Page 74 of The Time Of Queens

I gulped and refrained from asking what else he was hungry for. As, well, the way he now trailed his fingers lightly at my stomach told me exactly what he was hungry for.

“Okay, we should stop right here!” I suddenly shouted, afraid that something was happening to him, as he had never acted this outright flirty before.

I heard his knowing chuckle once more before he led Samson towards a particularly large oak tree. One that looked older than the house we had just left. Then after prompting his horse near one of the smaller trees surrounding it, he let go of the reins and dismounted.

“Swing your leg over and I will help you down,” he told me, and because I was very ready to be off this giant horse, I did as he asked.

“Now slide down and I will catch you,” he said once I had both legs hanging down. Of course, I knew that he would have no problem with my weight, so I trusted him enough to do what he said, feeling his hands at my waist soon enough.

But had he been a mortal man, then I would have felt my feet hit the floor shortly after. Naturally, this didn’t happen withDraven. No, because he took the opportunity to lower me slowly down the length of him, making me blush at the heated look he gave me. One that didn’t falter even when my feet finally made it to the grass, for he kept hold of me for far longer than he needed to.

“You can… erm… let go now,” I told him softly, prompting a gentle sigh from him before he did as I asked.

However, my quick step backwards caused me to bump straight into the horse. A horse who thankfully remained steady at my back. But as for Draven, he was in no hurry to give me my space. Meaning I ended up trying to sidestep him. I would have made it as well, had he not reached out and placed his hand against the saddle.

“I think I need to…”

“Stay exactly where you are, I agree,” he finished for me, and my surprised reaction was clear to see as I looked up at him, giving him my wide questioning eyes.

“M-m-my Lord?” I asked, my tone unsure and unsteady.

“I think we are far past the formalities of titles, don’t you, Keira?” he replied, making me frown before stating,

“Not considering I am your maid, no.”

He grinned before lowering his head closer to mine, telling me softly,

“Oh, but I think we both know that you are so much more than that.”

I inhaled quickly, especially when he pulled back enough to reach up and push a strand of my loose hair away from my face, slowly tucking it gently behind my ear in a tender gesture.

“What’s happening?”I questioned quietly, and just like his brother had granted me on our walk, his knowing grin was one I found unnervingly handsome.

“I think you know, little maid,”he whispered, and just as he was about to lean down and kiss me, I panicked. I saw myopening and dipped under his arm, quick to put space between us, now walking towards the large oak.

“We cannot… should not be doing this,” I exclaimed, my heart racing for more than one reason.

“No?” His question oozed with self-confidence. As for me, I simply stumbled with my words.

“No, it is… it is…”

“It is?” he mimicked, his tone now outright smug as he followed me towards the tree. But then I thought of the word that would fit this time and almost yelled it out.

“Improper!”

He threw back his head and started laughing, shaking his head as if something I said was too amusing to be contained. But then when he got close enough, he asked,

“And what about stealing, is that too, improper?”

I really did gasp at that, my mouth dropping before I hissed,

“What?”

“Oh, you heard me,” he stated, making my heart pound within my chest for only one reason…did he know?

“I… I… haven’t taken anything,” I argued, in hopes this wasn’t what I thought it could be. That I hadn’t yet been discovered.

“Perhaps not, but I think we both know that it hasn’t been through lack of trying,” he told me, and just as I was about to argue some more, he did the unthinkable after I started to say,

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