Page 27 of The Time Of Queens (An Afterlife Story #2)

27

A KISS IS ALL IT TAKES

“ I really don’t think this is a good idea!” I exclaimed, trying once again to get him to turn around. However, he took this opportunity to hold me tighter and whisper in my ear,

“Relax, I’ve got you.”

This time, the shiver that crept along my body had nothing to do with the weather as he was certainly keeping me warm enough. Hell, I was burning up inside… no pun intended.

“I feel I should point out that this isn’t really you teaching me how to ride, maybe we should go back and I should try on a smaller horse,” I suggested, leaving out the part where I would then take said horse and try and escape him. Christ, but doing loops around the house was better than this, as at least that way I could be assured that Pip’s magic wouldn’t wear off.

“Oh no, for that would be far too irresponsible of me to allow such for your first time. But if it is riding a horse you wish to learn, then try first… squeezing your thighs,” he whispered, making me gasp.

“Excuse me!”

He chuckled, as he obviously felt the freedom enough to tease me sexually out here.

“Here, you may take the reins, if you like?” he offered, opening his fingers and allowing me to take the straps of leather if I wanted to, which I did not.

“No, no, that’s alright, I think it’s best you carry on.”

He laughed before I felt him flexing his fingers at my belly from where he held me to him with one arm.

“Then perhaps you would like to stop for a moment,” he suggested, making me nod my head.

“Or we could make our way back to the house, as I am sure your dinner will be ready shortly,” I tried again.

“I am not hungry… for food.”

I gulped and refrained from asking what else he was hungry for. As, well, the way he now trailed his fingers lightly at my stomach told me exactly what he was hungry for.

“Okay, we should stop right here!” I suddenly shouted, afraid that something was happening to him, as he had never acted this outright flirty before.

I heard his knowing chuckle once more before he led Samson towards a particularly large oak tree. One that looked older than the house we had just left. Then after prompting his horse near one of the smaller trees surrounding it, he let go of the reins and dismounted.

“Swing your leg over and I will help you down,” he told me, and because I was very ready to be off this giant horse, I did as he asked.

“Now slide down and I will catch you,” he said once I had both legs hanging down. Of course, I knew that he would have no problem with my weight, so I trusted him enough to do what he said, feeling his hands at my waist soon enough.

But had he been a mortal man, then I would have felt my feet hit the floor shortly after. Naturally, this didn’t happen with Draven. No, because he took the opportunity to lower me slowly down the length of him, making me blush at the heated look he gave me. One that didn’t falter even when my feet finally made it to the grass, for he kept hold of me for far longer than he needed to.

“You can… erm… let go now,” I told him softly, prompting a gentle sigh from him before he did as I asked.

However, my quick step backwards caused me to bump straight into the horse. A horse who thankfully remained steady at my back. But as for Draven, he was in no hurry to give me my space. Meaning I ended up trying to sidestep him. I would have made it as well, had he not reached out and placed his hand against the saddle.

“I think I need to…”

“Stay exactly where you are, I agree,” he finished for me, and my surprised reaction was clear to see as I looked up at him, giving him my wide questioning eyes.

“M-m-my Lord?” I asked, my tone unsure and unsteady.

“I think we are far past the formalities of titles, don’t you, Keira?” he replied, making me frown before stating,

“Not considering I am your maid, no.”

He grinned before lowering his head closer to mine, telling me softly,

“Oh, but I think we both know that you are so much more than that.”

I inhaled quickly, especially when he pulled back enough to reach up and push a strand of my loose hair away from my face, slowly tucking it gently behind my ear in a tender gesture.

“What’s happening?” I questioned quietly, and just like his brother had granted me on our walk, his knowing grin was one I found unnervingly handsome.

“I think you know, little maid,” he whispered, and just as he was about to lean down and kiss me, I panicked. I saw my opening and dipped under his arm, quick to put space between us, now walking towards the large oak.

“We cannot… should not be doing this,” I exclaimed, my heart racing for more than one reason.

“No?” His question oozed with self-confidence. As for me, I simply stumbled with my words.

“No, it is… it is…”

“It is?” he mimicked, his tone now outright smug as he followed me towards the tree. But then I thought of the word that would fit this time and almost yelled it out.

“Improper!”

He threw back his head and started laughing, shaking his head as if something I said was too amusing to be contained. But then when he got close enough, he asked,

“And what about stealing, is that too, improper?”

I really did gasp at that, my mouth dropping before I hissed,

“What?”

“Oh, you heard me,” he stated, making my heart pound within my chest for only one reason… did he know?

“I… I… haven’t taken anything,” I argued, in hopes this wasn’t what I thought it could be. That I hadn’t yet been discovered.

“Perhaps not, but I think we both know that it hasn’t been through lack of trying,” he told me, and just as I was about to argue some more, he did the unthinkable after I started to say,

“I don’t know what you are talking…”

“No, so you wouldn’t be interested in one of these, then?” he asked, pulling a gold coin from his pocket, one that even from the distance between us, I could see held the three heads of Janus. One looking to the past, one to the present and one to the future. I started shaking my head as hands flew to my lips, before dropping them enough to say,

“You know?”

At this he lost all his smiles pretty quickly. Hurt and anger overtook his features, before he admitted bitterly,

“What? That you kept who you truly were from me…? Yes, I know, Keira.”

Okay, so this might not be as bad as I feared. Maybe he didn’t know that I was from the future and just that I was the girl from that night.

“But let’s confirm it, should we?” he said, stepping even closer until my back was suddenly to the tree.

“Wh-what do you mean?” I stammered.

“Kiss me,” he said, and again the shock of the question had my eyes widening.

“I can’t do that.”

His grin said otherwise.

“Why not? After all, you have kissed me once already,” he affirmed, making me shake my head in vain this time.

“I… that night was…”

“Was?” he questioned, raising an arrogant brow.

“A mistake, I should never have kissed you like that and, yes, technically I did steal your cloak and well… as for the coin…” I started rambling, making him finally grin down at me, his anger disappearing the closer he got. This, until he had his hands either side of my head, trapping me in place.

“I think we both know it wasn’t a mistake but more like an impulse.” His self-assured tone was hard to argue against.

“Why would it be?” I asked defiantly, trying to feign indifference.

“Because you are my Chosen One, that is why, and now it is time I prove it,” he said, and just as I opened my mouth to deny it, he tossed his top hat to one side. Then he framed my face with his large hands, at the same tipping my head back. Which meant that before I could stop it, his lips connected with mine and my gasp of shock was one he could taste.

However, that wasn’t all that happened, as the second we connected, a bright white light exploded all around us, throwing Draven back a few steps. Enough that he was now bent over, covering his eyes as if I had burnt him.

A reaction I didn’t need to question, as he had told me about this before. Even admitting to it happening to him when I was driving past him in my sister’s car on the way to the mall. And this was before we had even met. Apparently, it was the signal of a Chosen One. Making me question why this was happening now and not in the room that night?

Either way, I knew it wouldn’t hurt him. But what it did do was offer me a small window of escape, which was why I hiked up my skirt and…

I ran from the past.