Page 41

EINAR

Harper gave a little gasp, her blue eyes flaring wide as lust swirled between us. “You called me Harper before.”

My dick tightened. When I’d sensed her in my study, I told myself I was going to keep things quick and impersonal. Five days away should have been plenty to clear her from my system. To cure the need that plagued me whenever she was near.

It wasn’t. As the sweet scent of her arousal invaded my lungs, I knew that a hundred years wasn’t enough time to purge my need. But five days was long enough for me to control the parts of me she couldn’t see. Those parts had to stay hidden. If I’d been a better man, I would have stayed away forever. That would have kept her safe. But I wasn’t that good of a man, and I couldn’t make myself walk away. Not now.

I wanted her too badly.

More importantly, she wanted me too. And this time, centaurs had nothing to do with it. For some inexplicable, miraculous reason, Harper was just as caught up in me as I was in her. Had the attraction been there all along? What brought it out? Whatever it was, I wasn’t going to look too hard at it. Not with her standing before me, her luscious body throwing off enough heat to set my hair on fire.

“Did I?” I murmured, ignoring the way the Book of Crubeus rippled and changed shape in my peripheral vision. The woman in front of me was far more tempting. Helpless to resist her, I stepped close and feathered a thumb over her plump bottom lip. “And do you prefer it when I call you Harper?”

Her shaky exhale fluttered over my fingers. “Yes.” She seemed frozen—and more than a little flustered—but she didn’t pull away. “What are you doing?”

“I could ask you the same question.” I made another pass with my thumb. “You came looking for me. Or maybe you just wanted to snoop in my study.”

Her blue eyes flashed. Like always, the little flare of irritation went straight to my cock. “I wasn’t snooping,” she said.

“So you were looking for me.” I let a smile curve my lips. “You wanted to see me.”

Her thick, dark lashes lowered as she looked at my mouth. “I…”

Taking a chance, I slid my hand to her jaw—and had to suppress a groan at the silky feel of her skin against my palm.

Her heart sped up, the pulse in her throat fluttering like a trapped bird. “Arlo said it was your idea to let me use the kitchen while you were away.”

A week ago, I might have denied it. Let her think my steward was trying to keep her busy. But the arrangement had obviously pleased her, so I’d be damned if I didn’t take credit for it.

“It was,” I said. “You mentioned wanting to make your mother’s recipes. I thought this was a perfect opportunity.”

Her gaze softened. “It was.”

“Then I’m glad. Harper.”

The scent of her desire thickened, the air heavy with honeysuckle and a deeper, headier perfume that was hers alone. Pink bloomed in her cheeks. “You went grocery shopping for me.”

“Yes.”

“You replaced all the ingredients I used and then some.”

“I did.”

She searched my gaze, something both hopeful and solemn in her eyes. “Why would you do that?” she whispered.

Electricity sparked between us, the little currents licking at my skin. I was done lying to myself—and to her.

I lifted my free hand to her cheek so I was cupping her face with both hands. “You’re a reporter, Harper. Haven’t you figured it out by now?” Unable to help myself, I stroked a lock of bright hair away from her face. “I thought five days away would fix this, but I was wrong.”

Her lips parted. She stared up at me with blue eyes filling with something like wonder. “Fix what?”

“I want you. You’re under my skin, Harper Ward. And the harder I try to fight it, the more I want to make you mine. No one challenges me like you do. No one dares. Every time we argue, I walk away wondering if I should have kissed you instead.”

Her breath caught, the wonder in her eyes growing. “You don’t hate humans?”

Surprise flared in my mind. Although, maybe it shouldn’t have. I hadn’t really given her a reason to think I held her species in high regard. Time to remedy that right fucking now.

I brushed the pad of my thumb over the spray of freckles on her nose. “I don’t hate humans. In fact, I find myself utterly entranced by this one.”