Page 42 of Fates Fulfilled
For a moment, Lex couldn’t breathe. They were alone. He had no need to convince outsiders of his devotion, and yet he’d said the words anyway.
No one thought her pretty in the Earth realm. In Tirnan, well, she supposed the physical changes helped. But if Garrin thought her beautiful prior to the changes…
Before she could wrap her head around what he was saying, Garrin did something she never would have predicted.
He leaned over and kissed her.
And not just any kiss. Herfirstkiss.
Time stopped. Every breath, every sound, including her own heartbeat, magnified.
The press of his lips was soft yet firm, and he hesitated just a beat as though he didn’t want to pull away.
Her blood crackled to life and the electrical sensation that ran down her spine whenever they touched hit her tenfold.
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Lex touched her mouth. “Why did you kiss me?”
Garrin froze. Whyhadhe kissed her? Lex tasted like the finest sweetbrune, her lips infinitely soft and pillowy. He’d been drawn to her from the very beginning, but now that she was sheltered and hale, he’d done what he hadn’t dared do in the Land of Ice.
That one soft kiss had made his blood stir. Lexandra didn’t know how desirable she was.
Only that wasn’t what he said. “We are to be married. If our first kiss is to look real, we should practice without others around.”
Lex’s shoulders sank, and Garrin wanted to immediately take back his words. He hadn’t lied, but he hadn’t told the whole truth. He’d kissed her because he wanted to.
“So, my first kiss…was from a guy whohadto do it?”
“First kiss?” That couldn’t be. Lex was a beautiful woman, even before her true appearance was revealed.
“Yes, you jerk,” she said, and swatted his arm.
He lifted his eyebrow. “Was that an attempt to injure my person? Because I assure you, it caused as much damage as a butterfly flapping its wings.”
“You saw what I looked like on Earth. I was a giraffe no one wanted to be close to.” She pointed a finger at his face. “What you did is cruel.”
He leaned closer, her light, airy sent tickling his nose. “Humans are fools. Believe me, kissing you is no hardship.” He narrowed his eyes and thought back. “That Jasper creature wanted to be close to you.”
Garrin’s annoyance rose from thinking about the Fae who’d nearly prevented their escape. Jasper had put all of them at risk by surprising Garrin and his men inside the cave.
Lex’s nose scrunched. “Jas is like a brother to me.”
Garrin saw the way the Fae had protected Lex. And he didn’t like it. Though he had to admit, grudgingly, that he appreciated Lex having a guardian on Earth until Garrin could reach her.
She might not see it that way, however. “I’m sorry that your first kiss wasn’t with someone you care for.”
Her mouth softened and she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I never said that.”
“Then you are attracted to me as I am attracted to you?”
Her gaze shot to his. “You’re very direct, you know that?”
He leaned closer, giving her time to move away. When she didn’t, he touched the underside of her jaw and kissed her the way he’d wanted to moments ago, with his lips and tongue.
Lex’s hands slid up his chest, and Garrin gently eased her closer until her body was flush with his.
The electricity that sparked whenever they touched turned white-hot. Every stroke of his tongue against hers had Garrin’s primal instincts firing. Especially after she let out a light moan.
