Page 70 of Apples Dipped in Gold

“Yes,” I whispered, because the harder she chased her release, the faster she moved.

I lifted my hips higher and higher, ready to unwind.

The explosion hit like a physical blow. It was almost painful, the way my body tightened as it prepared to release another wave of pleasure.

When it was done, I opened my eyes and relaxed my jaw to find Samara staring down at me. I didn’t know what to make of her expression. She looked flushed, and her eyes were glassy. Had she come? I was about to ask, but she spoke.

“Are you okay?”

I grinned. “I am more than okay,” I said. “But how are you, beloved?”

“I am perfect,” she whispered as she lay down beside me with her head on my chest.

In the quiet that followed, every rapturous feeling slowly left my body, replaced by guilt. I had let things go too far between us. It did not matter that she loved me or that my feelings for her over the last seven years felt real. The truth was my love for her was nothing more than a curse.

Chapter Ten

The Witch in the Wood

Samara

“Samara,” Lore said. His voice was near my ear, and his hand was on my shoulder. He nudged me gently as he spoke. “It’s time to rise. We must be off.”

“Go away,” I said, burying my head under the blanket.

“Perhaps you should let her rest,” said the fox. “You did keep her up half the night.”

“Hold your tongue, Fox,” Lore snapped before returning his attention to me.

“I agree with Fox,” I mumbled. “Let me sleep.”

“Has everyone forgotten that I too was up half the night?”

“Most men wouldn’t complain,” said the fox.

Lore growled.

“Don’t you have a few rats to catch?” he snapped.

Suddenly, there was a sound like tearing vines, and a gust of cold air entered the small space.

“One would think you would be in a better moodgiven your night,” said the fox. “Perhaps you should listen to yourbeloved. I think you could use a nap.”

I sat up as Fox leapt out of the lean-to and into the gray morning to hunt for his food.

“That wasn’t very nice,” I said, meeting Lore’s gaze.

“You are only saying that because he wanted to let you sleep.”

“What is so wrong with sleeping a while longer?” I asked, but then my gaze fell to his mouth, and I leaned close, my lips brushing his as I spoke. “Or perhaps you are eager for something else?”

“Samara,” he said, though I couldn’t place the tone of his voice. It was almost pained, but that didn’t make sense, not after the night we had shared. I closed the distance between us and kissed him. I was too new to feel very confident in how I moved, but I liked the way his mouth felt against mine, so I kept going, soft and slow, but then Lore kissed me back, harder this time and longer before pulling away.

“This is wrong,” he said.

I couldn’t quite describe how his words made me feel, but I thought that perhaps my heart was close to breaking. My chest hurt.

“What did you say?” I whispered, meeting his violet-eyed gaze.