She shivered again, a deep, liquid heat replacing it. The moment strung, and Kyan’s jaw flickered like the locks in a safe.
Hedraggedhis eyes off her and moved slowly, predatorily, through to the rest of the space to confirm it was safe. Lights glowed on beneath the counters at his steps.
There seemed to be only one more room to the left and a tinylaundry and store opposite the door. Just the essentials. Still, the place had an expensive feel. The finishes were sleek, the dark wood elegant, but Nicole expected nothing less from somewhere Callum owned.
‘Best waiting it out,’ Kyan said. ‘For the night.’
Thenight.
Alone.
They’d planned to use Callum’s cabin, but only if they didn’t find the Druid on the first day.
What had happened in the forest changed everything.
‘I’ll take you back, if you want,’ he added, voice like gravel.
There were two questions there.
A choice.
Do you feel comfortable after what happened? What I did?Because if not, I’ll drive through a storm to return you to your loved ones.
Because her comfort and safety were always his first priority.
And, the other question:Are you happy to stay with me here tonight, in what is likely to be one bed?
The sculpted canvas of his back, wide and dark with muscle and blood, filled the doorway to the bedroom. She found her mouth suddenly too dry, memories of their night in his townhouse flooding her. The sound of his desire against her mouth. The heat of him in her grip. Silky, hard; the pleasure he’d made her feel—
He inhaled sharply, body flexing.
She felt suddenly shaky with anticipation. But more than that, she wanted him to have time to come down. To process what they’d just been told and the fact that he’d just walked through a forest he’d last seen razed by fire.
So, no, she didn’t want to leave. Not yet.
‘I want to stay here, with you.’
He turned then, to confirm. And his eyes – those gorgeous, deep-feeling eyes – were dilated and full of promise.
‘I’ll just’ – she swallowed, tongue like sandpaper – ‘see if I can call the others so they know we’re okay.’
He started back towards her and each step intensified the heat slinking through her body. Kyan brushed her jaw with his thumb. A searing, lingering touch that turned that heat to a low throb.
‘Get warm.’
Then, he ducked back out into the stormy dark and Nicole letherself exhale, leaning against the counter as her brain tried to come back online.
Mindlessly, she kicked off her trainers and pulled her phone from her jeans’ pocket, needing something solid. She found fresh, chilled bottles of water in the fridge and pristine glasses in the cupboard, pouring herself one and downing half. The cool, mineral taste was practically nectar. After wringing out her soaked hair into the sink and scoping the view through the window that overlooked the forest, she called her father.
‘Dad?’ she tried, when the phone connected. ‘We’re safe at Callum’s cabin but a storm’s hit.’
‘Stay inside,’ her father said, as the line crackled. ‘Storm’s … too–bad.’
Rivulets of rain streamed down the windows. They’d looked like black glass from the outside, so were likely one-way.
‘Have you arrived?’ she asked. She couldn’t imagine how he was feeling.
‘Yes, we’re all fine. Dylan … saw … Empyreal … we know—’
