Page 94 of Sealed By Fire (The Nature Hunters Academy 2)

“We have”—Ra pulled his phone from a pocket of his cargo pants and glanced at it—“three hours left.”

“What?” Shelly asked “We weren’t in that office for four hours.”

“Time moves differently in the underworld. We lost some time before we even came back. It didn’t occur to me to clarify his given time frame. I wasn’t thinking very clearly.”

Shelly gave in to her need to touch him and rubbed his back. “I can’t imagine why. You hadn’t just given me half your soul or committed yourself for life to a girl you hardly know.”

“I know enough,” Ra said as he looked at her.

“I will go to your headmaster and headmistress and explain things”—Aviur looked at Shelly—“with decorum and request you be allowed the time you need. Please be at the meeting tomorrow. That’s all I will ask of you for now.”

“Of course,” Ra said.

Aviur stood and opened a portal but looked back at Shelly. “Welcome to the family, Shelly.”

She smiled and nodded.

“One last thing, my lord,” Ra said quickly. “We need to go to her parents as soon as possible.”

“Certainly,” Aviur said. “We will discuss it immediately after the meeting tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Shelly said.

Aviur bowed his head to her and then disappeared through the portal.

When he was gone, the room was quiet and full of tension. She didn’t know what to say or do.

“Would you like to take a shower?” Ra asked as he stood and looked at her.

Shelly was frozen.

“By yourself,Mery,” he added quickly.

She blew out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I mean, it’s not that I wouldn’t want to take a shower with you because, come on, look at you.” She motioned to him. “I mean, only a blind chick wouldn’t jump at the chance, but then all you’d have to do is open your mouth and speak and she’d be begging to be the next contestant onThe Price Is Rightfor Ra’s shower buddy.” When Shelly ran out of steam, she sat there hoping the ground would open up and suck her in.

Ra took her hand and pulled her to her feet. She couldn’t look at him, not after the word vomit she’d just spewed all over him.

“I told you I would ignore you if you didn’t look at me when we spoke,” he said gently.

When she didn’t raise her head, he placed his finger under her chin and lifted it for her. Had that been her plan when she refused to look at him? Maybe. Did she do it because she adored his touch? Pretty much.

“You’re in control of this,Mery.” His voice was so soothing that she wanted him to keep talking.

Then his words hit her. “Wait, what? The control freak is giving me control?” She frowned, unsure how she felt about that.

“I already feel like you’re being forced into this. I don’t want to make it worse,” he admitted. “If I can make this easier, or less awkward, I will.”

“Do you feel awkward? Because you don’t seem like the type that’s ever awkward. Like, ever.”

His lips twitched like he wanted to smile. “I think it might be a little different for a male, and I’m a little older.”

Her heart sank. “More experienced, no doubt,” she mumbled. She wanted to drop her face so badly, but he was still holding her head up.

He suddenly took her face in his large hands and stepped closer to her. His forehead dropped to hers, and she felt his heart pounding in his chest. It was beating in perfect rhythm to her own.

Without saying anything, he dropped his head and pressed his lips firmly to hers. It was commanding, bold, and possessive.

He bit her bottom lip and she gasped. Ra didn’t hesitate as he slipped his tongue into her mouth without giving her time to wonder what the hell to do because she’d never kissed anyone. He tilted her head and deepened the kiss as his tongue wrestled, licked, and danced with hers.

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