Aeromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 3)

“Katherine,” he started carefully. “Let me take care of you.”

“You already are. You brought me here, didn’t you?”

He gave her an indulgent smile. “That’s not what I meant.”

Then he took the risk, planting a kiss on her lips, but she behaved as if he’d sent a bolt of lightning through her, jumping to her feet.

“It’s been a taxing day,” she said. “I’m tired.”

Dejected, he got up. She might keep on rejecting him, but he wasn’t giving up. She was hurt. He understood that. Proud. But they were living on borrowed time. He started to unbutton his shirt.

Her eyes flared. “What are you doing?”

“Getting ready for bed,” he said, keeping his tone neutral.

Her voice was filled with disbelief. “You’re not sleeping here.”

“Better believe it, krasavitsa. I’m staying right here next to you, in my rightful place.”

Her cheeks flushed a pretty, angry red. “What gives you the idea that this is your rightful place?”

“You wouldn’t have asked this if I hadn’t hurt your feelings.”

“All the more reason why you can’t stay in my room.”

He shrugged off the shirt. “You’ve seen me naked.”

She gave him an incredulous look. “We’ve broken up.”

“Things have changed. You need me to stay.”

Pulling her back straight, she said, “Don’t tell me what I need.”

“I said I’d be here for you.” He threw the shirt over the back of the sofa. “So just let me do it.”

“That doesn’t mean we can jump right back into a thirty-day fuck.”

“It’s about the contract, isn’t it?” He reached for her, but she took a step back. “You don’t understand.”

“I do. I always have. I took what you offered. Thirty days.”

“It wasn’t because I didn’t want more.”

She looked away.

“Look at me, Katherine.”

Obstinately, she refused.

Gripping her chin, he turned her face back to him. “It’s time that I explain some things. When I first saw you, you stirred the air around me. It had never happened to me before. Nobody ever affected me like you. I noticed you, even before I felt it. You wore those tight jeans and yellow top, and when you moved toward me, the air split in two. I couldn’t have turned away, even if I wanted to. I’ve never been hard for a woman just by looking at her.” He took her hand and guided it to the erection that had been torturing him since he’d returned to Santiago. “I’ve been hard ever since I laid my eyes on you again.”

She yanked her hand away, but he wasn’t going to let her off the hook. Joss was right. He was on a too damn tight deadline.

Pulling her against him, he wrapped his arms around her. “I want to make it better for you, Katherine, and God knows, I don’t deserve it, but I need your comfort too.”

She stilled at the confession. Slowly, her body relaxed in his embrace.

When the tension left her shoulders, he lifted her chin with a finger. “I’m going to kiss you now, Katherine.”

That was what he’d said the first time he kissed her. He’d deliberately repeated the words, hoping she’d see them for the new beginning he offered. When he brought his lips down to hers, it felt like déjà vu. Like the first time, he kept his eyes open to read her expression, to be sure she wanted what he was about to do.

His heart started beating with an uneven rhythm when her gaze softened. Taking that as his cue, he pressed their lips together and kissed her with all the tenderness he was capable of. She tasted sweet and wild and unobtainable. How he’d missed that heady taste.

Through the fabric of her dress, her nipples hardened against his chest. He wanted to taste those curves again too, but for now, he focused on her mouth, kissing her until her whole body turned soft in his arms. When he reached for the zipper of her dress, she caught his hand.

“What are you doing?” she asked, stepping away from him.

He placed his hands on her hips and dragged her back to him. “Let me take care of you. That’s all I’m asking.”

“We’re no longer together, Lann.”

The truth lodged in his heart. She was no longer his, and might never be again. Not by choice. But damn her choice when time wasn’t on their side. Nothing mattered but making every second count.

He offered the truth gently, because no matter how he was going to say it, it was going to hurt. “What does it matter in the bigger scheme of things?”

“In the bigger scheme of things,” she repeated, her wide eyes glistening with emotions. “You mean what does sleeping together now matter if I’ll be dead anyway in eight months?”

Wincing, he tightened his fingers on her hips. “Don’t say it like it.”

“Like what should I say it?”

“I want to be with you.” He pressed her body against his. “Regardless.” When she said nothing, he continued, “Don’t deny us this, Katherine. Your pride will just spite and hurt both of us.” He kissed the top of her head. “It’s only going to get harder. We’re going to need each other in the days to come.”