Page 21 of Winter Unleashed

“Hmm?” I breathed. Realizing I was still staring at him, I forced my eyes from his lips. “Oh yeah, that’d be great, thanks.”What the hell is wrong with me?I thought. I sounded like a teenager on her first date, instead of the independent, smart-mouthed Ember Steele I normally was.

As he drove, I stared at his profile, his lips, his powerful hands holding the wheel. He was fascinating just sitting there. When he turned to look at me, I smiled. When his hand covered mine, I linked my fingers with his. And when we pulled up to my house, we sat quietly staring at each other.

“We’re here,” he said after a while.

“I know,” I replied, slipping my hand from his to exit the car. He took it in his again as we walked to my door.

Once there, we stood, staring into each other’s eyes for a few moments before I touched my lips to his. The kiss was slow and sweet, almost heartbreakingly so. Even if the bond never triggered, I was going to fall for Liam Fraser. And I was going to fall hard.

“Goodnight, Liam,” I whispered against his lips, realizing he’d become ‘Liam’ instead of ‘Fraser.’ Another sign my bitterness toward him had disappeared.

“Goodnight, Ember,” he replied. He pulled back to look at me when a small noise escaped me. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure. When you said my name, I got a weird feeling.” I pressed my hand to my stomach. “It’s like a twisting.”

“Hmm… You once told me why your dad named you Ember. About how the light left his life when he saw your mark and how he thought you were insignificant like an ember leftover after a fire.”

“I told you that?” It surprised me I’d shared something so personal with him. I hadn’t even told Stella about that. The only way he could know it was if I’d told him, and for me to have done so meant I must have really trusted him.

“You did.” He smiled. “And I told you that one tiny ember can turn into a raging inferno. You are important to many people, including me. There is nothing insignificant about you.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“You’re welcome.” He brushed his lips against mine. “How do you feel when I call you Red?”

“Huh… Say it again.”

He lowered his head to touch his lips to my ear. “It’s been lovely spending time with you, Red,” he whispered, his warm breath sending those sparkles of desire through me again.

“Mmm, yeah, that’s better.” I ran my hands over his back, enjoying the contrast of hard muscles through the soft fabric. “I assume that’s your nickname for me.”

“It is.”

“Do I have one for you?” I asked as the heat pooled in my core. There was no denying the attraction I felt toward him, but I was so not going to sleep with him just yet.

He inhaled and a little moan escaped him when he undoubtedly caught a whiff of my arousal. “Mr. Fraser,” he said with a slight growl in his voice.

“Really? That seems so formal.” He met my eyes and the heat in them told me all I needed to know. “Oh… I see.” I pressed my thighs together so I wouldn’t jump up and wrap them around his waist.

His lips pulled into a knowing smile. “Listen, Red, I’m not expecting you to sleep with me tonight, though I’d be lying if I said I’m not hoping for it.” I let out a little laugh. He kept smiling at me for a moment, but then he sobered. “But before we take this any further, I have more to tell you. Some of it will hurt you… again, and some of it I hadn’t told you at all. After everything that’s happened, I think it’s time to stop hiding my past from you.”

“Tomorrow. Tell me tomorrow.” And because I couldn’t help myself, I lifted my face to his for another kiss, letting it linger for a long while. “I don’t know what will happen over the next few days, but there is something about you, Liam Fraser. Something that makes me feel like a schoolgirl for the first time in my life.”

His eyes darkened and his hands fisted against my back. “If I don’t get you back…”

“Shh.” I nuzzled my head under his chin, holding him tightly. His woodsy scent reminded me of the forest after the rain, and I inhaled, letting it wash over me. “We’ll figure it out. What I’m feeling for you is more than lust. It’s only been a few hours and I already feel like I’ve known you my whole life. That tells me there’s something huge between us.”

We held each other for so long, my eyes grew heavy, and I yawned against his chest. I snuggled closer to him when a chilly breeze made me shiver. He rubbed his hands over my arms to warm me up. “You should go inside. Get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow, Red,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

I watched him walk to his car and waited until it was out of sight before entering my house. My brow furrowed when I heard music and saw the kitchen light was on. “Hello?” I called but received no response.

A quick peek into the kitchen showed someone had been cooking but hadn’t cleaned up. Prickles of anxiety moved over my skin when the memory of Celeste cooking me breakfast came to mind.

I wandered through the living area to the back doors. Relief washed over me when I saw Isaac and Stella sitting on the Adirondack chairs while grilling something. They’d lit the twinkle lights around the deck and a fire in the firepit. I’d been so enthralled by Liam I hadn’t noticed another car in my driveway.

“Make yourselves at home, why don’t ya?” I called as I wandered over to them. The smell of hamburgers had my stomach growling so loudly it reminded me I hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

“Em!” Stella exclaimed as she jumped from her seat and ran to me. “How’d it go?”

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