Awaiting Fate by J. L. Sheppard

wasn’t said directly to her but to her brother. “Olivia looks lovely,” they’d say, barely sparing a glance at her. Besides that, she’d never been asked out on a date, she’d never been kissed, so needless to say, she was a virgin. The first fifty years of her life, she thought it had to do with her brother’s alpha status, overprotective and domineering, but as time passed, she realized it had to be more than that. It had to be her .
    “It matters to me,” he countered, his tone firm.
    It was endearing he cared and, in part, the reason it had been so easy to fall in love with him. The problem was it made her think he cared for her as more than a friend. And although she had decided to stop wallowing in self-pity that she’d fallen for a man who wasn’t hers, she didn’t want him encouraging her feelings for him.
    Her gaze snapped to his and narrowed, she said, “Yeah, I can tell, but here’s the thing, I don’t need another Landon in my life. I already have one overprotective brother. I know it doesn’t look like it, but I can handle myself. You don’t need to attack random drunk mortals because they asked me to dance.”
    He flinched, immediately causing her to regret her snide retort. She didn’t want to hurt him. She hadn’t meant to either. Whatever he’d been through the last several days had been traumatic enough. His king and queen were concerned, and she’d made it worse.
    “Why?” he asked.
    “Because you…You’re making me…” She sighed, then shook her head, shrugged, and mumbled, “Nothing.”
    “I can’t help myself. It’s instinct.”
    It was—for him, protecting was an instinct because he was good, kind, sweet and to top it off—irresistible. And she hurt him , the man she claimed to love.
    She placed her hand over his. “I’m sorry,” she confessed.
    “It’s fine. Hell, it’s nice to know you can lose it, too.”
    A glimpse of the Cain she knew, lighthearted and jesting. She was so relieved to hear it, see it, she threw her head back and laughed.
    When she gazed at him again, the intensity in his eyes had tripled. It seemed his gaze hadn’t left her. For the first time in her life, she felt like the prey instead of the predator. It unnerved her, and yet it felt great because for some inexplicable reason, it made her feel desired, too.
    She couldn’t peel her gaze away, so she stared at him, staring at her, then she was suddenly overcome with emotion, a love so profound and intense it brought tears to her eyes, overwhelming, excruciatingly beautiful, deep and meaningful love.
    She recognized it instantly because it was how she felt for him. Still, she couldn’t explain why she felt it radiate into her as if it wasn’t her own.
    “Liv.” His voice came out hoarse.
    Trembling from emotion streaming through her, making it hard to breathe, her gaze met his, then a tear floated down her cheek. “Kiss me,” she begged. “Just once, please.” After she said it, she couldn’t believe the words had escaped her lips.
    A moment later, he stood. Towering over her, he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her, placing her butt on the countertop. Standing between her legs, eye to eye, he pressed the palm of one hand against her back, pushing her body against his. She fit, melding perfectly against him. He then cupped her cheek, his thumb caressing her as he stared deep into her eyes. Finally, he leaned in and placed his lips firmly over hers.
    She opened her mouth and his tongue met hers. Their tongues entwined, making her temperature spike and her core grow moist.
    The kiss was passionate, sensual and unnerving, making her toes curl with desire. He tasted sweeter than she’d ever imagined.
    She had no idea what she was doing or if she was doing it right, but she couldn’t find the strength to pull away because it was Cain, the man she loved, and he kissed her like he wanted her to be his.
    Her first kiss was worth the wait. It hadn’t been a random immortal, it