Page 90 of Victoria's Discovery

She vaguely heard him say something to the animals still lingering around them, was aware of them moving away, across the open field to the tree line on the other side, but she was frozen, staring at Vi’kail’s stiff back.

Slowly, anger filtered in. Victoria didn’t have a temper. She wasn’t a fan of confrontation, and it took a hell of a lot to provoke her. But, standing there, watching him gather up his things, not once glancing back at her, did the trick.

I came all the way out here in the middle of the damn night to talk to him, and he’s just going to walk away? Hell no!

Victoria narrowed her eyes to slits. Resolve washed over her in a wave, straightening her spine and dampening the nerves clenching her stomach.

Enough of this shit.

Balling her hands into fists, she stomped forward and planted herself right in front of him, giving him no choice but to look at her. She poked him in the chest, glaring up at his stupid, handsome, surprised face.

“Listen here you– you…man!” His brows shot up. Poking him again, she stepped even closer until her chest almost brushed his stomach with each of her fast, angry breaths. “You like me! I know you do! And I like you! So why are you being such a– a dick?”

He made a strangled sound like he couldn’t decide whether to laugh or be offended. “I’m not—”

“Oh yes you are! One minute you’re all sex eyes and intensity and then, nada! Brick wall! You ravaged me in the closet like a starving man, giving me the best orgasmof my life! Only to shut down and say you regret it before I’d even pulled my dress down! Who even does shit like that? It’s– it’s…rude!”

His eyes sharpened on her face, and one side of his mouth quirked up into a cocky smile. “Best orgasm of your life?”

That threw her off enough that she halted her tirade. “Er, what? That’s not– I didn’t say—”

His smile turned predatory. “Oh, yes, you did.”

Gasping, she pointed an accusatory finger at his face. “See? There! Right there! You’re doing it again!”

He took a half step toward her, until they were pressed together, and she had to crane her head back to see him.

“Doing what, little flower?”

Victoria felt the growl in his smoky voice arrow straight between her thighs and had to swallow a moan.

“Sex eyes,” she whispered, feeling like she was losing this… argument? Confrontation?

“Is that what I’m doing?”

“Oh yeah.” Jesus, was that her voice? All husky and breathy?

“How terribly unfair of me. Should I apologize?”

He bent slowly, holding her gaze. Closer and closer until she thought he was going to kiss her. Instead he twisted to bury his face in her curls.

She went perfectly still when she felt him slide his nose up the column of her neck, drawing in her scent the way she’d wanted to do to him earlier. His quiet groan had her breath hitching.

He’d barely touched her, and her thighs were slick with want, her breasts rising and falling rapidly.

“You like me,” she repeated, breathless. “Admit it.”

He backed up to meet her eyes, his own narrowed, almost angry. “So what if I do?” he fired back, voice a low growl.

Victoria licked her lips, heart pounding. “Then… then we’re gonna date. You’re going to be my boyfriend.” She hesitated, but no, she was being brave. Laying it all out. That meant being completely honest. “So is Thorn. And maybe Thegan.” Her resolve wavered when his eyes narrowed farther, but she shored it up and kept going. “We’re going to kiss and touch each other and spend time together, and you arenotgoing to push me away anymore, ‘cuz that really hurts my feelings. And then you’re going to fall madly in love with me.”

His eyes flashed and his unreasonably kissable lips curled into a smirk. “Am I, now?”

“Y–yes.”

He reached up, cupping her jaw in his big hand, and slid his thumb across her bottom lip. Leaning forward until his mouth brushed hers, he whispered, “How do you know I’m not already madly in love with you?”

Victoria felt her eyes go wide. Chuckling lowly, he nipped her bottom lip, making her gasp, then straightened. Before she could manage a response, he nodded once, still smirking.

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