AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re okay waiting?” He looked her over, probing for any deception.
“You’re worth waiting for.” She’d been waiting for him half her life. That was done now. She was his sun and she would shine brightly for him.
“Thank you.” He still sounded suspicious, which showed how intuitive he was.
He eased in close, so close she could smell his delicious amber and musk smell, spicy and warm and all Mason. Her heart threatened to race right out of her chest, and suddenly he was in control of the moment instead of her.
He bent, and she could swear he was angling for her mouth. He was going to forget his promise? Pursue her and kiss her and make this the most magical Christmas of her life?
His lips brushed past hers and he softly kissed her cheek. “Goodnight,” he whispered, his warm breath and lips making her stomach flip-flop. “Sweet dreams.”
Kiera should’ve laughed at him turning her parting shot last night around on her. She didn’t. She was a bundle of desire. It took every ounce of self-restraint she possessed not to wrap her arms around his neck and press her lips to his.
Mason pulled back, smirking. He knew she was putty in his hands.
So Kiera pulled the side of her bottom lip between her teeth.
His gaze sharpened, and she thought she might have the advantage again. She thoroughly enjoyed this game they were playing, but she would have the last laugh.
Truthfully, it was no laughing matter. Their future was on the line.
Mason might be mad at her for what she had to do, but sometimes a woman had to improvise. A master schemer like herself would make that improvisation count.
ChapterEleven
Mason couldn’t believeKiera would let him walk out of her room without plotting and executing some kind of masterful ploy to kiss him. It made him a bit concerned—was she as taken with him as he was with her? He’d laid his soul out there and she hadn’t proclaimed her deep love in return.
He did appreciate teasing with her about ‘sweet dreams’ and her biting at her bottom lip like she did so appealingly made him want to grab her, kiss her thoroughly, and repent later.
No. They’d be home soon. He’d pray for heavenly help, and he’d beg the general to understand why he should’ve never made that promise and tough, unbending General Ray would give him his approval to date Kiera in earnest. He wouldn’t let himself think about the man holding him to what he’d promised. That terrified him.
Mason allowed himself to give Kiera one last longing look and then forced his feet into action and turned to walk out of her room.
Kiera launched herself onto his back.
“Kiera?” He couldn’t help the laughter in his voice. He’d known she was up to something. “You are the Wild Child.”
She laughed as well, leaning against his back, arms wrapped around his shoulders, legs wrapped around his waist. “No, I’m not. I’m a Wild Woman.”
“I have to agree on that, don’t I now?” He needed to set her down and get out of here. He stepped back into the room.
Kiera released one hand from his shoulder and shoved the door closed. “My leap of love changed your mind?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his chest from behind and leaning into him, her breath tickling his ear.
“No.” He had to be firm. He wrapped his hands around her legs and savored touching her. “I’m going to carry you to your bed and dump you on it.”
“Oh, you think so?”
“I know so. I’m trained in physical combat of all forms. I can dump my Fearless Princess on her bed.”
Kiera simply laughed. It was a tinkling, beautiful laughter, but there was something devious about it.
Then she wrapped her forearm around his neck and clasped her other hand around her wrist. She yanked hard enough he felt his throat constrict. The pressure on his windpipe was awful, and he was instantly wheezing for breath.
“Kiera,” he wheezed. “S-stop.”
If it had been any other person in the world, he would’ve ripped their arms off, or leapt and slammed their body back into the hardwood floor his weight on top of theirs adding insult to injury, or reached back and exerted just the right amount of pressure to their neck to knock them out before they had any hope of incapacitating him. He was well-trained, extremely fit, and had real world experience to boot.
But this was Kiera. He couldn’t hurt her, even if it saved his own life.
