Page 111 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

Adrenaline floods my body, and I brace for a fight, but my opponent doesn’t struggle. The lamp went out when I dropped it, plunging us into darkness.

The other person is slender and smaller than I am, chest heaving, heart thundering against my arm. My hold on the blade is steady, ready to strike if needed.

Then I register the scent, a scent that has been haunting me for weeks now.

“Ara?”

“I’m happy to see you, too,” she answers dryly, sounding breathless, and I quickly sheath the dagger.

“Mists, did I hurt you?” I ask and start checking her over. I have been anything but careful since my mind instantly went into fight mode. My finger encounters wetness at her throat, and I curse.

“Fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you.” I lean in closer, but it’s too dark to see anything. “Here, let me fix it.”

“It’s fine, Tate. It’s barely a scratch,” Ara whispers, still breathless. Fuck, I love hearing her say my name.

“Say that again,” I demand.

“I’m fine?” She sounds confused.

“No, my name,” I growl, and her breath hitches, setting my skin on fire.

“Tate,” she whispers and rests her hands on my chest, softly, questioningly. My heart picks up speed.

This is such a bad idea.

I should step away, walk away. But… I can’t.

She fists my shirt, and I lean in, unable to fight the pull she has on me. I place one arm next to her head to steady myself, and my other hand finds her face, cupping her cheek.

She turns into my touch, her lips brushing the inside of my wrist. It’s such a small, barely there touch, but it sends fire through my veins.

Her lips touch the sensitive skin again, and then she places open-mouthed kisses right above my hammering pulse.

“Ara,” I groan, barely holding on to my restraint.

Her tongue flicks over my skin playfully, deliberately, taunting, and unravels my control quicker than a sharp knife on taut rope.

I’m not sure which of us moves first, but her hands slide up my neck while I pull her into me, her body molding to mine.

Every thought of where we are is lost as soon as our lips meet.

I drown in her scent, her taste, the way she moves. Her lips are soft and demanding against mine, not surrendering but taking.

Her tongue slides against mine in sure, playful strokes and flicks, exploring without hesitation.

She tastes sweet, like the cookies she devours while reading. I pull her closer, angling her head to give me better access, and she nips at my bottom lip.

The sting of her teeth travels straight to my groin, stoking my need for her. The kiss turns from exploring to devouring in a heartbeat.

Steps come in our direction, and I’m so lost in her that it takes a moment before the information sinks in. I jerk back.

Fuck. What am I doing?

My chest is heaving, and I clear my throat while wrestling my control back into place.

“We shouldn’t…” I croak. What was I thinking? Anyone could have seen us, and she would be in trouble, not me.

A light comes closer. Ara is silent apart from panting breaths. I can make out her form but not her expression.

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