Page 89 of Stars in Umbra
To his credit, he didn’t look away, nor did he give any signs of bashfulness. ‘I had no clue I was saying that.’
‘Okay.’
It wasn’t okay, not by a long shot.
It was a hastily made statement about a love affair that had just begun.
Rina felt the room contract around her, suddenly too warm, too close. Her breath came faster. Her pulse pounded.
Mo leaned forward, gaze steady. ‘So what if I did,mi kaya?’
‘Mi kaya? You keep calling me that.’
‘It means my beautiful one in Iccythrian.’
She shook her head in confusion, yet with a half-smile, her hair falling onto her cheeks in waves. ‘You’re quite the linguist, and it’s a very potent endearment, as was the statement you made in Sacran.’
Mo pushed his tongue to the corner of his mouth.
The move was so enticing that Rina almost moaned until she caught herself, chiding her traitorous body to stop betraying her.
‘What if my soul meant it?’ he rasped.
She stared at him, stunned.
Wild thoughts went through her mind, laced with panic. ‘Well, that’s fine, but honey, what you said mentioned being owned? Bearing your children?’
‘What’s wrong with that?’
‘That’s a little problematic for me.’
His features iced over. The heat in his eyes turned to an unreadable, stormy gray ‘Right.’
‘I didn’t mean for it to come out -’ she started, but stopped.
This was going too fast. Too much. Too soon.
She pushed to her feet, stumbling. ‘I have to go.’
His hand shot out to help her, his sinewed fingers wrapping around her wrists.
He didn’t hold on tight; it was a loose grasp, but she knew if he tightened it, she’d not be able to release herself.
He was that strong.
‘Where are you going, Rina?’
His timbre was calm, yet laced with an edge.
‘I’ve got work to deal with.’
‘Bullshit. On the weekend? I thought the official conference ended last night. All that’s left are the intel briefings.’
‘Regardless, I’ve got stuff to do,’ she murmured. ‘Also, I don’t answer to you.’
His face hardened even more, and she caught a flash of what made him formidable flicker across his eyes. ‘Nada. You don’t.’
She pulled at her hand. ‘This is all happening too fast.’
