I’m drawn instead to the blood stain on the boulder. The rock itself has a sparkle to it in the daylight, like little flecks of something shiny are speckled through its solid black makeup. But despite the deep color of the stone, my gaze is still drawn to Eydis’ blood.
“Why do you think her blood did that?” I ask, pointing. “I mean, it practically had to flow up the rock to make that pattern.”
“What pattern?” Roarke asks.
“They’re symmetrical wings.”
He looks at it for a long moment. The breeze pulls at the loose strands around his face, and he tugs the tie free. His hair slips over his shoulder to reveal the smooth skin of his neck and chest – because his shirt is always far too open and often slips low.
Why am I biting my lip right now – biting my lip to distract my teeth from wanting to bite his neck?
Why the chuck do I want him to let me bite his neck?
He turns slowly, his dark eyes settling on mine with an intensity in their depths – a hunger.
“Your mind can’t go there when you’re with me,” he says, each deep tone stirring my insides to life.
“Sorry,” I admit. “Wasn’t intentional.”
“We’re trying to get a grip on your magical anomaly. Not get our clothes off.”
“Again,” I correct. “Get our clothes off again. You know, I think you guys just secretly like getting me naked. All these times I’m getting hurt are just an excuse.”
He struggles to keep the seductive smile from his lips – and fails.
“I’d rather you not be hurt – but I’m all for you being naked.”
His hand closes into a fist, pressing hard against his leg. He’s really struggling, and cruelly, I’m enjoying it.
“But maybe that’s a bad idea, being naked and all, because that leads to other stuff – or so I’ve been told.” You want my body. You want me naked, I chime in silently. “Cook gave Jake and me the lecture in such detail that neither of us could look at each other for a week.”
He groans. “That’s right, you’re a virgin.”
And that seems to have him shifting, adjusting his weight, adjusting himself.
I scratch my chin, looking up towards the clouds as if thinking hard.
“I mean, rolling around in the hay doesn’t really count, does it?” You think I’m sexy. You want to kiss me. “Not that I’d recommend the hay – kind of stabs you in places, that does. The kitchen bench is a good height, though.” You can’t resist me.
That does it. He practically pounces on me, knocking me backwards to the ground. One hand is under my back and gripping my hair, the other pressed into the earth beside my shoulder – only half holding his weight up.
His chest heaves in desperate breaths. His tongue traces along his lips as if he’s trying to fight the urge, or savor it, I’m not sure.
Footsteps moving hard through the dry leaves alert me to Killian’s fast approach.
Shhh time. Hush. Quiet … Just a few more seconds.
Then Roarke’s lips brush against mine, warmth tracing each and every movement he makes. His fingers flex in my hair. His exhale skitters and dances over my skin. The subtle thrust of his hips pushes all of the hard parts of him against me. Thankfully, we’ve got clothes on, or more would be happening right now.
Or maybe not so thankfully, because I really want more to be happening right now, as his kiss makes me fall into bliss. I’m sure no one else could feel like this, though I want to kiss Seth and Pax a million more times, and Killian is on my must-conquer list – if I ever find the bralls – but Roarke is… Roarke. Perfect and irreplaceable.
And mine?
I need him to be mine.
He pulls back for a breath, then turns his head sharply to the right.
Time has stood still.
Frozen.
Means nothing anymore.
I know this even before I follow his gaze and see Killian mid-run and ready to kick Roarke off me.
“I did that?” I ask.
Roarke nods. “Yes,” he says, his word breathy with all the desire that we are not going to be able to explore.
He untangles his hand from my hair and climbs to his feet, adjusting the waist of his pants.
“What do I do now?” I demand, still panting on the ground.
“Time only gives you a minute or two. He’ll snap out of it on his own.”
“Oh,” I say, starting to climb to my feet on shaky legs. Nope – I’m going to kneel for a moment until I’m sure I won’t fall on my face. “Why are you smiling so big?”
“I’m pretty impressed you managed to Allure me and time – almost simultaneously. Any pain?”
Killian snaps out of his freeze, still storming forwards. His boot kicks through the air and brushes against my arm, only just missing me, before slamming back to the ground.
I squeak and jump back, pretty sure if Roarke and I hadn’t already begun getting up, that kick would have landed on the side of Roarke’s head.
Growling and glaring, he moves back in close to me. So close that as I rub my almost injured arm I’m also rubbing his stomach.
“What happened?” he demands.
“She held time,” Roarke says.
Killian grabs my head with both of his hands, scaring the crap out of me. His lips press firmly to my forehead, then he releases me again and turns sharply to Roarke.
Roarke takes giant jogging steps backwards.
“Next time tell her to move out of my way,” Killian growls, stalking after him.
I follow, because every step away from me that they take is a step closer to me being smacked by a wall.
But I’m not looking at them anymore – distracted by the rock and the dark maroon blood stain.
And I’m not sure how the guys resolve their issue, but Roarke steps up on my right, still panting a little, and Killian on my left, arms crossed over his chest and his bulging bicep intentionally pressed
