A Spartan's Kiss (30 page)

They stood there looking at each other awkwardly. Suddenly, she remembered she’d suggested they go somewhere else. Yes, somewhere else, but where? Mind blank, she glanced around, and, when she looked back, Aeros was just looking up from her chest. Something warm and fuzzy had her smiling. He liked her breasts, she remembered. He’d often seemed to get his gaze snagged on her curves when they’d been in the jungle. Would he like her to be bold? To pour an icy glass of water over them and let him lick the beads of chilly liquid off her budding nipples?

Holy gods, help her. Did she just think that?

“Do you know this area?”

He watched her closely, and she hoped he didn’t see how tight her nipples had gone under her skimpy T-shirt. His gaze softened, warmed to something she couldn’t think about.

She swallowed. “Uh, how about…?”

“Is your home near here?”

Her home. Her home was bare walls and a closet full of weapons and clothes. Not there. No way. She just might have to buy furniture if he was coming over. Was he coming over? Was this a one-time only sex-and-run? Or…more?

Aeros dug his hands in his jeans pockets, and she couldn’t help but think he’d done that to keep from touching her. Ah, holy shit, she was in deep.

“No, not really. I mean, well…”

“We could go to a coffee house around the corner. I remember you like coffee.”

Ah, yeah. Understatement. Coffee. Like a real date? Something melted inside. The tension eased, allowing her to get a grip on all that had just happened. She could do coffee. She could do this. ‘This’ being a bit vast and more than a bit overwhelming, but for this man, she feared she’d do a great deal more than sip coffee with him to save his life. But, first, baby steps.

“Yes, I do like coffee. Do you?” He’d not had any of her Starbucks Double shots on the trip. Trip? Geesh, like it had been a mini vacation.

“Yes, I do drink coffee.” He smiled again, his expression making her feel weak. “Not as much as you, but I do like the taste.”

“You’re not angry over Dare?”

Startled, he frowned for a moment, then shook his head. “Not at all. Ares, well, he’s another story.”

Yeah. She got that, for sure—much more than he knew.

“Come on then, Sweets and Stuff is just up the street. Have you been there?”

She doubted he had. This was such a hidden part of the city she doubted many people knew of it. She didn’t go often, not more than twice a year, but she’d chance returning there with Aeros. She felt safe with him, she realised with a jolt—safe. There wasn’t such a thing in the immortal—or mortal—world.

“I haven’t.”

She grinned. He’d not changed. Still a man of few words. “Well, we’ll have to see if you like it.”

Feeling like she was taking a huge leap, she grabbed his big hand and sighed as he wrapped his fingers around her smaller hand. She thought she heard him let out a breath before they started walking.

Why did she feel suddenly like she was heading down a pathway full of landmines? Oh, yeah, ‘cause she wasn’t sure she could have sex with him. And she wasn’t sure she could save him any other way. And she wasn’t sure he’d understand her when she couldn’t.
And let’s not forget, he still wore a pendant
. She was almost one hundred per cent sure was forcing her to do anything he ordered.

She’d seen Aeros angry before. She wasn’t sure she wanted to again. She had a niggling doubt that he hadn’t truly been angry that last time either.

She didn’t have any doubts he would be if he discovered she was going to try to save his life with sex.

One thing she knew for certain about Aeros? He was a man of his word. His word, his honour and integrity meant everything to him.

If she tricked him like this, would he hate her? He didn’t seem to hate her for tricking him in the jungle. But this…this was different. Right? Or did men not care, as long as they got laid?

She glanced up at his profile, his squared jaw, Roman-straight nose, and deeply tanned skin, and knew without a single doubt that she was gambling because she suddenly wanted more than to trick him into living. She wanted to live with him.

Tabithia and Aeros.

Aeros and Tabithia.

Did she have a chance of hearing that? Of hearing other immortals refer to them as a unit?

She wanted him. She wanted to hold his hand, appear normal to everyone they passed, like a couple. She wanted to be his. She wanted him to be hers.

Holy hell did she want.

And it was…

Crazy. Crazy, crazy, crazy.

He opened the door to the café, and their gazes met. A shiver raced through her body. His irises swirled with golden flecks, lightening the darkness of his eyes. A smile tipped his firm lips. She swallowed hard.

