Page 66 of Whispers of the Water

My heart rate spiked as everyone prepared to run. I wasn’t expecting Rune to leave the decisions up to me since this was my first time doing this, and I suddenly felt a great sense of responsibility to solve the maze. I held my breath with my gaze darting between the different options.

“Three.”

Left or right?

“Two.”

The middle?

“One.”

I held Rune’s hand tightly as everyone darted for different pathways. Rune and I barreled into one of the paths on my right. Akira’s voice carried over from the path next to ours before the maze carried us away from everyone. When only the sight of golden corn stalks surrounded us, I finally stopped running and surveyed our path.

Turning to Rune, I asked, “Do you think I chose an okay trail?”

Amusement glittered in his gaze. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re going to be frustrating with this, aren’t you?”

“I’m going to have fun with this is what you mean.”

Shaking my head, I turned back to the path. There were absolutely no hints or guidance on which way was best. I was sure there was a method to solve the maze quickly, but it was foreign to me. I’d have to rely on luck.

We came to the first fork in the road, and both options looked exactly the same—endless rows of tall corn stalks. I glanced over my shoulder to see which way Rune may be looking, but his eyes were focused on me, specifically on my rear. When he noticed my looking at him, he met my eyes and gave me a wide, shameless grin.

“Are you focusing?” I asked with my arms crossed.

He chuckled and stepped closer. “I’m definitely focusing.”

Trying to ignore the heat wrapping around my core, I smirked. “I meant focusing on the maze.”

“That’s not nearly as fun.”

“Well, what would make this more fun for you?” I asked, my voice catching at the end as I realized that asking him was going to open a door that couldn’t be closed again.

And I wasn’t sure I’d want it to.

Something seductively wicked landed in his eyes as he closed the remaining distance between us. I swallowed hard as the heat in his gaze promised something deliciously naughty.

I bit the corner of my lip as he grabbed the belt loops of my jeans to pull me against him. My hands pressed into his chest, and I hoped the proximity didn’t allow him to feel how hard my heart thundered.

“How about we play our own little game?”

Curious, I raised an eyebrow. “What game would that be?”

“A game of chase, if you will. Predator and prey. Fox and rabbit. I’ll give you a five-minute head start to try to lose me.”

I swallowed hard. “And if you catch me?”

His lips curved, and he leaned into me. His mouth grazed the sensitive skin below my ear as he whispered, “I get to feast.”

A needy shiver ran down my spine, sending a pang of desire straight to my core. Warmth flooded my limbs, and my breath seemed to leave me. His game sounded far more amusing than the original one.

Rune pulled back to look at me, and I saw the hunger now embedded in his eyes.

“Three,” he said.

I took a step back.

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