Page 52 of Woods of the Raven

“Yeah, I know,” he agreed, his thumb sliding over my jaw. “You’re a very nice person, a sweet person.”

I groaned softly. “Maybe not sweet.”

“Oh no? I bet you are. Let’s see.”

Terrible line. Really atrocious. But I could not find it in myself to care when he leaned forward and kissed me.

I wasn’t some inexperienced ingenue—or whatever the male equivalent was—who didn’t know anything about kissing. I knew all about that. And sex and everything else in between. Or I thought so. Certainly. But the thing was, Lor knew more than I did. I could tell. He definitely must have kissed a lot of people to be so amazing, making my heart stop and start with such ease.

Being pressed to his chest, held in his arms, I never wanted that to end. He wanted me, and I felt it in each ravenous, drugging kiss that was grinding and gentle, but more than anything, utterly, completely devouring. His tongue rubbed over mine, slowly, decadently, and my skin got hot, my bones went liquid, and all I could think was how ready and willing I was.

There was food being made, and a teenager somewhere, but there was so much heat and ache, and I knew my clothes were the only things keeping me from flying apart. When he broke the kiss and licked his lips, my moan was nearly a sob.

“As expected,” he whispered in my ear. “You’re very sweet.”

“I thought…”

“You thought I liked women.”

I nodded.

“I do. I do like women,” he assured me even as he bent and planted a kiss on my throat that sent a shiver down my spine. “But I like men too, and since I first arrived in this weird-ass town, the only person I’ve had any interest in at all is the one who’s been ignoring me like crazy.”

“Haven’t been ignoring you,” I murmured.

“It’s killing me because—”

“I’m luminous.” I was making sure.

“Yes. And because the only thing people say about you is how kind you are. How you give so much every year to the animal shelter, how you go out of your way to help everyone at the library, and of course, I know firsthand you’re amazing, with how you’ve treated my niece and saved my life.”

“I didn’t save your life. The vargr had no interest in you.”

“That’s what that thing was the other night?”

“Yes.”

“Same as the things from today?”

“You couldn’t tell?”

“I didn’t get a good look the other night, and when I came to, it was gone.”

“Well, they’re vargrs, and the ones today would have killed you if they’d been able to reach you, but the one the other night, as I said, barely noticed you.”

“Which is great for me, but not so much for you.”

“True.”

He slid his hand to the side of my throat, staring at me. “Did you kill the vargr the other night?”

“No, I had help.”

“From?”

I took a breath. “The next time you’re at my house, I’ll show you.”

“How ’bout when I drive you home tonight, you let me stay there and meet your helpers?”