Page 27 of Monster's Mistake

“Oh.” I try not to feel too disappointed about that. I sit back on my heels, not moving away from him. How can I when this is something I want more than I ever realised?

He reaches out tentatively, his hand hovering close to my skin but not touching it.

“You don’t have to hold back,” I murmur.

His inviting chuckle feels full of promise. “Believe me, Nati, I do.”

“What happens if you don’t?” There’s a part of me that wants him to ignore anything holding him back, though the rest of me is grateful for it. I don’t want to rush this.

He clears his throat. “You wouldn’t be wearing any clothes any longer.”

“I figured. That sounds kind of fun.”

He groans. “We haven’t even kissed yet.”

“We can change that,” I murmur as I lean closer and brush my lips against his.

It’s only for a second, but it makes my whole body come alive. My heart pounds in my chest and it’s everything I can do to pull back.

Meic finally touches my cheek, his hand warm and inviting. I’m not sure which of us makes the next move, but his lips are on mine in a searing kiss that makes me forget my own name.

His other hand lands on my waist, drawing me closer, and I shift in his arms so I can be more comfortable. Desire pools inside me and I want to go further.

I almostneedit.

My breathing is ragged by the time we break apart and I look into Meic’s dark eyes to see naked need staring back at me. No matter how much he’s trying to hold himself back, there’s no denying that he wants me.

A rattle comes from my hair and I can sense one of the snakes getting restless. I lean back, causing hurt to flash over Meic’s face.

“It’s not what you think,” I say quickly.

“What...”

Before he can even finish the question, a flash of green appears and Frank sinks his teeth into Meic’s forehead, his sharp teeth easily able to penetrate Meic’s dark skin.

My eyes widen, the horror of what just happened really sinking in. “Frank! No!”

The snake pulls back, leaving two droplets of black blood on Meic’s skin. My thoughts race and I try to remember what I’m supposed to do in this situation.

Except not look in his eyes. If I do that...

I cut the thought off before I even have time to properly register it. The venom makes him more likely to be affected by my gaze, but it’s not a done deal. He might not turn into stone at all. And if I avoid direct eye contact, then it should be enough to stop that eventuality from coming to pass anyway.

“And just when I was starting to think he liked me,” Meic muses, touching his forehead.

“Are you okay?” I look around for something to wipe away the blood. “I didn’t mean for him to do that, I mean, I don’t have any real control over him. They’re trying to teach me it inFamiliar Trainingbut I’m not very good at it. I just need to make sure you’re okay.”

He reaches out and takes my hand in his, running his thumb over the back of it in a surprisingly comforting manner. “I’m fine,” he assures me. “It’s just a bite.”

“It’s not just a bite,” I murmur.

He frowns. “Why isn’t it just a bite?”

I bite my lip and look down, which is good in that it definitely makes him less likely to be turned into stone. “The venom will make you susceptible to my gaze.”

“I hate to break it to you, Nati, but I’d say I’m entranced by it already.”

“Will you ever stop with the cheesy pickup lines?”

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