Page 25 of Desire

“Not leaving, Kitten. Giving up. Allow us to do as we will, and in return, react however you wish. If it’s the heel of your palm to our noses or a chair thrown by magic, so be it.”

He punctuated his request with another kiss on my neck.

“You make very little sense, Brandle. Was it not only yesterday that you expressed your disappointment that I yielded to your advances? And now that I’ve requested they stop, you’re again asking me to allow them?”

As soon as I spoke the words, I understood. The trouble lay in my yielding to their desires, not the advances themselves. That he wanted me to allow the advances and to react however I would meant simply yielding wasn’t what they’d wanted. And they saw refusing their advances all together as giving up.

A sound of frustration escaped me, and I took three calming breaths.

“Very well,” I said. “I will do as you say. However, if you find yourself bandaging any of your brothers’ bruised bollocks, the fault is not mine but yours.”

He snorted a laugh behind me and nuzzled my neck.

“I will keep your wise words in mind.”

“Are we going to speak of the real reason you’ve lingered at my side after daybreak, or should I continue to pretend I do not know?”

His arms wrapped around me and held me more firmly against his hard chest.

“Tell me what you think you know,” he said softly.

“You grow larger when you are in the cottage and are smaller when you are outside. I believe you’ve been cursed, and that is why you need my help. I can think of no better explanation for such a cryptic letter left by Henry than that.”

Brandle was quiet behind me, and I wasn’t sure if it was because he couldn’t say anything or due to indecision over what to say.

Turning in his arms, I faced him. His face looked different but still familiar. Still very handsome.

“Does it frighten you?” he asked softly.

“Which part? Your curse? Or the need to break it without any help when I’m completely clueless about all things magic?”

“My size. You did not have a favorable opinion of men who tower over you.”

I was surprised he’d remembered that.

“Your size has never mattered, Brandle. Who you are as a person always has.”

His hungry gaze swept over my face.

“I want you to kiss me, Kitten.”

“And I want honeyed biscuits to break my fast. It would seem we must accept that we cannot always have what we want.”

Instead of getting angry, his eyes crinkled with his wide smile.

“Garron, I believe Kellen is ready for her honeyed biscuit.”

My eyes rounded, and I twisted to look at the door. Garron entered, holding a plate. I barely noticed it as I watched him shift from the size I knew to the larger version. Uncertainty pulled at his brow.

Brandle caught my chin and nudged me to face him.

“My kiss, Kitten?”

I considered him for a moment. He didn’t want false affection, I realized. He wanted whatever I truly felt. What did I feel? Afraid. Afraid that it would be easy to lose my heart to him and each of his brothers. Where would that leave me?

“I have no wish to be heartbroken and alone, Brandle.”

His gaze searched mine.

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