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I brushed my thumb over my lips, staring up at him through my lashes. I needed to get him out of this place. “It would be even easier if a handsome stranger wanted to help me find it.”
The words were like fire in my throat, sealing his fate as I invited him to be alone with me. I almost felt bad for the poor soul.
“Stranger, huh?” He leaned back again, scanning the faces in the room. “Plenty of those here, but handsome is asking a lot. Oh! How about that guy over there? He’s pretty handsome.”
I laughed, reaching for the coat over the back of my chair as I glanced up at the mirror Atlas had pointed to. “He’ll do. Make sure he doesn’t get handsy.”
“No promises. They say he’s a scoundrel.”
“Maybe that’s how I like them,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
He patted his pocket. “I have a weapon, just in case you get any ideas.”
My cheeks flushed. I had plenty of ideas for his weapon, and none of them were decent.
He pushed the tavern door open, snow pelting me in the face, and dropped a heavy fur over my shoulders before taking my hand to lead me through the blizzard. The second our fingers touched, that same jolt of electricity surged through my body like a lightning storm, threatening to take over my waning control.
Shit. I’d have to do this soon.
Within minutes, we had trudged through the snow to a little place in the town square. The building was easy enough to see in the dying storm as most of the windows had glowing candles on the sills. Somewhere, beyond the whistle of the wind, there was soft music playing.
Atlas twisted the handle, dragging me inside and turning to look down at me, his face lit by candlelight. As if by instinct alone, as if he could not help himself, he stepped so close I could count his thick black lashes.
Two freezing palms caressed my cheeks as he used his thumbs to wipe beneath my eyes. “You’re covered in snowflakes, Frostbite.”
I grabbed his wrists, wanting so badly to haul him to the room I hadn’t yet secured, while also wishing I could push him out the door, saving him from this fate, even if it was ultimately supposed to help him. Magic pulsed, a hair’s breadth from release, within my veins. My control over the spell was nearly gone, and I wanted nothing more than to curse the goddess for the intrusion.
A small door had been left ajar, and heavy footsteps drew near.
I needed to decide quickly. Did I push my luck with Atlas, drawing out this moment between us, or do my job and lie low? To remind myself that this was not real, and he didn’t truly want more than a single night with me, I stroked my power again, feeling only lust. And, damn, if it didn’t ignite my body, warming me to the core as I melted.
“You could stay,” I whispered, ignoring the desperate tone in my voice.
“That’s a dangerous invitation, Marley.”
I could see it then, the desire within his eyes, biting his lip as if he needed to decide to be chivalrous or the scoundrel he’d promised.
I moved to my tiptoes as he leaned down. My lashes, wet with snow, brushed my cheeks as I anticipated those beautiful lips. His hands tightened on my face, tilting it ever so slightly as that bead of passion erupted.
There was not a deep well of feelings for me, and I didn’t expect there to be. I knew what I had signed on for the second he took my hand. But morally, how far could I let this go? Could I have him and damn him on the same night? Every inch of my body said yes.
Full, smooth lips devoured mine until I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think beyond the man that had consumed me the second I’d been close enough to feel this power between us. But just as soon as I thought I could get lost in him, a throat cleared in the background, wrenching us both back to reality.
“Atlas,” a masculine voice boomed.
He didn’t step away from me, didn’t even take those hands from my cheeks, or his eyes from mine as he smiled. “Got a room for a pretty witch, Enger?”
A blush creeped across my face as I stepped away and turned to face the innkeeper.
The stout man crossed his arms over his chest. “Would that be a room for the pretty witch or a room for the pretty witch and her incorrigible friend?”
“The night is young. Let’s not make hasty decisions, Eng.”
Before I could get a single word in, Enger lifted an iron key from a hook behind the counter and tossed it to Atlas.
“The cauldron room. You know the drill.”
“Up the stairs and to the right. Got it.”
