34. Crossing Boundaries
Crossing Boundaries
Fintan
Trouble. He was in absolute, grave digging, gods-be-damned trouble.
Sharing a room — a bed — with Cahira had him thinking about how hard could the floor truly be?
His body was painfully aware of every shifting movement and shuddering breath she took in his presence.
She had stepped behind a translucent dressing screen to change.
Fintan’s core tightened at her moan of relief when she stripped from her leathers.
Shit-shoveling trouble.
Was she tormenting him on purpose? He stormed into the small bathroom, hoping to cool down before he did something foolish.
Turning on the squeaky faucet, he washed his face with ice cold water, but it did nothing to dampen his arousal.
He removed his tunic and pushed a sharp breath out against the strain bulging against his pants.
He reminded himself of the pain of falling in love with the Princess of Arkan and all it had cost him.
Although now, only a thin wall away, her scaling words seemed to be lost in the muddled pleasures pulsing through his body.
He could hear her light footsteps crossing the floor and prayed they would stop.
He listened for the creak of the bed, but when it didn’t come he squeezed his eyes against the knowledge of her standing behind him.
His gaze moved to the cracked mirror hanging above the sink and landed on her.
She leaned against the doorframe in nothing but a long tunic and high socks. Sultry eyes roamed freely down his body.
He knew that look and he knew exactly what she wanted even if she denied it with her dying breath. Her body always betrayed her words and in moments like these, Cahira never had any to begin with.
“Are you almost finished?” Her voice was a caress against his skin. “I need to get in here.”
Fintan glanced down, thankful his back was turned to her. “Yeah, sure.” He grabbed a cloth to dry his hands, keeping his movements at waist level, and turned around.
He attempted to shuffle around her but the doorway simply did not fit them both. His body burned at the contact of her backside, pressing against the front of him. She stiffened abruptly when she squeezed past him.
Gods below.
Cahira’s sensual laugh floated around him as she tossed him a knowing look. “You feel a bit … stiff, darling.”
Fintan’s laughter rumbled in his chest, hiding his embarrassment. “You’re mistaken. It's just been a hard past couple of weeks.”
“Mmm,” Cahira hummed, rooting him in place with a slow gaze over her shoulder. “I know we’ve all been a bit tense.”
Fintan nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
He moved away, creating much needed space.
He hated the all too familiar ground of spouting wit and dodging temptation.
But damned if he tried, Cahira certainly knew how to bait him.
There was no way in Ukoron’s depths he would make the first move, but he didn’t have it in him to deny her if she did. And oh, how he wished she did.
“We promised a truce,” Cahira said. “A fresh start, remember?”
Fintan turned with a sigh. He placed his hands on his hips and drank in the sight of her. She stood in the doorway, arms crossed, and face opened; vulnerable for the first time in a long time.
He shook his head. “No.”
“No, what?”
“It’s too damn hard, Cahira, and you know it.” His voice raised in frustration. He closed the distance between them, sick of the games. “We both know we could never forget what’s between us. Why would we when it was perfect? We were perfect.”
Her gaze sparkled with unshed tears she refused to cry. She looked up at him, placing a hand on his chest. “I know.”
Fintan stepped back at her touch. “Don’t play with me.”
Cahira shook her head quickly, blinking. “I’m not.”
She reached for his arm and pulled him closer. Standing on her tiptoes, she wrapped a hand around his neck, pulling him down until their foreheads touched.
“You know I’ll always want you,” she whispered.
Fintan swallowed. “But just for the night. When the sun rises so will you, constantly running from what we could be.”
She pressed against him, trailing kisses across his chest and up his neck. “I’m not running now.”
Fintan’s breath hitched and against his better judgment he wrapped his arms around her. He brushed his thumb down her cheek and over the lobe of her ear. He leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. “But you will.”
Cahira’s sigh tickled his neck. “I’m tired of running, Fintan.”
“If you’re tired,” he kissed her left cheek, “then stop.” Her right cheek. “Stay with me.” He leaned down, claiming her lips.
She leaned into him and he deepened the kiss until he felt the light brush of her teeth, a smile against his lips.
“For once,” — she pulled back, smiling at him — “you win,” she whispered against his neck, planting a kiss underneath his chin. Her tongue flicked out playfully and she followed his jawline in small kisses until she found his lips again. She sucked on his bottom lip, tugging ever so gently.
Fintan’s body went taut at her touch. His heart warmed at the words only ever meant for him. Words she hadn’t said to him in months. The boundary not to be crossed broke as he picked her up.
Cahira’s legs wrapped around his waist instantly, and she moaned against his lips.
“Is that a promise?”
Cahira swatted his shoulder playfully, but her eyes grew serious at his question. “Do you want it to be?”
Fintan thought hard on the question. He would never dream of being the one to cage her with promises and deals. Cahira was a wildfire he had no wish to douse. She burned the brightest when given freedom just like his love for her.
“No,” he admitted.
Her legs tightened around him as her smile grew. “I knew you would say that,” she whispered in his ear. “My answer would have been yes.”
Fintan chuckled and tightened his hold on her. He moved toward the short cabinet, knocking over unlit candles and scattered books. They crashed to the floor.
Cahira winced at the sound, pulling away from his neck in time to smile. “Shhh.” She put her finger over her lips. “I don’t want Rhydar teasing us in the morning.”
Fintan smiled. “Have you not heard how loud the bed is?”
Cahira threw her head back with laughter.
Fintan marveled at the way her high cheekbones pushed her eyes closed, showing laugh lines at the corners. The small dimple in her chin showed and he planted a kiss on it.
“I suppose we’ll have to get creative.” She winked.
Fintan wrapped one hand around the top of her throat.
His fingers nudged against her jawline, lifting her chin so she looked up at him.
“I’ve had months to think of the positions I want to put you in.
” He felt her swallow. “You consume all of my thoughts. You consume my heart, my soul, my very being.”
Tears welled up in her eyes. One single drop trickled down her face and he kissed it away. He would kiss them all away.
Cahira kissed him and he felt every word she couldn’t voice within it.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.
“We’re going to be okay?” she sighed.
Fintan carried her to the squeaky bed and smiled down at her. “Yes, my love, we’re going to be okay.”