Page 103 of A Whisper of Cinders

He tilts his head to the side, analysing me, his gaze like a caress along my body. “Everything alright?”

I find it hard to breathe, but since he’s the cause of it, I can’t really say that, so I nod.

He places a hand on each side of my head and the look he is giving me, those golden red glowing eyes, it’s nearly too much to bear. “Do you have any idea how fucking hot you look, feather?” he asks, voice so low I practically feel it vibrate through me.

Is my heated mind playing tricks on me?

He lowers his hand slowly, watching my every reaction, fingers brushing my cheek with a tenderness that sends shivers along my spine. His thumb caresses my bottom lip, gently pulling it down. I forget how to breathe from that point on.

The urge to take his finger in my mouth and gently suck it is all consuming, the reckless thought sending heat straight to my core. I wish I could wrap my legs around him and pull him closer.

The thought hasn’t left my mind yet or his hands land on the back of my thighs lifting me until I’m seated once more and he pushes my knees open, placing himself between them.

His hands gently follow a path along my cheek, down to my neck, my shoulders and collarbone and I wish I could return the favor, but I'm not that brave. I long to touch him, but he turns me into a scared, little bird.

He lowers his head until our lips are inches away, our breaths mingling. If I stretch my neck and close the distance, I would be completely lost. And as I close my eyes, anticipating his soft lips on mine, cooler air flows around me.

I open them, only to see him taking a few steps back. I catch myself so I don’t fall heads first into the water. This wasn’t all my imagination, not by how he is looking at me right now.

Someone calls out his name, followed by words I can’t quite decipher.

He turns back to me. “Time to go, feather,” he says nonchalantly. “See you later.” But the timbre of his voice isn’t careless at all, I get shivers all over my body, yet I am far from cold.

With that, he turns and disappears through the waterfall, leaving me with a humming body and a confused mind. Golden light shines from the places he touched me and the only thought that runs through my mind is that I kissed his best friend last night and definitely was about to do the same with him.

What the hell is wrong with me?

The once warm water now feels ice cold, the air heavier than ever before.

What have I gotten myself into?

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

I’ve gathered enough courage to return to the game, but if you ask me who won, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. My eyes continuously switch between Conláed and Aramis, the confusing wave of emotions I feel making my head spin so badly I have to excuse myself.

Ami asks if she has to accompany me, but I shake it off as just another headache and although the worry is clear in her eyes, she lets me go.

I don’t look back as I re-enter the water and swim to the sandy shore. They are too occupied with the game to notice I have left and come after me. I find my cover-up and walk up the stone stairs that lead out of the cave.

How did I go from not catching anyone’s eyes to suddenly having the attention of two of the hottest males I’ve ever met? It makes everything so confusing.

Still, that doesn’t make my feelings towards the both of them right. I don’t think it is love yet, but oh do they make my heart race.

I look around, searching for any other random male, and my heartbeat remains the same. No burning desire within me or the urge to run over, throw myself at him and kiss him endlessly.

I’m happy I’m attracted to someone, but why do there have to be two someone’s at the same time?

In a daze, I grab something to eat, hastily downing the meal without much thought. I have no appetite to say the least.

Arriving in my room, I disappear into the bathroom and take a refreshing shower, washing away the sand and hopefully my sinful thoughts with it. But even the pulsing stream can’t erase the images of hard muscles, lips touching mine and a bone shattering longing.

I quickly dry myself off, put on my pajamas and hop into bed, hoping to escape into a dreamless state where no desireful thoughts can find me. But closing my eyes leads my mind to Aramis kissing me, his hair as soft as I imagined, luscious lips about to meet mine when his image shifts and golden eyes stare back at me with an intensity that catches my breath. Hair that is equally as soft, but curlier and dark brown, not blond and —

I open my eyes.

Sparks fly around me once more.

Stupid. Fucking. Hormones.