Page 62 of Bonds of Magic
“Cory,” he said, his tone a warning.
But I was past any chance of listening. I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed him anyway.
Noah froze, just like he had last time. I kept kissing him, my lips moving on his, waiting for him to respond. But he didn’t. He stood there like a statue until I pulled back, feeling worse than I had all night.
“I told you we couldn’t do that again,” he said, dropping his hands. He sounded more tired than angry. “Nothing has changed since then.”
“You can’t tell me you don’t feel something.” I said it like a statement, but really, it was a question. A question I was desperate for him to answer.
“What I feel has nothing to do with what’s right.”
“So you’re not denying it.”
“I’m not denying anything, because that’s not the point. The point is we’re not doing this.” He shook his head. “For all we know, you’re only attracted to me because we’re both incubi.”
“But you’re not one anymore. And even if you were, so what? I don’t care if this is because of that. I’m fine with this just being physical attraction.”
“You shouldn’t be,” Noah said chidingly. “You deserve to be with someone who can take care of you. Someone good.”
“You’re good.”
“I’m not. You don’t know me at all.”
“So let me get to know you.”
“No.” His voice was iron. “Even if I were a different person, Cory, I swore a long time again I’d never do this again. I don’t do relationships. I don’t do emotions.”
“Maybe I’m okay with that. I don’t need emotions.”
“Don’t be stupid. Everyone does.”
“Everyone except you?”
Noah grunted, then picked up my coat and shoved it at me. “This conversation is over. I need to get you back to your room.”
“What if I don’t want it to be over?”
“Then you’re only proving my point as to why this can’t work.”
He didn’t come out and say, ‘Then you’re only acting like the child I can’t help seeing you as,’ but he didn’t need to. I got the message.
“Fine.”
I took my coat. Zipped it. Let him walk me back up to the manor, drop me off at my room. I was fine. And I would let Noah think he’d won. Let him think I was cowed. Let him think whatever he wanted.
I knew the truth. Noah wanted me. And hewasgood. I just needed to find a way to prove it.
11
NOAH
Ifelt many things the morning after my lesson with Cory, but chief among them was frustrated.
Frustrated that he’d kissed me again. Frustrated that I was somehow still giving him mixed signals. Frustrated that my feelings for him were growing, not lessening. And worst of all, frustrated that I hadn’t kissed him back.
I lay in bed that morning, staring up at the ceiling. God, I’d wanted to kiss him back.
It had taken everything in me not to pull Cory closer. Not to give into the kiss. Not to walk him to my bed, strip him naked, and give him everything he was so clearly asking for. But instead, I’d kept him at arm’s length and kept silent as I took him back to his room, not trusting myself to speak.
