Page 34 of Fae Champion

“I can’t believe you were Zinnia all along,” he said. “What a knob I was. I never noticed.”

“I take it glamors like that aren’t common around here?”

“No, not at all. They’re not allowed at the court without her permission.”

“Figures. She loves making all these rules that she never follows.”

“Your hair’s lovely,” he blurted.

I laughed, grabbing some of the wet strands until I realized that some nipple peeked through. I slapped my hair back into place.

Rush’s eyes smoldered.

“Oh, so all it takes is a bit of nip to get you all into me again?” I teased.

My barely concealed nudity and his proximity apparently made me recklessly daring. My secret way of thinking bubbled to the surface; I’d never gotten to say things like this to anyone before.

He exhaled loudly. “Just because I know better doesn’t mean my body’s on board with restraint.”

“Oh?”

Entirely grave, he stared at me. Then his face broke into laughter, and he tossed his head back with it. When he looked at me again, both cheeks creased with sexy dimples. “I think I’d better get you out of Embermere before your boldness becomes infectious. I’m half tempted to toss this food aside, strip, and climb into that tub with you.”

My core pulsed and tightened with a need I hadn’t felt a moment before. “Do it.”

He dragged his teeth across his bottom lip, then his gaze across my exposed flesh. “Tempting. Very, very,verytempting.”

“If every day brings possible death in this horrible place, why not live a little? The queen might kill me before the day’s out, and that pretty much goes for every day here. I don’t want to die without knowing what it feels like to have you inside me.”

I scarcely recognized the audacious woman I was becoming, but I was glad for it. The constant, looming threat of death was doing wonders for my personality. I’d always wanted to go after the experiences I desired, but hadn’t dared.

“True,” he grumbled, the one word gruff with what I guessed was his own building need.

“Whatever leverage the queen has over you,” I said, “this won’t change that. She won’t even find out. I won’t tell anyone. It can be our little secret.”

His head tipped in consideration. “I ordinarily hate secrets, but I think I’ll like this one.”

Anticipation tingled up and down my spine. “Then what are you waiting for?”

I heard the words outside of myself, as if someone else were the woman brazen enough to speak them.

He walked to the counter, a thick slab of burgundy stone that extended from one side of the wall to the other, save for the sink nestled in its center. But when he set down the platter, he shook his head. “By dragons,what am I thinking? You’ve been locked up for days without food or water. I need to be taking care of you, not looking to thrust inside you.”

Another tingle raced across my body. “Then toss me some of those grapes you’ve got there and stop wasting time.”

He turned, stared, and eventually extended a bundle of plump, juicy grapes toward me. I popped one into my mouth and groaned, following it quickly with another.

“Look, Rush. As good as these are, and as hungry as I am, I promise you, I’m hungrier for you. You said the guys could show up any minute, right?”

He nodded slowly.

“And I’m gonna get out of here today, right?”

Another nod.

I laughed. “Then I’ll eat later, man! Now gimme what I want already.”

He considered me for so long that my previous timidity began to rear its head, already censuring me.What in raining dragonfire are you thinking? He already told you he doesn’t want you! Have some dignity for fuck’s sake and stop throwing yourself at the man!

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