Chapter 22
Ciara could barely breathe, but at the moment, she didn’t care. Falk was touching her and he was okay. “Falk,” she whispered, running her hands over his neck and shoulders, needing to assure herself that he was healthy and whole. But the hardness pressing against her stomach warned her that he was more than “fine”. He was definitely hale and hearty.
“Are you sure?” she asked, leaning forward to kiss him, needing more reassurance. Or maybe not assurance, but…just his touch.
A noise off to her left caught her attention. She froze and looked. Several of her guards and Falk’s guards were standing in the hallway. They had all turned away, but they could definitely hear everything that was happening.
“Falk,” she hissed, then moaned when his teeth nibbled on her neck. Still, as wonderful as his ministrations felt, there were several large, armed men standing sentry less than three feet from where they were…! That’s when Ciara realized that she wasn’t standing. Falk had picked her up and had her pinned against the wall with her legs wrapped around his waist.
Pushing against his shoulders, she got him to step back, allowing her legs to lower to the ground. “Falk!” she snapped, pressing harder in order to break through the sexual haze.
He pulled back, staring down at her. She laughed at his passion-glazed eyes. “You’re fine,” she replied, patting his chest. “I can see that now.”
“No, I’m not!” he grumbled, but he finally looked around, suddenly noticing where they were. He sighed, grumbling something under his breath. “This is nuts.” He took her hand and started to pull her down the hallway.
“Falk, I can’t go with you!” she yelped, fighting against his grip.
He stopped and pulled her back into his arms. “Why the hell not?”
The tingling in her limbs was starting up again but she fought against it. “Because I was in the middle of helping Maggie and Astra with the party planning,” she told him.
“Excuse me?”
She ducked out of his arms and smoothed a hand down over her dress, then over her hair, ensuring that he hadn’t mussed up her appearance too badly. “We received word that you’d been hurt. The guards were talking about…you…and,” she blushed. “I have to go.”
She turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. “And what?” he prompted, his voice husky because he knew what she’d been about to say.
“Nothing, Falk. You’re fine. I should have known better.”