Now to seduce the sexy Spartan.

Chapter Twenty-One

Aeros clenched his fist at his side, barely keeping his cool. Sitting across from her on a too-small chair in the little café Tabithia had picked out, he felt out of place—a bull in a china shop. The place was small, even quaint, he supposed, but all he could focus on was her face.

He’d seen her smile before. He’d actually thought he’d never seen anything as beautiful before in his entire life—until now. Now she truly blew him away. Her happiness was like a break in the clouds after years of rain. Did he make her this way? His hand still burned where he’d clutched her smaller one too tightly.

Still smiling softly, she turned to look at him, and her grin grew. Gods save him, he’d give her anything he owned, anything he could find, anything she wanted, to see that look on her face all the time. He wanted to cherish her. Pamper her. Care for her, spoil her rotten, and be the one she turned to with that look—for eternity.

Steady, man.

He forced himself to swallow past the sawdust in his throat. His chair creaked loudly, and the couple at the window seat both turned to stare at him, until he frowned at them. They turned away, looking alarmed, but spoke in hushed tones, clearly speaking of him.

He looked out of place. He never looked out of place. He always planned ahead, always wore clothes to blend in—given his size, he had to. His gaze turned to Tabithia, and his breath stopped. Her slim backside was to him, the curves lovely cupped in a pair of faded, much-worn, soft-looking jeans. She’d worn a small, form-fitting T-shirt of softest white today. Unusual. But, as usual, she looked amazing. The black-on-black was stunning enough. This look was breathtaking. She didn’t appear out of place with the humans. She seemed at ease, much more than when she’d first appeared in front of him. And how had she done that? She’d told him she couldn’t trace without a portal, much as he couldn’t. She’d used a travel spell when he’d scared her before, but he sensed she’d been desperate. Had she been hidden, like on the plane? If so, why appear then, look surprised?

“Here you go. I hope you like it. I guessed what you’d like…”

It took a moment for her words to settle over him and make sense. Her tiny shirt had glittered letters that spelled out ‘Spoilt Princess’ right across the luscious plumpness of her breasts. He could just make out the pink of her undergarments beneath the stretched cotton.

He jerked his eyes up and met hers. She was smiling again, but holding out a steaming cup.

Holy hell, he’d been staring at her breasts.

“You’re not wearing black.”

She blinked. After a long pause, she lifted a delicate shoulder and smiled. “Take it, it’s hot.”

He did and almost groaned aloud when their fingers touched. Why was everything about her so cool and soft? Delicate and fragile.

“You feel warm. Are you okay?”

He was burning up. Sweat dripped down his back even though he wore only a T-shirt and jeans. Was he offending her? Did he smell?

“I’m fine.”

She scrunched her nose up adorably and snorted, sitting back in her chair and crossing her long legs with a graze of cotton on cotton that had his dick growing heavy under his jeans. He moved back and rested his foot on his opposite knee, trying to hide the evidence of what she did to him. He’d moved closer to her, could reach out and touch her easily now, and the control it took not to stunned him into silence.

“Well, you certainly don’t look fine. Maybe I should have gotten you something cold.”

“No, no, that’s fine. This looks good.”

“Mmmm, well. Tell me, how long have you been…sweating? Like this?”

Worried now that he did smell, he shifted back and froze when she reached out a cool hand to grip his wrist.

Tabithia giggled. A real, honest-to-god giggle. She pulled her hand back and covered her mouth, clearly amused.

“You don’t smell, Aeros.”

She’d said his name. Tabithia rarely said his name. He wanted to savour it. Instead he realised what she’d said. Gods, he did smell, didn’t he? Heart in his throat, he scooted his chair back, nearly toppling a huge plotted plant sitting too close to the goddamn table.
Shit.

Tabithia reached out again, barely big enough to hold onto his biceps. She gently tugged him back into place when he stood to straighten the plant. Who had plants this size in a shop anyway?

“Geesh, loosen up. You don’t stink. Do immortals ever smell bad? Give me a break. Now, answer the question, mister.”

