Page 135 of His Ruthless Match
A soft gasp escaped my lips, and I struggled to find something to say that wouldn’t betray the chaos inside me. My hands hovered near his chest, uncertain whether to push him away or pull him closer. Every nerve in my body screamed for the latter.
His nose brushed against mine, the faintest of touches that made my breath hitch. “Jareth…”
Whatever I meant to say disappeared as his lips met mine. The kiss was hesitant at first, like he was testing the waters, but even that tentative touch made something deep inside me unravel. My hands moved on their own, pressing against his chest, and I leaned into him, letting the warmth of his skin chase away the lingering chill.
The kiss deepened, sending sparks skittering through my veins. He cupped my face, his thumbs brushing my jaw with a tenderness that left me breathless. His touch wasn’t demanding. It was careful, reverent, as though he thought I might shatter if he wasn’t gentle.
The world outside ceased to exist. There was no storm, no looming danger, no tangled web of secrets and lies. It was just us, tangled together in something raw. My mind raced, but at the same time, I couldn’t think beyond the feel of him—his warmth, his strength, the way he made me feel like the center of the universe.
He pulled back and rested his forehead against mine, his breathing uneven. His eyes searched mine, filled with somethingI couldn’t quite name. Vulnerability? Longing? Whatever it was, it made my chest ache.
“You’re soaked,” I said softly, a faint smile tugging at my lips as I tried to mask the storm of emotions swirling inside me.
“So are you,” he countered.
The laughter that bubbled between us felt lighter than it should have, and it broke the tension, but the air between us was still charged.
Jareth stepped back reluctantly, his hands falling from my face. “Come on,” he said, his voice softer now, almost hesitant. “Let’s get you warm.”
I nodded, my stomach dipping as I watched him turn away. The broad lines of his back, still damp from the rain, seemed impossibly far away despite the small space of the cottage. I followed him silently, my mind spinning with everything I wanted to say but couldn’t.
37
JARETH
Rain drummed against the windows of my bedroom, a steady rhythm that echoed the hammering of my pulse.
My mind was spinning with conflicting thoughts. I’d come so close to telling Eva she was my fated mate until the damn downpour had started. It had killed the moment and left us drenched and breathless. Now here I was, an unspoken confession clinging to my lungs.
The room was dark, save for the dim glow of the bedside lamp I’d left on earlier. Outside, occasional flashes of lightning flickered through the heavy curtains, illuminating the room in momentary bursts of white. I let out a long exhale, trying to steady my breathing, trying to ignore the magnetic pull that Eva had on me.
My cougar stirred restlessly, reminding me it had recognized her as something far more important than a passing fling. She was the one. My mate. The knowledge buzzed under my skin, but I wasn’t ready to share the secret yet. Not because I doubted her, but I doubted myself.I wasn’t sure how I could articulate the gravity of what it meant to claim her in that way.
I shook my head, trying to clear it. I caught sight of my reflection in the large mirror above my dresser: hair plasteredto my forehead, eyes bright with adrenaline. My heart still hammered in my chest, as though it hadn’t caught up with the fact that we were inside, safe from the storm.
The first order of business was to grab a towel for Eva. She’d been soaked to the bone too, and I couldn’t stand the idea of her standing around shivering. I switched on the overhead light in the bathroom and opened the linen closet, pulling out the fluffiest towel I could find.
When I turned around, Eva stood in the doorway. The faint glow of light revealed the goosebumps on her arms, but the expression on her face was unreadable. It was as if she was weighing whether to step forward or walk away. Yet her presence, silent and watchful, filled the room like a flame threatening to consume all the oxygen.
My heart thumped in my chest.Does she know how close I was to confessing everything?The question churned in my head. Unable to bear the tension any longer, I moved toward her and draped the towel over her shoulders, my knuckles grazing her arms. Her skin felt warm despite the chill of the storm, and I couldn’t help but let my fingers linger.
Eva’s gaze locked with mine as she clutched the towel. My cougar rumbled inside me, urging me closer. Desire, relief, and an undercurrent of something much deeper tangled in my gut.
“Thanks,” she whispered, but she didn’t pull away. Her lips parted slightly, eyes shining with an unreadable emotion. Rainwater still clung to her eyelashes, and as she blinked, droplets slid down her cheeks.
We stood like that for a moment, suspended in that fragile space between us. The air felt charged, full of tension and longing.Is this what we’re doing now?The question hummed between us, unspoken but unavoidable.
A thousand doubts pinballed through my mind.Does she want this as much as I do? What if I’ve misread everything?Butthat single shred of hesitation vanished when Eva reached up and placed her hands on my chest. Her fingers traced tentative patterns against my bare skin. I almost forgot to breathe. The heat of her touch made my stomach clench, and my cougar’s growl reverberated in my chest.
“Eva…” I began, but words failed me.What exactly was I going to say?
She looked up, tilting her chin. Her eyes carried a question.Are we really doing this?I answered her not with words, but with a gentle kiss.
I leaned in slowly, my palm sliding to cup her face. Our lips brushed, barely more than a whisper at first, yet it ignited something fierce and consuming in me. The initial contact sent a rush of warmth spiraling from my chest to every nerve ending in my body.
A quiet sigh escaped her, and the sound emboldened me. I kissed her again, this time more deliberately. She tasted of rain, and her lips parted in invitation. The flood of emotions that surged up almost floored me. Relief, need, protectiveness—I poured it all into that kiss, unable to hold back.
Eva’s hands slid around my shoulders, then up into my hair. She pulled me closer, a silent plea for more. I obliged as I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her flush against me. A low growl rumbled in my chest as my cougar roared in approval. I broke the kiss to look down at her, my breathing ragged. Our eyes locked, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. There was no need for words, not when every breath we shared crackled with unspoken meaning.
