Page 20 of Fenrir

He studied her for a moment. She wanted to go to him and rub the creases out of his forehead and force him to relax.

“Why couldn’t I smell you? I can smell everyone.”

Grace swallowed. “I… I don’t know,” she lied.

Something crossed his face as if he could tell she’d lied to him, and in an instant, he stood less than six inches from her. He towered over her, and her heart thundered, but in her stomach, butterflies wooshed around in a giant tornado.

He peered down at her. “You aren’t scared of me.” It wasn’t a question.

“Should I be?”

“You ran from me. I thought it might have been because I frightened you.”

She shook her head.

He searched her face as if looking for something specific. “Why did you leave?”

“I… I had to go,” she whispered.

His eyes narrowed, and he lifted a hand to her cheek but didn’t touch it. “That’s the second time you’ve lied in sixty seconds. I don’t like it. I don’t like lies.”

Her brow crinkled. “How do you know I’m lying?”

“My father is the god of lies. Being able to tell when people are lying is in my nature.”

She thought for a moment. She didn’t want him to think she was a liar. “I left because I was scared.”

“But not of me?”

She shook her head, and his palm finally cupped her cheek. The warmth of his calloused skin scratched her face and contrasted with the cool metal of his rings. She didn’t pull away, and just like the night before, he leaned in and sniffed her neck.

A strange rumbly sound emanated from him, almost like a lion’s purr but deeper and more intense. The very sound of it made her relax and reach for him. She rested her hands on his chest, and his muscles quaked beneath her palms. The rumble grew stronger, and he pulled his face from her neck and looked into her eyes.

“What are you? No one has ever made me feel… Not in a thousand years… What is it about you that makes me…” It was as if he couldn’t seem to get his words out.

“Makes you what?” she asked breathlessly.

“Makes me want to do this.”

Without warning, his lips met hers. Fireworks exploded inside her, and her spirit howled in delight. Without thinking, Grace fisted her hands in his t-shirt and pulled him closer. His hands moved around her crushing her against him. She parted her lips and swiped her tongue over his bottom lip, unsure she was doing it right. She’d never kissed someone before, but with Fenrir, she wanted to. She wanted to kiss him and so much more.

The rumble sounded in his chest again, and Fenrir parted his lips and allowed her tongue to tangle with his. At first, he didn’t do anything, but after a moment, he met her tongue with his own and flicked at it.

Minutes passed as their light fluttery kisses turned into something deeper. Needier. More urgent. Fenrir’s hands roamed her back, stroking her through her shirt, and Grace found herself exploring his exposed skin. She ran her hands up his bare arms feeling every muscle and scar. Then she ran them down his chest to his stomach, feeling the stacked muscles through his shirt. Damn, he could give Ares a run for his money.

Grace didn’t know long they stood in the middle of the room kissing, but when a knock sounded on the door and Fenrir pulled away, they were both panting. Grace’s body screamed for his touch and the feel of his naked skin on hers.

“What?” Fenrir called his eyes still on her.

“Food.”

“Leave it.”

The sound of a tray hitting the floor and footsteps walking away sounded through the door.

“I… I’m sorry,” said Fenrir. “I got carried away.”

Grace shook her head. “No. It’s my fault. I’m the one who… well… wanted it. I don’t want you to think I do that a lot or anything I don’t. I mean, I never do. Like, as in, I’ve never kissed a man before. Not like that, I mean. Or a girl or anything. I’ve never…” She threw her hands over her face, more embarrassed than she had been in her entire life. No. Not embarrassed. Mortified. She was utterly and totally mortified. Why could she suddenly not seem to shut up? An Adonis like him had probably been with dozens of women. Hundreds. And here she was, babbling like a middle schooler with her first crush.

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