Chapter 60
SIXTY
T his kiss carried none of the hesitancy of their first. It was hungry, demanding, fueled by the storm of emotions the night had unleashed. His hands came up to frame her face, thumbs stroking her cheekbones as his mouth claimed hers with unmistakable intent.
For a heartbeat, she stiffened in surprise—then melted against him with a soft sound that vibrated through his chest. Her hands moved from his shoulders to the nape of his neck, fingers threading through his damp hair to pull him closer.
The taste of her—rain and honey and something uniquely Thora—intoxicated him. His bear rumbled with satisfaction as her lips parted, granting him deeper access. One hand slid to her lower back, pressing her fully against him, while the other cradled the back of her head.
Her sabertooth responded with a purr he could feel against his chest where they pressed together. The sound reverberated through him, stirring something primal deep in his core. This wasn’t merely physical attraction, though that element burned hot between them. It was recognition, connection, the acknowledgment of something his bear had known from their first encounter—she belonged with him, complemented him in ways no one else ever had.
The kiss deepened further, crossing from passionate to reverent. He explored her mouth with deliberate care, memorizing every response, cataloging the small sounds she made when he changed angle or pressure. Her hands weren’t idle either, tracing the muscles of his shoulders and back through the wet fabric of his shirt, each touch stoking the fire between them.
When he finally pulled back, just enough to rest his forehead against hers, they were both breathing hard. Her amber eyes remained closed for several heartbeats, lips slightly parted, an expression of wonder softening her features. When her lashes finally fluttered open, the vulnerability in her gaze struck him deeply—as if she’d momentarily forgotten to guard herself.
“That was...” she began, her voice husky.
“Overdue,” he finished, his thumb tracing the curve of her lower lip.
A sudden noise from outside—footsteps, a branch snapping—jolted them apart. In an instant, they transformed from lovers to hunters, alert and ready.
“Someone’s out there,” Thora whispered, her expression sharpening into professional focus.
Artair nodded, reluctantly releasing her to move toward the cave entrance. “Ajax’s men, searching for survivors.”
They communicated in hushed tones and gestures, falling back into their tactical partnership with practiced ease. Artair extracted a small handgun from an ankle holster while Thora positioned herself for optimal coverage of their shelter.
Despite the abrupt shift in focus, the air between them remained charged. Each time their eyes met, he saw the echo of that kiss—and the promise of more, once danger passed. Her lips remained slightly swollen, her cheeks flushed, small signs that only he would notice and appreciate.
The storm began to slacken, rain softening to a gentle patter. Through the cave entrance, they could see flashlight beams sweeping the forest floor near the crash site.
“They haven’t spotted the cave,” Thora murmured. “If we wait, they might move on.”
Artair nodded, knowing she was right. The mission had to take precedence over his desperate desire to continue what they’d started. His bear growled in frustration, but he forced it to settle.
Even so, as they stood shoulder to shoulder in the dimness, he couldn’t resist reaching for her hand. Their fingers intertwined naturally, comfortably, as if they’d been doing this for years instead of days. When she squeezed his hand in silent response, something shifted in his chest—a click, like a key turning in a lock.
This woman who never stayed anywhere longer than three months, who built her life around avoiding attachments, was standing beside him by choice. More than that, she’d responded to his kiss with an enthusiasm that belied her usual caution. His bear hummed with satisfaction at the progress—slow but steady like the patient stalking of precious prey.
The search party eventually moved away, their voices fading into the distance. The immediate danger passed, but they remained vigilant, aware that their night was far from over.
“We need to get back to town,” Artair said reluctantly. “Alert security about the diamond.”
Thora looked up at him, golden eyes luminous in the darkness. Her lips—those lips he now knew the taste of—curved into a determined smile. “And then we hunt for your brother.”
“And then we hunt for my brother,” he agreed, brushing a strand of wet hair from her cheek.
The gesture turned into a lingering touch, his thumb tracing the delicate line of her jaw. Thora leaned into his hand, her eyes never leaving his. The unspoken acknowledgment hung between them—whatever had begun in this cave wouldn’t end here.
As they prepared to emerge, Artair noticed Thora attempting to straighten her ruined gown, trying to restore some dignity to the tattered fabric. She caught him watching and raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Nothing,” he said softly, unable to contain the warmth spreading through him. “I was just thinking that you make disaster look like an opportunity.”
She rolled her eyes, but the blush on her cheeks and the lingering softness in her expression told him his words had landed. “Save the poetry for when we’ve recovered your diamond, Maxen.”
“That wasn’t poetry,” he replied, suddenly serious. “That was observation.”
Something vulnerable flickered in her expression before she masked it with her professional demeanor. “Let’s go. We have a diamond to recover and a family legacy to protect.” She paused at the cave entrance, then added in a softer voice, “And a conversation to finish.”
As they stepped into the rain-washed night, Artair felt a curious sense of certainty. Despite the chaos—his twin’s betrayal, the stolen diamond, the danger still ahead—something precious had been found in that cave. Something neither of them had been seeking but both, perhaps, had been needing.
His bear agreed with a satisfied rumble. Patient. Steady. She’s coming to us now, not running away.
With one last look at the shelter that had witnessed this turning point, Artair followed Thora into the night, his steps lighter despite the gravity of their mission. The diamond could be recovered, his brother confronted, the mysteries solved. But the soft vulnerability he’d glimpsed in Thora’s eyes as she’d melted into his kiss—that was a treasure beyond price, one he intended to cherish and protect with every fiber of his being.