Page 72 of Enspelled

Or I try to.

She immediately turns her face away.

“Briar?”

Why is she shutting me out like this? And why do I fucking hate it so much?

I back her against a tree, grasp her chin and turn her face to me despite her fighting me all the way. “Look at me.”

“No.”

It’s a battle she loses because, as determined as she is, her strength is no match for a shifter.

My eyes lock on her tear-stained face. “You’ve been crying.”

Sniffing, she tries to turn away, but I hold onto her chin and refuse to let go. I don’t know what it is about seeing her tears, but I’m suddenly furious.

“How long?” I demand.

She doesn’t respond.

I lean closer. “How long have you been crying?”

Silence.

“Briar,” I snarl.

“A while, okay?” she snaps. “So now that you know, can you let me go?”

“Because you wanted to stay with Liam? Because I have to tell you—”

“Will you just stop going on about Liam? I wasn’t dreaming about him. Okay?”

I stare down at her, trying to work out if she’s just saying it to get away, or if she means it. Only I don’t read any deception in her eyes. “But you were dreaming of someone. I smelled you.”

A furious burn spills over her cheeks as she stares at my right ear.

“Briar. Who were you dreaming about?” I ask.

The sultry scent of her arousal is still fresh in my mind. I doubt I’ll ever forget the way she smells—but if she wasn’t dreaming about Liam, then who?

I suddenly remember her stepping out from the kitchen after I’d hunted her down from the Madden Grove Wood.

She was eyeing you at the café as if she was interested. Maybe it was you.

Please, let it be fucking me.

“Briar?”

She refuses to meet my eyes. “I thought you were in a hurry to get away. Aren’t you afraid the pack is going to come after us?”

Cradling the back of her head, I lean so close, she has no choice but to meet my eyes. “That can wait. Tell me who you were dreaming about.”

This close, it’s impossible to miss her gulp or the blush still warming her skin. “It isn’t important.”

I lower my head a little more, and she freezes so completely that I know she’s holding her breath. “Something tells me that it is.” My gaze flickers to her lips. “Very important.”

The tip of her tongue darts out, wetting her full lower lip.

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