Page 56 of Enchanted Kisses
Caiden let go of the fridge door and watched as it swung closed with a suction sound. “I don’t remember him saying that.”
Was he telling the truth? He had to be. Right?Ugh.I hated being new at this. “Well, what do you know about it?”
He faced me, the glint in his eyes seductive and frightening.
I stumbled back a few steps.
“Why don’t you ask me what you really want to know?”
“I di—” That was a lie, too? Dammit.
One corner of his mouth lifted, and he moved toward me. “You want to know about Bianca. I can see it in your face, your eyes, your body language.” He waved a hand from my head to my feet. “So ask.”
Hands trembling, I backed out of the kitchen and into the family room. My calves bumped into the coffee table in front of the couch. I moved around it and slid between the two pieces of furniture.
“You’re afraid of me now.” He wasn’t asking and his sadder tone tugged at my heart.
I didn’t say anything, worried my words would be cut off because I was afraid of so many things. My feelings for him. If I had the guts to confess how I felt. If I could be with him the way I wanted. How much longer I could resist his advances, because deep down, I wanted to explore the chemistry between us—the chemistry that formed before I knew he was a dreamy ex-prince of the Realm of Death with an ex-fiancée.
“I don’t want to be,” I murmured.
His shoulders slumped. “I don’t want you to be, either. Lily, what can I do to prove I’m not a threat and that I won’t hurt you? That all I want is to be near you.” His golden skin turned normal, and he shrunk as he transformed into his old self.
“If this is what it takes, I’ll do it.” He closed the distance between us.
I didn’t shy away when he took my hand and pulled me onto the couch beside him. It was how we used to sit whenever we watched movies.
“Want to hear a story?” He mimicked the light tone he always used.
Here I was, rejecting him and judging him again for his appearance, all because I was uncomfortable. It wasn’t fair. I had to accept this was the real Caiden and that I knew him, like Raysa had said.
I looked at him—myCaiden—one last time and said a silent good-bye. Then I stared directly into my favorite turquoise eyes. “I want you to change back. And I don’t ever want you to transform for me again.”
His mouth opened with surprise.
“I’m sorry for how I’ve treated you,” I said. “It wasn’t fair.”
I couldn’t read his expression. His breath picked up and he leaned forward. I thought he was going to kiss me, but he stopped an inch from my face, so close that my eyes crossed.
“What?” I asked, nerves and excitement rioting inside me.
His lips parted, and his warm breath caressed my mouth. When he tilted his head, my heart fluttered, and my insides squealed with anticipation. Then he sank back into the couch and let go of his glamour. At once, the room took on a warmer feel from his lustrous skin, glowing eyes, and gold-threaded hair.
I smiled and leaned into the cushions beside him.Guess he was serious about not kissing me unless I ask.I liked that almost as much as I liked how he teased me.
“So…?” I said in the most casual tone I could manage. “What should we do? I can’t go outside.” I perked up. “No, wait. I can if I’m with you.”
I knew the smile on his face was from my relaxed old-Lily behavior.I can totally do this.Hang with a super-gorgeous, ex-Prince of Death. No problem.
“I’d rather not. Dagan can still interrupt or cause problems. Even though I can protect you from him and have been for a year—the last week aside—I don’t want to risk losing you to him.”
The way he said it made it sound so profound. Instead of pursuing that topic, I dared to bring up another. “You could tell me about Bianca. You know,” I tried for joking, “how you met. How long you dated.” My throat tightened as if warning me to shut up.
“It wasn’t like that.”
“Oh.” I lowered my head, wishing I hadn’t brought her up at all. I didn’t want to hear about their hot, steamy relationship. How it was all about the sex, because what else could he have meant?
“It wasn’t like that, either,” he said, reading my face or my mind.
