Page 90 of Until the Stars Fall

Shit. This dinner was going to be a disaster.

Unless I prepared her—assuming she would listen to me.

I huffed a laugh. There had to be a first time for everything, right?

Pushing to my feet, I crossed my living room and stepped out into the hallway.

Lieke answered her door as soon as I knocked, as if she’d been waiting for me to arrive.

Or planning to leave on her own.Again.

“Hi,” I said, smiling as I let my gaze linger on her lips for a second longer than was necessary. Her eyes darted down the length of my body, and her face flushed an adorable pink color. She didn’t return my smile, though, as she stepped aside to let me in.

“You’re here early,” she said flatly, leading the way to the sitting area.

Although she was wearing an outfit similar to the one she’d trained in this morning, she had obviously changed into fresh clothes since then, as these showed no signs of dirt and sweat from the training ring. Her hair, still slightly damp from her recent bath, cascaded down her back in dark golden waves.

“I thought you might be nervous about tonight,” I said as I lowered myself into my usual seat, nodding to the chaise. She didn’t take the hint. Either that or she was refusing to do as I suggested. Instead she stood in front of me, avoiding my eyes as she wrung her hands together at her waist.

“I’m not nervous,” she said, scowling.

“Are you sure?” I raised a brow at her, and her eyes swung up to mine, narrowing with annoyance.

“Of course I’m sure.”

“Then why do you—”

“What was that back there?” she blurted out, her jaw pulsing as she clenched her teeth, waiting for me to explain.

“What? Back where?” I asked, playing innocent.

She squirmed, throwing her hand out to the side. “Out in the training room—”

I pointed in the opposite direction. “It’s over there,” I whispered. I had to bite back my smile when she pressed her lips together. I half-expected her to stomp her foot.

“You kissed me,” she explained.

“Technically, I kissed your nose.”

“Why?” She didn’t stomp, but she stepped toward me, her glare demanding I give her a straight answer.

My smirk disappeared, and I leaned forward, staring up into her churning blue eyes. “Because you are my bride, Lieke. I was playing the role because Matthias was watching.”

But she was shaking her head and gnawing on her bottom lip before I was done answering.

“No.”

“What do you meanno?”

“Maybe that’s the reason for the kiss, but not for your words. Matthias couldn’t have heard those.”

Angling my head to the side, I relaxed back in the chair. “I don’t know. He is a fae. We have pretty good hearing.”

“And the little things you do in here when we’re alone?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied, brushing an invisible piece of lint off my sleeve. She was quickly draining what little patience I had, and if she kept this up—

“Stop lying to me, Connor.”

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