Page 22 of Dagger’s Shield

I raised my chin. “Such as?”

“Which side of the bed you sleep on. Where you’re ticklish.”

“My parents will not ask about that.”

“What you look like after I’ve made you come.”

“How would that be?”

He put his thumb beneath my ear. “I can’t describe it.”

“Killian.”

“That’s the fourth thing. When you say my name in that voice, they’ll hear the same desire I do. Say it again.”

“I cannot.”

“You can. Say it again for me.”

“Killian.”

He bent his head to the side of my throat and stopped there, close enough that I felt the warmth of his breath against my skin when he spoke.

“This is where I’ll put my mouth,” he said. “When Rémy says something that makes you laugh. Not your cheek. Here.”

Rather than a simple kiss, he licked his way to my ear.

“Your father will look away. Your mother will not.”

I gripped the front of his shirt, so close to begging him to do more. “This is how you get women into bed,” I said instead.

“No.” He looked down at me. “Not other women, Maëlle. Only you.”

I let go of his shirt and smoothed the fabric where I had creased it. “I don’t believe you.”

“I’ll prove it to you.”

I almost asked how, but stopped myself, knowing that if I did, he’d show me.

“My parents will be expecting us,” I said.

“I can’t think of a better way for them to see how much in love we are.”

“What do you mean?”

“Which would you prefer? Shall I keep you on the edge of desire, or should I make you come?”

I couldn’t speak or move a single muscle.

“Maëlle?” He brought his mouth so close to mine that all I could think was how much I wanted him to kiss me. To give me one taste of the man who could seduce any woman into his bed.

Except me.

Until now.

“Neither.”

I pushed him hard enough that he removed his hand from between my legs and stepped back.