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“I’ll take you home.”

“No...you have other things you must do, I’m sure.” She looked up at him. “If you take me back to the cafe, I can have my aethercoach brought round there.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “It would be best. We took a stroll along the wharf, and lost track of time. That will do for anyone who asks.”

He turned his head so that his lips could reach her fingers, and kissed them. “All right. If that’s what you want.”

“What I want...” She paused, her eyes meeting his.

His arms tightened, iron bands holding her against his chest. “Tell me...” he whispered.

“I...I’m not sure, but I wish we had time so that I could find out...”

“Fuck,” he swore, crushing her even harder. “Let’s start with this...”

The kiss came as no surprise, and Maelin eagerly tilted her head for it, yearning to feel those lips on hers. But what she could never have anticipated was the burst of fire that lit up her body from her loins to her earlobes.

No simple kiss, this. No delightful embrace.

This was raw passion, lips parting, tongues seeking, breaths quickening and bodies trembling as each did their best to devour the other.

Maelin moaned into his mouth as their tongues tangled, and then tore herself away before she fainted, sucking in a huge breath.

“Fuck indeed,” she whispered.

And then kissed him all over again.

The lurch that signalled the end of their brief journey recalled them back to reality, although neither rushed to move apart.

Cyrus’s gaze lingered on her mouth, and she felt everything inside her tremble once again at that sizzlingly sensual look.

“We’ve stopped,” she cleared her throat. “I think we have to get out, Cyrus.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Neither do I, but still...”

He sighed. “You and I...we’ve opened a door...Mae. Next time we’re going through it.” He stared at her and raised his hand, smoothing an errant strand of hair back behind her ear. “Next time.”

“Yes. Yes, next time.” She managed to stand on her own, and turned as he pushed at the cabinet’s entrance.

A fresh breeze from the waters slapped them both in the face, which was probably a good thing, since it was cool and refreshing against skin that was unusually warm.

Cyrus helped her out onto the wharf. “I will walk you back to the cafe, Mae. A gentle stroll that can be observed by anyone. It will bolster our story, if necessary.”

She nodded, acknowledging the wisdom of his suggestion.

He held out his arm correctly.

She took it, correctly.

And they strolled, correctly, back toward their original destination.

“I won’t be shut out of this now, Cyrus,” she turned her head and gave him a polite smile.

He smiled back. “I know. But this isn’t a simple matter. And I will not, under any circumstances, place you in any kind of risk, Mae. Know that right now. Accept that.”

She nodded, allowing her gaze to roam over the glistening waters, as if distracted by the scene. “It’s part of who you are, Cyrus,” she answered quietly. “A trait I find most admirable.” Her lips quirked. “That’s not to say I won’t put it to the test now and again.”

He sighed. “You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t.”