Page 186 of Flameborne: Chosen

“Hmm?” She went very still and I almost let her go. Almost forced myself to take my hand back, because when Bren went still, it was usually from fear. But this time, inexplicably, her tension felt different.

My heart swelled.Don’t leave me.

“Are you lonely?” The moment the words were out, I was mortified. I’d meant to ask if she wantedcompany.I meant to share that I understood if she didn’t want to be alone. But somehow those words came instead, and they hung in the air now, like an accusation. “No,” I said hurriedly, putting my hands up when her expression grew horrified. “That sounded—I didn’t mean—I was only thinking I could sit with you. Until the dragons return. If you didn’t want to be alone.”

She blinked. “Don’t you have a meeting with the King?”

Shit. I had said that.

“I lied about that,” I admitted with an uncomfortable shrug. Then I scratched the back of my neck to cover my wince.

But Bren’s eyes widened and locked on mine.

As her gaze grew rounder, my stomach plummeted. I couldn’t move. I was frozen, my guts twirling with nervous butterflies and the quivering kind of tension I hadn’t felt since I was a lad, still learning women and uncertain of every step.

I tore my gaze from hers and cursed under my breath. What was wrong with me? What the hell had happened—

Then she moved and instinctively looked back to her again and I was caged in those eyes. Round, staring, liquid…pleading.

“Bren—” I cleared my throat, my entire body twitching with tension as Bren stared at me like I was a creature she’d never seen before, and I had to decide if I’d be honest with her. “I asked that becauseI’mlonely sometimes. And, yes, I am a busy man, but notthatbusy. Not too busy. For… for you. I just…” I swallowed and cursed myself as I tried to find the words.

“What are you doing, Donavyn?” she breathed.

“I’m trying to be honest with you.” I turned to face her fully, stepped closer, heart pounding. Her eyes grew even wider. But she didn’t back away.

She swallowed again. “You said last time you regretted—”

“I…what?”

“When I kissed you,” she said, forcing the words through her teeth, her jaw clenched—in anger or fear? I couldn’t tell. “You told me that you regretted it, and—”

“Regrettedmyactions,Bren. Notyours!”

Her brows pinched over her nose. “But, you said—”

“I told you that you didn’t misread me, didn’t I? That I couldn’t, even if I wanted to?”

“Yes, but—”

“I never regrettedyou,Bren. I regretted the circumstances. I’m aGeneral,”I rasped. “The Battle Commander of the Furyknights. I vowed I’d never confuse anyone with my intentions, or inappropriate… anything. I breached a vow when I kissed you and—”

“You didn’t kiss me,Ikissedyou,”she insisted.

I huffed. “Trust me, I was doing the kissing,” I muttered.

She blinked and I froze. We both stared. Time stopped.

Can’t do it. Shouldn’t do it. Wrong to do it.

Have to do it.

I opened my mouth, searching for the right words, searching for the resolve to do what I was supposed to do—but somehow I only inched closer.

And she swayed towards me.

I don’t think either of us breathed.

“Bren…” Somewhere in the back of my mind I became aware of Kgosi returning to range. Almost close enough to speak. My dragon was elated. Thrilled. And deeply satisfied.