“If you’d return to your time,” she said, finishing his sentence.
“Yeah.” He walked to the window and drew a small crown in the dust on the glass. “Can’t say it didn’t cross my mind.”
“D-did you want to go back?”
He was silent for a moment. “Not like that.” His voice was low, determined. “No.”
“How come?”
“Goddamnit, Lizzy.” His rueful laugh seemed to ease the remaining tension from his body. “I think you know.”
“Your heroic actions led you to me.” She took a step forward, then another, until she was so close that if she put out a hand, she’d be touching him. Her lungs burned as she struggled to draw in a full breath. “But you don’t want to remain here forever.”
“I can’t.” He reached out then, cradling her face, his fingers bracketing her cheek while his thumb settled just beneath her chin. Goose bumps broke out down the backs of her arms. She leaned into his palm, savoring his wide-eyed gaze that searched her face for unspoken truths. “But I also can’t leave without...”
They were close, dangerously close. The rise and fall of his chest mirrored her own. Could he hear her pounding heart? “Without what?”
“This.” His lips crashed against hers, hunger fueling the slant of his mouth. As his arms wrapped around her, pulling her flush against the hard planes of his body, she gripped the silky strands of his short hair, anchoring herself as the world fell away.
It wasn’t until her back bumped against the wall that she realized in some vague part of her brain that they had been walking backward. Now there was no room to do anything but give herself over to this push and pull, give and take. Raw need passed from his lips to hers, leaving her aching.
“Am I doing it right?” she murmured into his mouth.
“You’re perfect.” He pulled back, and his breath ghosted across her cheek. “Would you like more?”
“Yes. Teach me.”
“That’s a good girl.” This time, he opened his mouth, coaxing her to do the same; she responded and, with slow, almost aching deliberation, he stroked his tongue against hers.
She arched in surprise at the sensation, her back bowing as their tongues began to explore against each other, slowly, curiously, before becoming insatiable.
A guttural sound escaped him and it awoke something slumbering deep within her. Teeth knocked together and she pulled back not to end it but, as if in some strange trance, to put her mouth all over him. She kissed along the edge of his jaw, so hard and a little prickly in contrast to his lips, and then forged a path to his ear. When she sucked on the edge of his lobe, he groaned again, not in the back of his throat this time, but loud. She inhaled his deep, complex scent.
“Is this nice?” She’d never known that it was possible to shiver from warmth. “Do you really like when I do that?”
“Jesus, Lizzy.” His chuckle was nothing more than a husky rasp. “You sure you haven’t done any of this before?” He grazed her lips once more, as if committing her mouth to memory, and then took a deliberate step back, putting space between them. “Enough now. That’s enough.”
Was he talking to her? To himself? To both of them?
Her body screamed no—this wasn’t nearly enough—but she knew what he meant. Through the haze of desire, a flicker of reason remained. To surrender to these flames was to risk everything for a blaze from which neither would emerge unscathed.
“Yes, enough,” she agreed, trying her very best to act as if she meant it. “Thank you for that.”
He turned his head, surprise flashing on his features. “For nearly taking you against the wall?”
The blood drained from her head, the room’s edges blurringinto shadows as the implications sank in. Was that where their mad dance was leading them? Weakened, she sank onto the bed, a heavy sense of fatigue dragging at her bones.
“I meant thank you for ensuring my first kiss didn’t happen in front of the blacksmith.”
“Anytime.” Tuck grunted, then grabbed his still-wet jacket and boots and crossed the room in three steps. “I’m going to get a drink. Tonight, I want to sleep.”
Because tomorrow they were getting married. Because even if the ceremony wasn’t genuine, it was going to be real. And he clearly didn’t want to think of that or any future consequences. He’d rather run away and blot it out.
She nodded, forcing any small bubble of hurt to stay deep within. They were both trapped by their circumstances. A few stolen kisses didn’t mean anything; it was merely instructive. She’d been curious how a kiss would feel, and now she knew. This was a good thing.
Tuck left the room, the door quietly snicking shut behind him. She fell back on the lumpy mattress and pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes.
When had he started shifting from Mr.Taylor to Tuck in her thoughts?
