Page 81 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

My cheeks heat as I think about all the other feelings I’ve experienced. Kieran can’t possibly know what I’ve been feeling, can he? My whole body stills. He said he could feel my emotions, which means he could feel those emotions.

“Yes,” he whispers in my ear. “Tell me.”

I shake my head, but I don’t pull away. I don’t want to leave his arms. I don’t want to leave the security and rightness right now. I want to stay here forever.

“I think you’ve had some very strong feelings,” he murmurs. “I think they shocked you.”

They did shock me all right. I’ve never felt this way before for a man… well, Fae. But Kieran does things to me, and I don’t know what to do with them.

“I think you secretly want to meet me in the dead of night, only wearing your nightdress and let me have my way with you,” he purrs in my ears.

I chuckle awkwardly. “That would be one sure way for me to get sick and die.”

“Oh no, you wouldn’t be cold. I would keep you warm, toasty.” He holds me closer. “You would never have to worry about that.”

“Unless I’m walking home or to the forest. You can’t walk with me to my parents’ house.” I don’t know why I’m trying to deflect the conversation. Maybe because I want it to happen, but I know it never can. Or maybe it’s because I want it so badly that I’m trying to stop myself.

Kieran chuckles and slightly pulls away from me. “I see what you are doing.” He runs his thumb across my face. “I would never allow you to walk from your house to the forest in just your nightdress. I would tell you to put on a jacket before, and then I would slowly take it off.”

“Wh-what else?” I breathe out.

He smiles. “As I slowly push it off your shoulders, I would dip down and kiss them, leaving a trail of my love. Once the coat hits the ground, I would kneel in front of you and worship your body. Show you how much I appreciate you.”

A shiver works its way through my body as I suck in a breath.

“Like that, don’t you?” He smirks.

“I.” I stop myself.

Do I want to admit that I love the sound of that?

“I would then take you back to my camp, lay you on my furs and show you just how much pleasure I can bring you,” he purrs in my ear.

I grip onto his shirt and clench my jaw. No. I shouldn’t want this, but I can’t deny that I’ve thought about it several times. It’s been on my mind at all hours of the day.

“I think deep down you really want it. You want me, but aren’t ready to admit it.” He pulls away.

Whimpering, I close my eyes at the loss of contact. I shouldn’t be this affected by him… but I am.

“That’s okay. I can be a patient man.” He nips the tip of my ear. “I can be a very patient man. I’ve waited over four hundred and fifty years for you, and I can wait a couple more until you are ready.”

My hands are still full of his shirt, and I grip him tighter, looking at them and not his face. No. I shouldn’t be falling for him even more. I shouldn’t be letting his words affect me like this, but Kieran has a way with them. He knows exactly what to say to me.

“I love the way you are holding onto me. Like you need me.” He kisses the tip of my nose.

I do need him.

Something flashes in his eyes, and he lets out a slow growl. “Don’t tempt me, spitfire.”

“What if I want to?” I ask before I can stop myself.

Kieran takes a big deep breath and slowly lets it out, maintaining eye contact the whole time.

“Guards!” Zayden yells as he runs to us.

I look over to see the panic across his face.

“They are back and are searching the forest,” he says, out of breath.