Page 72 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
Sanagave him a teasing smile. “I assume this was after your freak out.”
Hiseyes narrowed at her. “You mean afteryounearly made my heart stop—yes,after that.”
Sanarolled her eyes but leaned forward to give him a soft apologetic kissregardless. Dipping his head lower, he placed a nipping bite on her nipple,looking satisfied at her yelp of shock.
“Zach!”she yanked the sheets over her tender breast and scowled at him.
Unapologetic,he plucked the ring box that had fallen to her lap and pulled out the ring.Taking her left hand, he kissed her ring finger before slipping the dainty ringon her finger.
Sighing,she laid back and stared at her outstretched hand before looking at him with ahopeful smile.
“It’sbeautiful,” she whispered.
Pullingthe sheets she was using as a shield for her abused nipple, Zach placed asoothing kiss to the tender bud before leaning forward to kiss her on the lips.
“You’rebeautiful, Sana,” his tone hushed and reverent as he looked at her. “I havethought about this moment for years. I would sit up at night continent’s away,on the other side of the world, mentally designing this ring over and overagain. The day you moved back, I went to Antor and paid double for them to makeit as soon as possible.”
Hersoul felt as if it were on fire at his words. Looking at her ring again, shecould hardly believe it. Opening her arms to him, Sana turned her face up tomeet his lips as a tear slid down her cheek. Gathered in his arms, she laythere in a comfortable stunned silence as she listened to him breathe.
Stillgently thumbing her ring around her finger, she spoke after a while. "Youknow, I never really think about Antor Falls. I know it’s only a few hoursaway, but I never seem to think of it," she remarked casually.
"That'sby design,” Zach answered.
Straighteningagainst the pillows so she could look at him directly, she gave him aquestioning look. "What do you mean?"
Aftera while, he spoke, seemingly coming to some sort of internal decision."Tell yourself you're going to take the day and visit Antor Fallstomorrow," he instructed. "Go ahead, really think it,” he said afterseeing her speculative glance.
"Ok,"she let the word drag as she tried to form a plan for going to visit themysterious town. But despite saying it in her mind, the thought kept slippingaway as if she was trying to catch a fish with her hands.
"It'snearly impossible right?" he smiled, watching her sigh in irritation asshe kept trying. "Anyone can live in Gaulding,” he continued, “only closefriends and family of residents can move to Tarki, and no one but the originalresidents and the invited can move to Antor Falls."
"Theinvited? Invited by whom?" she asked carefully. Theinvitedsoundedvery ominous.
"Morelike invited by what," he clarified. "There is a witch that lives inAntor Falls, a witch who controls pretty much all the pacific northwest. Antoris her home and filled with secrets and protected by her magic. Unless invited,no one will ever be able to go to Antor. Even if someone, an outsider, were totravel through Tarki and kept up the highway north, they would get to a pointwhere they just stop and turn around."
"But…"Sana paused, thinking for a moment. "But we have an installation to do ina few weeks! Jax has to be there, Zach!"
Zachlaughed, and she heard the edge of cruel glee in his voice towards her engineerbefore softening as he gave her a knowing look. "Out of everything I justtold you, that's the first thing you ask?”
"Well…yeah.I mean, it's definitely interesting, and I will for sure have more questionslater, but right now, all I can think about is poor Jax driving up there tomeet you guys and just pulling over and getting confused why he was even goingthere."
Zachmade a scoffing noise under his breath. "He'll be fine."
"But-"she tried again, but Zach cut her off.
"Don'tworry, the mayor of Antor already cleared it with her," he assured her, butSana noted how he said the wordheralmost reverently. "You and Jaxwill be able to go without issue, but just for the duration of the project,” headded firmly.
"Whathappens after?"
"Itwill be just like now, the thought will just fade every time you try to thinkof going."
"Willwe see anything—scary when we go?" Her mind immediately turned to thedemons he mentioned as she tried not to shrink into the bedsheets at thethought.
Zachlaughed.
"No.Actually, I'm looking forward to your face of disappointment when you go. AntorFalls looks just like Tarki, maybe a bit more historic and a bit more manicuredin the public areas, but not too different from Tarki."
Sana’seyebrows lifted in question. "Will I see her?"
