“Not you,” Caelan snarled.
I leaned forward, so close our noses were almost touching. “I am allowed to do the same. We’ve done nothing but antagonize each other, and you piss me off even when I think you’re trying to be nice.”
“I’m never nice.”
“I know that now!”
“Go out with me.”
I scoffed even as my heart thudded like a drum inside my chest. “No.”
“You like Ben better?” Muscle corded through his arms as he leaned forward. His eyes glowed with magic, and power limned his entire frame.
“Ben is certainly nicer than you are,” I snapped.
“Nice will not protect you!” Caelan roared.
“You think Ben is weak?”
“I think you don’t want nice. You seek safety. Protection. Peace. I can give all of that to you.”
I threw my hands up in the air. “Where in the world is this coming from? A week ago, you tried to kill me!”
Rowan huffed a laugh. At Caelan’s snarl, the other Lord winced and slipped to the back where Moira and Tess were. When we were alone, I took a couple steps back. “This is getting awkward. You aren’t interested in me. All you are is curious.” I offered him a tight smile. “And you know what they say about curiosity.”
His eyes gleamed. “Curiosity killed the cat. But do you know what brought him back, flower girl?”
My blood heated.
A slow smile curved his generous lips. “Satisfaction.”
An annoyed huff burst from me. “Regardless, this—” I pointed between me and him, “is not happening.”
“And neither are you and Ben.”
“I never said anything was happening there either.” I started to turn away, but Caelan reached over and grabbed my arm.
“Then why did he come home smelling like you, Evie?” He leapt over the desk and took two steps. My back bumped into the wall. Caelan boxed me in with both his arms on either side of my head.
My heartbeat leapt in my throat.
Caelan buried his nose in my neck and inhaled. “You smell like deep magic and mysteries.” He nipped my throat, a burst of pain before pleasure flooded my veins. “Like a gift I have yet to unwrap.”
I pushed against his chest. “Stop.”
His wicked chuckle against my skin did terrible things to my willpower. “Admit you don’t want nice, flower girl.”
“I don’t want anything,” I whispered. His proximity scrambled my thoughts. I wanted to pull him to me, but I also wanted to push him away. Caelan smelled like wild forests and the full moon, a hint of something not wolf sparkling in his blood. My fingers itched to run through his thick hair and bring him against me.
“Everyone wants something.” He dipped his head and pressed a searing kiss to the top of my collarbone.
A gasp escaped my throat,and the overwhelming urge to surrender to him flooded my brain.
The bell rang, announcing a new visitor. My eyes fluttered closed with relief.
“Go away, Garrett,” Caelan growled. Gold light flared over our bodies.
The shifter cleared his throat. “Lord, I...apologize for the interruption, but there’s been a disturbance at the Keep.” Disapproval echoed with every word Garrett spoke.
