Chapter 26 #2
“It’s the least he can do after all the lying and manipulation. He assured me we’re nowhere near a portal. I even enlisted his help to test my theory. He’s aware that I brought you here, and he’s on standby. If he senses even the slightest disturbance, he’ll intervene immediately.”
Bren slowly shook his head, but I caught the look of interest in his eyes. “Are you saying he’s trying to tune into us at this very moment?”
I couldn’t stop my satisfaction from turning into a smile. “I’m saying he’s sitting in his car outside, waiting for even the slightest ripple. If he sensed me touching your hand, he’ll be storming down those stairs at any moment.”
Bren studied me with disbelief.
And then he laughed. The sound of it moving through the chamber and returning from the limestone walls. “Gods be damned, woman. You’ve a pair of stones the size of which I wasn’t expecting.”
I loved watching him when he allowed himself to relax.
But I couldn’t ignore the seriousness of what I was attempting either.
“He was not happy, but I left him no choice. I hope you both understand I have no problem following necessary rules as long as they’re fair and make sense.
But when they don’t, I’m going to push back however I can. ”
He gazed upward, his grin still in place. “I imagine this isn’t a proud moment for him, babysitting us while you hold my hand.”
Little time passed before his expression deepened from mirth to one that matched mine and the gravity of the situation.
I reached out and took his hand in mine. He didn’t pull away.
Warmth slipped from him into me, chasing away the chill in the air. I couldn’t move. Didn’t want to breathe in case that would trigger something.
We stared into each other’s eyes while we waited for a response from Cillian. When none came, I opened my fingers so that his hand sat atop mine. His was much larger, and I recalled how he’d cupped my face when he’d kissed me senseless.
My hand tingled, and I wondered if it was his strength I sensed or his moonlight. Maybe both.
Slowly, I traced down the length of each finger and then followed the veins toward his wrist, still listening for the sounds of hurried footsteps.
Bren remained silent and unmoving.
I glanced up and caught the hesitation on his face. But also the desire burning in his eyes. Still, he didn’t stop me.
I eased out a slow breath as I turned his hand in mine until it was face up. My finger trembled as I traced the lines in his palm, wishing I could remember which signified his life, his heart, and his fate.
My gaze slid to his wrist, to the small moon symbol resting there, instinctively knowing he drew his moonlit sword from that spot. I gently touched it with one finger and received a jolt of power.
I gasped, but more from surprise than anything else.
Bren’s whisper echoed through the silence. “Careful, A stór.”
I lifted my gaze to him. “If Cillian was coming, he’d be here by now, right?” I asked softly.
Hints of silver flickered in his eyes. “Likely.”
His answer emboldened me. I wrapped my fingers around his, as if I could hold him in place if he tried to leave, and stepped closer. My body tingled in his presence, each of my nerves highly attuned to him.
Carefully, I rested my head on his chest. I realized then how much energy it had taken not to reach for him for far too many days.
His chin bumped the top of my head as he inhaled, his chest expanding against my cheek. I couldn’t hold back. I released his hand and wrapped my arms around his torso, holding him as I’d longed to for endless weeks.
The rhythm of his heartbeats increased as he folded his arms around me, and I closed my eyes, absorbing as much of his essence as I could.
We remained that way, silent and unmoving. Every time I thought I should let go, I held him tighter instead.
With each second that ticked by without Cillian rushing in, my hope grew. We might not be able to show our love in the open, but there were places…at least one, where we didn’t need to hold back as much.
My thoughts drifted to the first time I’d encountered him in the grove, standing on my toes to kiss him in the silver moonlight because I hadn’t understood what he was and didn’t care.
I tilted my head back and caught his gaze. His was full of need, of desperate wanting, echoing what burned inside me. He didn’t pull away as I rose onto my tiptoes. Slowly, I dropped my gaze from his eyes to his mouth.
For a moment, I wondered if I dared.
Then I decided it was worth the risk.
I brushed my lips across his, reveling in the delicious sensation.
He tightened his hold on me, crushing me against his body. I sensed his restraint as I rediscovered his mouth, slowly memorizing the feel and taste of him. Then, without warning, he took our kiss from tentative to intense in less than a heartbeat.
My blood rushed through me in wild, erratic pulses, and thoughts of Cillian and the rest of the world faded into oblivion. Gods. This was all I needed.
With each kiss, I lost my inhibitions until I was tugging up his shirt, my fingers finding the bare skin of his back.
Still, it wasn’t enough.
I clung to him, pressing against him, kissing him as if it might be my last time. He allowed it and did the same.
But far too soon, he pulled back, his breaths ragged as he stared at me. “Selene.”
He spoke my name with a rasp I understood and held my gaze with a fierce look. “We can’t. We’re in a church. In public. And we don’t know for sure we haven’t created a notable disturbance.”
I swallowed and nodded, trying to draw in enough air to calm my pulse and temper the loss. I cursed that he was right, but I couldn’t argue. “I’m sorry. I…”