Page 50 of Autumn Queens & Shadows

Those eyes were back on me, a smile stretching on his face. One he looked to be containing and failing. “You could help me.”

Arching a brow, I asked, “Help? Help you? Help you get over the fear of my tits?”

“Worth a try.” His eyes slid back down between us again, lingering a little this time.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting over my fears.”

“I would hit you right now, but my arm has cramped up.”

“Unlucky me.” After one last unashamed glance at my chest, he began backing away. “Just gold,” he said, dropping on his sofa. “For my ring. I’m not a diamond and rubies type of girl.”

I couldn’t make myself move or look away at his body stretched on the small sofa, at his skin marked with my touch or at the necklace hanging over his neck. My necklace. The one he’d given me ten years ago. The one I’d sort of given back.

“If you’re going to keep staring, Thora, come and do it from up close. You’ll catch all the details.”

“That’s mine.”

His eyes remained shut, but he knew what I was talking about. “You gave it up.”

“I threw it at you.”

“Very hard, if I might add.”

“I want it back.”

“No.”

Walking up to him, I reached for the necklace, but he was quick, wrapping a hand around my wrist and pulling me down to him until my face was hovering barely an inch away from his. “Say that you’re sorry for throwing at me. Say ‘I’m sorry for throwing the necklace at your head, Mal.’”

“In your dreams.”

“Sweetheart, in my dreams you’re preoccupied with other things. Say that you’re sorry. It hurt.” His eyes dropped to my mouth for a moment. “It’s a heavy stone.”

“You’re just a wuss.”

“This wuss is owed an apology.”

“You first.”

“What did I throw at you?”

“The fact that I needed you.”

There was a moment of silence before he said, “You’ve never needed me, Thora.”

“You really have no idea.”

He bit down on his smile. “Don’t distract me. Apologise.”

“You first.”

“I’m trying to be a gentleman, sweetheart.”

“You’re a dick.”

“Leave my dick out of this.” His other hand wrapped around my jaw, his fingers squeezing my cheeks hard. “Say it. Say you’re sorry.” He pulled my face closer. “Give me a little pout, too. And some sorry eyes. I love your sorry eyes. Best sorry eyes I’ve ever seen.”