Myanin saw that one, too.
“Oh,” she said softly.
Shade sighed.“Yes.Unfortunately, I have always been pathetic about you.”
The corner of her mouth twitched.
Victory.Tiny.Pathetic.Barely measurable victory.But he would take it.
The corridor narrowed briefly before opening again into another long stretch of glowing parchment walls.The silence between them deepened, but now it carried awareness instead of avoidance.
Dangerous.So very dangerous.
Because Shade had spent centuries surviving on certainty.On anger.On pursuit.Wanting Myanin had become part of the structure holding him upright.It had been easier to chase her than to consider what would happen if she ever actually turned toward him.
Now she had.At least partially.
And suddenly he understood why warriors throughout history had done profoundly stupid things after being loved back.The realization was deeply humbling.Also annoying.
Myanin stumbled slightly as the floor shifted beneath their feet.
Shade caught her instantly.One arm wrapped around her waist before either of them fully processed the movement.
She froze.
So did he.
Well.That seemed potentially catastrophic.
The gold light around them dimmed into something softer, shadows flickering across the sharp lines of Myanin’s face as she slowly lifted her head to look at him.
Too close.Great skies, she was too close.Shade could feel her breath against his throat.Could smell storm and steel and female wrapping around his senses like addiction.
And there it was again.That answering pull inside her.Not imagined.Not wished for.
Real.
Her hand tightened against the front of his coat.
Shade’s control strained painfully.“Myanin,” he said quietly.
Her eyes dropped briefly to his mouth.
That nearly ended him.
Then, as if realizing exactly what she’d done, she jerked backward out of his arms so quickly that the loss of her warmth hit like a physical impact.
“Nope,” she announced immediately.
Shade blinked once.
She pointed at him accusingly while backing farther down the corridor.“Whatever that was, absolutely not.”
His mouth twitched despite himself.“Very convincing.”
She glared him down.“You stop being attractive right now.”
He held out a hand palm up.“I do not believe that is within my skill set.”