He grinned. She hated orders but dished them out like a little general. Gods, he’d missed her. Leaning forward, he took her hand in his. She didn’t pull back but looked startled. Green eyes the colour of his Aegean Sea at dusk met his.

“I missed you, Tabithia.”

Warmth filled her eyes, giving him hope. She blinked rapidly a few times and looked down for several long seconds.

Clearing her throat, she murmured, “You’re avoiding my question.”

“A few months. It comes and goes.” He was always hot, but she looked so worried. He shrugged. “I’m from a hot climate.”

She slid her hand out of his, but only to lift her coffee and to take a quick drink.

“Try yours.”

He did as ordered. Sweet and strong, the coffee was wonderful. She’d ordered it just dark enough, with a hint of cinnamon and cream. He’d always had a cup of hot black coffee before he’d grown so tired, but this was something altogether different. Sweet, hot and strong. Just like her.

“You like it.”

She sounded pleased. He nodded setting the drink down. Somehow, he felt a bit cooler.

She brushed a hand through her hair. He noticed she had no scars on her arm. How was that possible?

“You’re not wearing black.”

Sighing, like he’d just said something dense, she set her drink down and put her hands in her lap. To keep him from them?

“No, I decided not to wear black today.” She tilted her head, green eyes on his face again. “Why? Do you like black better?”

“No, it’s not that, Tabithia. I’m sorry, it’s just… Did I…hurt you at Evie’s?”

“No!” she exclaimed quickly, leaning forward so they were almost touching. Just as quickly, she sat back and looked away, her small face pensive. “It’s not that.”

“What was it then, Tabithia?”

She was quiet for so long, he wondered if she’d say anything. Finally, when he felt near to burst for waiting, she faced him.

“I wasn’t hurt by you, Aeros. I’ve not had, um, well, much to do with men, not really.” She sounded exasperated, embarrassed and impatient all in one quick breath.

“And, well, I don’t do such things in public,”she said.

Such things
. She opened her mouth, but he halted her flood of words with his.

“Tabithia, there is nothing wrong with feeling pleasure. Nothing shameful. I want to make you cry out my name in pleasure so everyone can hear you’re mine.”

Her pale cheeks grew rosy but, eyes round, she met his gaze steadily. His cock hardened painfully enough to make him wince. He coughed to cover it and took her hand again.

“Don’t be shy with me. You enjoyed—”

“Aeros, that’s not the point. I kinda think I’ll pass on public displays if you don’t mind.”

He grinned. She sounded so proper.

“It’s not wrong. It’s very right. Do you think other immortals don’t mark what is theirs and theirs alone?”

She frowned and tried to pull her hand away. “I’m not yours,” she murmured.

“Yes, you are.”

She sucked in a breath. He wasn’t sure what she saw in his face, but she paused, her pink lips half open on a word she didn’t say.

“You’re mine, Tabithia.” The more he said it, the more he wanted to pick her up and carry her off. She was his. “Aren’t you?”

Squeezing her eyes shut, she tipped her head down and her hair fell to mask part of her expression. He gently brushed her hair back and thought she might blast him from the room, she looked so miserable. Had he misread her? Pushed too far? The memory of her pale skin, split open with her knife, caught and held him frozen. Stomach sinking, he gripped the table edge with his free hand. He’d pushed too far.

He tried to think of something to say to ease the situation, but before he could, she lifted her head. Her expression glowed with such intensity he swallowed hard past the rocks blocking his throat.

“Yes.”

If she’d sucker-punched him, he’d not have been more surprised. The quietly spoken word sounded loud to his ears. They vibrated through him and he felt certain he’d hear her whisper for the rest of his life.

She wanted him. But…watching her, he saw doubt and fear swirling with the hope and excitement. Fear. Why fear? Not of him. Instinctively, he knew she didn’t fear him. Did she doubt him? Did she worry he’d use her and discard her, like so many human males did with their females? He couldn’t conceive of it.

“Good. Because I plan on keeping you close, Tabithia. No one is ever going to harm you again.”

Instead of being angry with him and snapping his head off for suggesting she needed his aid, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Aeros?”

Again his name. Did she know he would give her the world to hear her say his name like that for the rest of their lives?

“Yes?”

“Can you stop telling me what to do? Can you? Seriously. I need to know.”