Page 76 of The Spark that Ignites
“That depends.” His wicked grin grew impossibly wider. “What are you offering?”
Narrowing her eyes at him, she slipped from his hold, and leaned back against a nearby dandelion stalk, that sweet grass smell so pungent it lingered on her tongue. “I have a feeling you already have your mind on something.”
“Let’s mix things up.” Shade bent to retrieve a raven feather from the mass of dandelion seeds. When he extended it to her, she frowned. “Keep this feather from me for let’s say”—he tapped his chin—“the time it takes you to get to that toadstool.”
Emmery glanced behind her. It was a good sprint away, but surely he wouldn’t make the bet if he didn’t think he could win. What did he have up his sleeve?
Emmery plucked the feather from his fingers. “And if I make it? What do I get?”
With a shrug, Shade asked, “You have me. What else could you possibly want?”
“I think”—she stepped toward Shade, dragging a finger down his misty chest—“you’re far more calculated than you let off. Tell me what you want as a reward. And what’s in it for me.”
“I will give you whatever you desire if you win. If it’s a title you seek, declare it. If it’s fame, I’ll worship at your feet. If it’s something only I can give you, name it.” His fingers found her cheek. “But I—” He swallowed. “What I wish is simple.”
Emmery’s heart stuttered as his green eyes seemingly unravelled her very soul. “Yes?”
“All I request is a teeny-tiny reward.” He blinked slowly, his gaze lingering on her lips. “Just a single kiss.”
Emmery frowned. What would be the point if he couldn’t feel it? “You could have simply asked, Shade,” she teased. “It would save you the trouble.”
“Yes, but I want toearnit.” He took a single step toward her. “This was my favourite place as a boy. But it's even more enjoyable now that I have a beautiful woman by my side.”
“Is that all I am to you?” Emmery slunk behind the dandelion, an innocent smile claiming her mouth. “Just a beautiful woman to chase?”
“No.” His velvet voice was soft and sweet and impossibly sultry. His gaze lingered on her lips. “You’re my everything.”
Though the words wove into her chest, circling her heart and squeezing until her legs were jelly, she grinned. “Catch me if you can, Ghost-boy.”
Emmery shook the dandelion stalk, a hurricane of seeds raining down, and she sprinted for the toadstool. Shade’s protest rang out as he searched for her through the blur of debris. She grinned, breath rushing, and head spinning. Not daring a glance behind her, Emmery’s legs strained as shepushed her feeble muscles. Victory was in reach, that damn raven feather clutched in her hand like a golden chalice and she had already won.
Because truly, she would win either way.
With each step the toadstool closed in. Grasping any stalk within reach as she skidded past, she shook it too.
Shade laughed, an impossibly joyous sound, his voice close behind. Emmery stretched for the fleshy toadstool, now only an arm’s reach away. She was so damn close, her lungs burning—
Tackling her with supernatural speed, they toppled, rolled, and landed in a puff of debris. Shade’s arms pulled her atop him with a rush of breath and shared laughter. They both lay panting, Emmery aligned with his large body, as she shoved the feather behind her ear, reached out with a single finger, and tapped the toadstool.
“Seems I’ve won,” she claimed, utterly breathless as a winded laugh slipped between her lips.
“Have you now? Are you sure about that?” Pure sinful delight lit his eyes as he bit down on his lip and gazed up at her. “Name your prize.”
Emmery pushed off his chest to straddle his hips and Shade propped himself on his hands. Their chests heaved, brushing, though it was like Emmery sat atop empty air.
He smelled ... different today. Not his usual freshly-fallen snow. Sharper. Colder. But he was still Shade.
He plucked the feather from behind her ear and tossed it carelessly over his shoulder. Her heart pounded more fiercely than she thought possible.
Not from the running. Not from the chase and the game. But from Shade.
Gods, that pull between them was impossible—the magnetic force tying her to him.
Their breaths mingled, hearts hammering to the same beat as time narrowed into this moment held in the space between their lips. There was really only one thing she wanted.
“Make me a promise?” she asked.
He nodded and gave Emmery a small smile. “Anything.”
