Page 333 of Flirting with Darkness

“What about you?” I ask, still keeping my face planted deep in his hold. “Are you some thrill junkie or something?”

Kharon laughs, squeezing me as he does, issuing a small grunt as his hand once more sweeps the side of my breast.

I don’t think that one was as unintentional as the first.

But I don’t mind.

“Or something,” he murmurs in my hair. “Um—I mean, I had some business to tend to on the other side of the hill with Don Addy,” he says, pulling himself back a bit. Shifting himself, my leg grazes his crotch and I feel the hardening of him beneath me.

Our eyes connect and I let my hand trail along his chest as his needful glare warms the entirety of me. I know he’s got me by almost two decades. I also know he can have any woman on the island. But in this moment, and with the way his gaze locks with mine, I feel like I’m the only woman in the world.

Sure, he may only see the nineteen-year-old niece of his closest friend and business associate when he looks at me, but right now I can only hope he sees so much more.

“Oh, that’s right, next to Uncle El, you’re the big businessman on this icicle,” I chuckle against his chest as I think about how he’s quite the talk of our little Nova Scotian town. Only arriving here three years ago, Mr. Kharon Nyx has made quite an impression on the folks of the island. While my uncle is still held in the highest esteem, the mystique of Kharon is hard to miss.

Laughing, his sweet smoky scent tickles my nose once more. “Well, I don’t know about all of that. I’m just a lowly ferryman at heart. But what about you, Rae?”

At his inquiry, I feel nervousness bubble within me. The subject of me makes me uncomfortable.

“What about me?” I ask, trying to push myself up and out of his hold, but he tightens his arms, locking me in place.

“Oh no you don’t,” Kharon grumbles, his tone is more authoritative than before. Gazing up at him as he cradles me in his arms, I find comfort in the small smile lines forming at the corners of his mouth. Forcing a faux chortle, he lets his smile spread across his face, “It’s my job to keep you warm, little one,” he begins as he tightens his grasp around me. I know his possessive tone should scare me, but it’s just the opposite. His face relaxes, easing into a small smile. “I just mean since you’re my little prisoner while we’re trapped on this ski lift you might as well tell me a little about yourself. All I know is that you are Elysian’s niece.”

Fidgeting with the curls of my hair laying against my ear, I feel my nerves ease a bit. I don’t know if it’s the comfort I feel in his arms or not, but I could stay here a little while longer.

Even more, this is the first time someone has asked me about me. Sure, Ross and Win know me, but beyond them, most people don’t pay much attention to the awkward and freckled faced twin of my more outspoken brother, or even see me beyond the shadow of my stunning cousin who pretty much oversees every facet of the family business. To most, I’m just the lowly girl in the background.

“I guess there’s not much to tell,” I whisper, twirling my hair between my fingers.

Grabbing my hand, Kharon stills my twitching. “I highly doubt that, Rae. I think there’s more potential hidden behind your eyes than most imagine. I’d like to know more about the Rae no one else sees.”

Sure, I’d love to tell him about my desire to open my own bakery one day, but I hardly have time to process Kharon’s sentiment when another strong wind whips our carriage once more, rocking us back and forth. The motion startles me, but Kharon is unmoved as he braces me in his arms. If the freezing temperature wasn’t enough to remind me, I was indeed awake, I’d swear I was dreaming.

This is the moment I never thought would come. When Kharon jumped in the ski lift with me earlier, I thought this would be one quiet zip trip over the hill. Normally I only see him when he’s with my uncle. Never did I think I’d have a moment to be alone with Kharon Nyx. But here we are.

Taking my face in his palm, his thumb slowly outlines the curves of my mouth. “Rae,” Kharon breathes my name, and the nutty scent of a smoky maple cigar implodes my senses, drawing me in.

“Yes,” I moan, desperate for his kiss.Yes, his kiss. The one man who alone is the lover of my dreams. The one man whose hands I imagine are my own when I’m alone in my room at night. The one man who remains an elusive bachelor without any lack of suitors. The one I’ve hoped has remained so because he was waiting for me to come of age. Well here I am. Beyond legal and ready.

“Rae!” I hear my name called once more, but this time it’s different. “Rae are you okay up there?” Jolted from my abandoned thoughts, I look down only to see Ross with Mr. Addy. “Don’t worry,” he screams upward. “They’ll have this rig moving in no time.”

Slowly scooting himself away from me, an awkward smile frames his face while he presses the would-be wrinkles of his pants. “Well, I guess I can no longer keep you hostage,” Kharon smiles nervously.

“Too bad,” I grumble, tossing my hair away from my face. “I was starting to like being your hostage.”

Kharon’s gaze darkens as he tightens his smile and I swear I see a tent lift at his crotch. I think he liked me being his hostage too.

THE BEGINNING OF US

KHARON

As thankful as I am not to have Rae freezing another minute on the ski lift, releasing her from my hands hurts me more than she’ll understand.

Although it was our first time alone together, today wasn’t the first time I took notice of her. Since the first day I met Elysian’s family, it’s only been Rae Vereen to hold my attention. While her brother, Ross, is a ham, taking most of the spotlight for himself, Elysian does all he can to push his precious daughter Winter, to the forefront. Still, it’s Rae whose beauty alone makes my hollowed heart leap every time I’m in her presence.

That is why I ended my meeting with Don Addy abruptly when I spotted Rae making her way down the hillside. For the first time she wasn’t surrounded by her family or her friends. I knew it was the only chance I’d have to be alone with her.

Sure a twinge of lust led me to barge past everyone in line to get a seat next to her on the ski lift. But it was my need to undue this wretched Changeling curse forcing me to freeze the lines of the rail long enough to come away with a strand of her hair. Thankfully, I was able to swipe a small curl from between her fingers without her even wincing. Hopefully this will be enough to test the magic of the obol to finally release her cousin Melchior from the bondage invoked by the Changeling’s dark power.

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