Page 16 of Desire

“Are you finished?” I asked softly.

He exhaled heavily, closed his eyes, and nodded.

“I am,” he said.

I stood and looked at Brandle.

“Are you ready?” I asked.

He looked at the comb I held up and then at me.

“What are you doing, Kitten?”

“Combing their hair like they wanted.”

“And the kisses?” he asked.

The disappointment in his gaze was starting to make me feel uneasy, and I glanced at the others.

“I thought…”

“You kissed them because they wanted it?”

I nodded hesitantly, wondering if I’d made a mistake.

“Didn’t they?”

“They did,” Eadric said. “You didn’t force yourself on them, Sparrow. You’re not in trouble. Tell her, Brandle.”

Brandle sighed and pinched his nose.

“You’re not in trouble, Kitten. We are.”

CHAPTER THREE

“I don’t understand.”My gaze darted between Brandle and Edmund. “I’m only trying to help like I promised.”

Edmund cursed under his breath and stalked off behind the cottage.

“Ah, Lamb,” Daemon said, shaking his head. He followed his brother.

My temper flared.

They were disappointed? Why? I was doing my best without any help from?—

Cutting off those angry thoughts, I fisted my hands and fought for control.

Brandle noticed.

They all did. And their sympathetic gazes did not help ease the emotions churning inside of me.

“I think I’ll go read for a while,” I said.

No one moved to stop me from entering the cottage or closing the door.

“Boorish ungrateful louts,” I mumbled, stomping to my chair and picking up the book I’d been reading.

Eloise didn’t have time for me to guess and bumble about blindly, which is why following their lead had seemed the wisestchoice. Obviously, it was a mistake. My mind kept circling back to why they’d wanted kisses and touching and sleeping near me.

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