Page 75 of Crown of the Fae King

His kiss cut me off. His free hand wrapped around my hip and pulled me closer. When we repositioned, our noses bumped, and we laughed.

He dropped his head, embarrassed. “Jeez, I’m making a muck of things. Ye’ll think I haven’t kissed a girl since primary school.”

I made him look up. “Shut up and kiss me.”

His shoulders sagged, his smile came back, and he did as he was told. It didn’t take long for my neglected hormones to wake up, and a minute or two later, we were breathing heavy.

“I could stand here for days,” he said, against my mouth, then kissed along my jaw, headed for my neck.

Knowing what that would do to me, I sighed and pushed him away. “In this cold?”

“My flat isn’t far. A brisk walk would warm us—”

“I can’t piss off Wickham. I just…can’t.”

He pulled back and lifted my chin so he could see my face. “And maybe you don’t want to?”

“Right. That too.”

“Are the pair of you…”

“No. Nothing like that. He’s just… I’m sorry. I can’t explain. We are all just…watching out for each other. Like a family.” I shrugged. “It’s been a long time since I had any family, so I’m…eating it up right now.”

He sighed and stepped back, tugged me away from the wall. “I could have argued with you about anything else. But family is a weakness I understand all too well.” He pulled my arm under his and entwined his around it, capturing me against his side. Then he started for the parking lot. “We’re pitiful, you know.”

“Yeah. I know.”

I couldn’t remember feeling less pitiful in my life. I had two things I hadn’t had in a really long time—a family and a guy who actually liked me.

When we reached the car,all the doors were locked and Wickham and Persi were nowhere in sight. Griffon leaned back against the trunk, turned me away from him, then pulled me back against him before wrapping his arms around me.

“This way we won’t be tempted,” he said.

“Won’t we?”

He shook me a little. “Stop that. I’m no knight in shining armor.”

“Just an Irish gentleman.”

He stilled. “Irish?”

“Yeah. Your accent slips out every now and then. I’ve spent enough time with the brothers that I hear it now. Or do the Welsh and Irish sound similar and I’ve just assumed—”

“No. They don’t. My family insists I’ve lost my accent. I was surprised you noticed it is all.”

His voice sounded odd. I wanted to see his face, to find out why, but he wouldn’t let me turn. He gave me another little shake. “Hold still, lass. I’m tryin’ to keep ye warm.”

I laughed. “Now you’re Scottish.”

Wickham and Persi headed our way and we stepped apart. Griffon bent over and kissed the back of my hand, then gave Wickham a little bow. “Home before midnight, as promised.” Like the perfect gentleman, he wished us all goodnight, and winked at me. “I’ll see you in the Theology Department tomorrow, say ten o’clock? Bring all the chaperones you like.”

“Ten’s perfect.” And even if it wasn’t, it gave me an excuse to say the wordperfect.

He stepped backward and watched my face until our fingers pulled apart. The look that followed melted me all the way to my toes. Then he turned up the street and walked away.

“Holy shit.” Persi watched him go. Like me, she took in every step, every swing of his coat. It was like watching Urban walking down the street in his kilt. “If that man’s a fairy, I don’t know that I’d even care.”

I was thinking the same thing.

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