Page 13 of Fire in Stone

I picked up a long splinter of wood from what was left of the crate and aimed it at his eye. “I said no. And you didn’t listen.”

I couldn’t lie. He was a great kisser, maybe even the best I’d ever had. The man really knew what he was doing. But he also refused to let go, which had brought the echo of fear and defenselessness from when I lived on the streets.

“Keep your hands to yourself,” I muttered, tugging down my t-shirt. “I don’t care if you’re a prince or the Pope of Rome, I didn’t give you permission to sniff, lick, and kiss me.”

“Is that so?” He squinted at me from the floor. “So, it’s perfectly acceptable foryouto kissmewithout permission, but not the other way around?”

“What are you talking about?”

How did I get myself into this mess? Who was this guy? But most importantly, why was I admiring the way his dark, wavy locks spread around his face ever so artfully as he was lying spread-eagle under me, instead of kicking him out of my room this very second?

A corner of his mouth twitched up in a smile.

“You kissed me last night, remember? When I was in my stone form,helpless and utterly defenseless, unable to move or consent.” One of his shapely, dark eyebrows arched up with a twinkle of humor in his eye. “And you were naked, may I add.”

My focus finally shifted from his looks to his words. I hadn’t kissed anyone last night. I was alone. Well…save for the statue. And I did kiss it, didn’t I? That had been a weird impulse, I had to admit.

But how did this guy know about that? There was no space in this room for him to hide and watch me.

“How do you know about that? You weren’t here.”

“Of course I was. How else would you kiss me if I wasn’t present?” Clearly, he was mocking me again.

I jerked my hand with the wood chip closer to his face.

Such a handsome face…

I shook my head, sending the unwelcome thought out of my head. This wasnotwhat I had to think about. Handsome or not, I’d cut him if I had to.

“Now tell me the truth or I’ll stab you in the eye, pretty boy. And you won’t be pretty once I’m done with you. Not to mention that it’ll hurt. Look at it…” I moved the splinter over his eyes. “It’s not even a knife. Just a dull, jagged piece of wood.”

“That’d be brutal,” he agreed.

But he didn’t look scared, or overly concerned, with my threats. Lifting a hand, he used two fingers to shift my hand with the wooden piece to the side so he could see me better.

A soft smile played on his lips.

“Aren’t you delightful? You keep shaking awake all my senses, human. Energy is filling my muscles. Life is coursing through my veins. I haven’t felt this alive in…” he sighed. “Gods, in so many years.”

His other hand warmly wrapped around the ankle of my leg that pressed on his throat.

“Are you still trying to molest me? Even after I’ve threatened to maim you?” I kicked my leg, shaking him off. “Unbelievable.”

“Molest?”He curved his full lips in disgust. “Why so vulgar? I don’t force myself on women. I’d never do anything to you that you wouldn’t thoroughly enjoy andbegme for more.”

“Great.” I shifted my knee off his throat but kept the wooden spike trained at his face. “Well, Ibegyou to get the fuck out of my room.”

He made no move to get up or to shove me off him. Instead, he grabbed my free hand and placed it on his chest, just below my leg on top of him. “Feel it.”

His heart beat wildly under my palm, too fast, considering how relaxed he appeared to be.

“I haven’t had a heartbeat for over ten years,” he explained. “And it’s only because of you that my heart is beating now. It’s because of you that it’s beating so fast.”

His fingers curled around my hand on his chest. He stroked my skin with his thumb. The caress was sweet and gentle. And it proved more disarming than any of his pushing before. The look in his dark eyes softened, resting on my face.

“What’s your name?” he asked quietly.

I blinked, trying to shake the warm haze enveloping me.

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