Page 27 of Kiss of Steel

“That’s who deposed her father.”

“She does have quite a story.”

“It made me wonder about your history. What happened that brought you here?”

He froze. “Why did I require sanctuary?”

“Yes.”

How would she react to finding out she hadn’t married a man but a monster, and not the storybook kind but an assassin who killed on command?

She would run screaming from the cabin. Then she would annul their matrimonial contract on grounds of misrepresentation and bad faith. His secret would be exposed. Refuge banned cyborgs. He’d be booted out and would spend his life on the run until Solutions caught up with him. He and Fury had arrived together. His exposure would jeopardize him, too.

Worse, they might revoke Honoria’s sanctuary. Couples marrying to have their applications prioritized had to stay together for a year, or sanctuary would be revoked. She’d not been a party to his misrepresentation. Would Refuge grant her an exemption, or would they stick hard and fast to the rules and boot her out? Her ex wanted her dead. If she got expelled, she’d be in danger.

In the past, he’d had no qualms about lying. Lying was a tool to achieve a goal. Lies and truth were two sides of the same coin. Spin it fast enough, and it was hard to tell one from the other. But he hated to deceive Honoria. It felt wrong.

“The company I worked for got involved in unethical activities,” he explained. The understatement skirted between truth and lie. “When I refused to go along anymore, they tried to have me killed.” The urge to confess swelled like a sickness threatening to erupt, as if vomiting out the vile truth would bring relief. But if she could forgive him, then perhaps he wasn’t quite the monster he’d been created to be. With her forgiveness, he might be able to become worthy of her.

But that was wishful thinking. His past actions were too heinous for anyone to forgive, let alone a woman like her. She would recoil in horror, and he couldn’t bear for her to regard him with fear and disgust. And even if he were willing to risk her rejection, he still had to guard his secret to protecther. She could lose her sanctuary because of him.

He studied her face, the darkness giving him the cover to stare. Although her longer hair had been lovely, the shorter style suited her, imbuing her with a charming gamin quality reminding him of a woodland pixie.Who’s being fanciful now?Her features were gentle and feminine, her nose pert, her thick-lashed inquisitive eyes so very pretty, her lips a perfect bow.

Hunger gnawed in his belly. Blood heated in his veins.

“What kind of work did the company do?” she asked.

They killed people for hire.“Multinational consulting.”

“In what field?” she persisted. “Consulting in what?”

He shut her up in the only way he could. He planted his mouth on hers.

She stiffened, her eyes going wide. Then her body went pliant, her eyes fluttered shut, and she curved a hand around his neck and expelled a breathy moan. Her parted lips moved against his.

A groan rumbled up from his chest. He closed his eyes and allowed himself tofeel. The tip of her tongue touched his, and the pleasurable shock of it overwhelmed his senses. His first kiss.

He’d fucked a woman; he’d never kissed one until now. He wasn’t certain what to do, but it seemed natural to press his lips firmer against hers and slip his tongue into her mouth and explore the secret recesses. She tasted like sunshine and homecoming, and a little bit like mint toothpaste.

He cupped her head, his fingers combing through her soft, silky hair. Her hand stroked his nape, and every nerve lit up. His cock demanded release, thrusting against his zipper.

She sighed; her sweet exhalation mingled with his breath. Her lips lingered, rubbing his mouth, before she eased away. “Whoa,” she murmured.

Whoa, indeed. For the first time in his life, he felt a searing desire, but lust was tempered by tenderness and the realization she offered him something precious, and he’d better not fuck it up. Slaking his lust wouldn’t fill his emptiness, his craving.

“I hadn’t intended that to happen,” he said hesitantly.

“I’m glad it did.” She smiled shyly.

Relief shuddered through him. “I am, too.”

“We got off on a bad footing, but it doesn’t have to stay that way,” she said.

“No, it doesn’t.”

“I like you, Jason.”

“I like you very much, Honoria.”

---