting back at me. It’s hypnotizing, and I’m certain nothing could be better than seeing myself through Jolie’s eyes.
“Will you stay tonight?”
“I wish I could,”I grit out, fighting every instinct that wants to stay and nuzzle my mate for hours,“but I have some things to take care of before morning.”
If I stay, I won’t be able to stop myself from kissing her. And if I kiss her, I might never let spring come. The idea of being away from her for another three seasons is like being stabbed through the ribs with a dull ice pick.
“Oh.”
The disappointment cracking through her voice almost shatters my resolve. I know I shouldn’t, but I break down enough to offer the next best thing.“Do you want me to come back tomorrow? Afterward?”
“I have to be at rehearsal early, but if it’s before I leave, then yes, I’d like to see— spend time with you. Maybe you can explain more about what the whole mate thing means?”
“Of course.”I wince internally, unsure where I’d even begin.
“Goodnight, Jax.” Her voice is small, delicate as handblown glass. There’s too much at stake if I skip my Frost duties. I left in the middle of them to find Jolie, and there are things I still need to attend to.
“Goodnight, Tempest.”I press a kiss to the top of her head, unsure if she can even feel it. Wishing desperately that she could.“I’ll see you in the morning.”
“See you then,” Jolie says with a wave.
I glide out through the balcony window and into the night, smirking into the wind. I have a storm to brew.
