Page 81 of Blood and Fate

She felt so exposed, only a tattered shirt covering her. Another chill raced over her, her breasts peaking beneath her shirt. She couldn’t be sure if the reaction was from the chill in the air or something else.

Then, Kais, still holding her gaze, lowered himself down until he was crouched before her, his fingers finding the laces of her boots and working them free. He looked up through his lashes.

“Put your hands on my shoulders.”

His voice had taken on a husky quality, and the sounds sent stirrings straight to her core. Helias! He lifted her feet, one at a time, and removed her boots. The blood had even found its way inside her shoes.

Kais’ hands moved to his own boots, expertly undoing the top portion of the laces and pulling them from his feet as he stood. He was so close, towering over her, her head tilted nearly impossibly far back to look him in the eyes. If either of them breathed in too deeply their bodies would surely brush against each other. Her breaths became shallower as the weight of his gaze pressed on her.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

KAIS

Kais was almost appalled at the number of times in the past day—hours, really—where he had shut his mind off and just let his body, his heart, lead. This would be no exception.

As she stared up at him, her cheeks blazing and expectancy lighting her brown eyes, he pushed rational thought to the side once more. He lifted her off her feet, cradling her in his arms. A startled gasp escaped her as her arms closed around his neck, bringing her face inches from his.

Careful of his footing, he stepped toward the edge of the water and then into the gentle flow. Underground hot springs heated the water, so no matter how cold it was outside, the pool was still warm. Another surprised sound issued from her lips, her breath light on his face.

When he was deep enough, he let her go, allowing her to rest her feet on the smooth rocks at the bottom of the pool. His eyes drifted down, and air left him as he forced his gaze back up. Her loose shirt was beginning to cling to her in the warm water. This may have been a very bad idea. Her eyes met his as her hands slid around his back. He thought she would stay that way, holding on, her body pressed to his, but that was clearly not her intention.

Her fingers closed around the material of his black tunic, and she tugged, pulling the shirt from where it was tucked into his pants. When the shirt was free, he didn’t wait for her, he reached for the hem and pulled it over his head, letting it fall into the water with a splash.

Her hands left his waist, and a jolt ran through him as they landed on his chest. She ran her fingers lightly across the area. He held his breath and mentally plastered his hands to his side, afraid of what he might touch if he allowed them free rein. When her fingers slid down his side, to his waist, and dipped just slightly into the band of his pants, he gave up.

He raised a hand to her shoulder where her shirt rested. As he trailed his thumb down, along her neck, and over her collarbone, he was rewarded by the sight of goosebumps pebbling on her skin. Heat rushed up his neck and then down as he let his touch drift over her shoulder and down her arm, taking the collar and sleeve of her shirt with it until it hung off her bare shoulder.

He lifted his eyes to hers again, checking in. The last thing he wanted was to cross a line. She stood with her eyes closed, her face a picture of calm. There were no signs of protest, and he felt no discomfort from her. Her heart fluttered and a mostly unfamiliar sensation pooled inside her. He’d thought he’d felt it from her once before, but this time, he was certain. Desire. He kept his attention on her face as he slid his hands back down her side and brought them up again, under her shirt, along the soft skin of her back. Her eyes opened, and she sucked in a breath at the contact of his skin on hers.

Her eyes met his, and the flutter of her heart kicked up to a much more rapid tempo, or was that his own? He wasn’t even sure anymore.

Satori’s hands left his chest, and she stepped away, slowly backing farther into the warm water. Confusion pressed in, her movements said she wanted to be away, but the swirl of emotions inside her told him something very different. He remained still, waiting to see what she would do.

The sun had begun to sink and the moon to rise. The full moon was only two days past. The large bright orb lit the night through the space above the pool where no trees grew.

Her hands disappeared beneath the water’s surface, but her eyes remained on his. There was movement, but the waning light made it difficult to see what she was doing. That was until she drew her tattered shirt, still pink with blood, over her head and dropped it into the water beside her.

Now Kais was certain whose heart was thudding as he took in the moon’s glow on Satori’s wet shoulders. She disappeared beneath the surface for a moment before reemerging, head back, letting her hair wash out of her face with the flow of the water. Her tattered pants floated to the surface beside her as she pulled her braid over her shoulder and began to work the matted strands loose. Kais tore his attention away from the pants to watch her fingers move over the tangles and snarled areas. His own fingers twitched, the desire to be the one combing through her hair rising inside him.

Why couldn’t they be his fingers? He stepped toward her until he was close enough to take her hands, stilling them. He lifted the braid back over her shoulder and, with the barest nudge, she turned around, giving him her back and better access to the hair.

He tugged slightly, pulling her head backward to wet the hair, and the sight of her hair in his fist and her neck bared did things to him. He closed his eyes and pulled in a deep breath, releasing it and returning to work on the tangles at the base of her skull.

When he was finished, he combed his fingers through her hair, washing away the day.

Satori turned her head to the right and spoke over her shoulder. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He moved back around in front of her as she stared into his eyes. He reached out again and trailed a finger down her cheek, pausing at her shoulder to push the rest of her hair back behind her, allowing his thumb to trace circles over her collarbone.

“Kais.” Her voice was quiet and hoarse.

“Yes?” he breathed in response.

“Will you touch me?”

His heart skidded to a dead stop in his chest and then resumed at twice the pace. He wanted nothing more than to touch her. Helias, he’d wanted to touch her since almost the moment he’d seen her. He wanted to touch her all night long. He took the slightest, tentative step toward her, barely daring to hope he’d heard her correctly.

“Are you sure?”

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