eyes stole the breath from her body. She
couldn’t look away, even if she wanted to.
Slowly…so
very slowly… Nate lowered his head. He was going to kiss her! Adelaide’s heart
pounded so hard she wondered if he could feel it. But she’d never wanted
anything more. Softly, his lips brushed against hers. And then again. Over and
over, he whispered his lips across hers in a barely there sweep that had her
both completely turned on and tremendously frustrated. So sweet and oh so agonizing.
Adelaide
spiked her fingers through his hair and tugged. “Kiss me. Please, kiss me.”
Nate
answered her plea and crushed her lips under his, his tongue seeking immediate
entry. Adelaide’s lips opened for him and met him kiss for kiss. She savored
every single sensation, every heart-stopping moment. She squirmed to get closer
to him. And he accommodated by using those amazing hands to plaster her along
the length of his body as his lips continued to devastate her senses.
And
then he froze, every part of him so still, it felt as though she were holding
onto stone. “Nate?” she murmured against lips that still hovered over hers.
With
a deep groan, he gripped her arms, pulling them from around his neck. He gave
her one last, soft, lingering kiss and then pushed her away from him.
“I
can’t. We shouldn’t. I don’t—” Nate slashed his hand through the air. Adelaide
watched as a gamut of emotions crossed his face. Desire, regret, confusion, and
then suspicion. “What are you doing to me?” he demanded roughly.
“Me?!”
Adelaide gasped.
Before
she could go further, he shook his head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that.” But his
eyes had gone all blank on her again.
It
kept her from reaching for him, or asking what was wrong, or asking anything at
all. “No. You’re right. We shouldn’t.” She kept her expression and her tone
light.
He
frowned. “I’m sorry.”
Adelaide
held up a hand. “No need. We were both involved in that kiss. But we’re essentially
strangers in the middle of nowhere. Probably best to keep things on just a
friendly basis.”
Instead
of looking relieved, his scowl only deepened. “You’re sure?”
“Of
course.” She smiled to show no hard feelings. Then she turned and headed back
to the house. Her mind was spinning. What was he suspicious of? Her?
Relationships in general? Something else?
Adelaide
tried to force it from her mind. The important thing to focus on was her
abilities. They’d proven today that she did better learning her new skills with
a little help. Perhaps slightly more skilled help was needed now. The next time
Charlotte came, Adelaide decided to ask her to bring Ellie along when she came
to visit in the future. Adelaide’d have to send Nate away, of course, or at
least hide him on those days. She still needed him close in case the dragon
inside her tried to come out. But if she wanted to be independent, she
obviously needed the practice and an expert adviser.
Chapter 16
“Delia,
you in here?” Ellie’s voice preceded her appearance in the doorway. “Hey,
friend.”
“Hey.”
Adelaide closed the book she was reading and pushed thoughts of Nate from her
mind. He seemed to occupy her thoughts more and more lately.
But
now was not the time. Tonight was Ellie and Adelaide’s night to work together
on Adelaide’s power control. They’d been practicing every few days for a little
while now, and the extra work was helping. Adelaide sent Nate away each time,
though she had no idea where he went. She was afraid it might be time to send
him away forever. She didn’t really need him anymore… not for the shaking at
least.
She
glanced at the clock. “You’re a little late tonight.”
Ellie
grimaced. “I think training the Vyusher and then practicing here with you is
getting to me. I took a nap this evening and then overslept.” She stifled a
yawn.
“Do
you feel all right? We don’t have to do this tonight.” Adelaide frowned.
Svatura rarely got
couldn’t look away, even if she wanted to.
Slowly…so
very slowly… Nate lowered his head. He was going to kiss her! Adelaide’s heart
pounded so hard she wondered if he could feel it. But she’d never wanted
anything more. Softly, his lips brushed against hers. And then again. Over and
over, he whispered his lips across hers in a barely there sweep that had her
both completely turned on and tremendously frustrated. So sweet and oh so agonizing.
Adelaide
spiked her fingers through his hair and tugged. “Kiss me. Please, kiss me.”
Nate
answered her plea and crushed her lips under his, his tongue seeking immediate
entry. Adelaide’s lips opened for him and met him kiss for kiss. She savored
every single sensation, every heart-stopping moment. She squirmed to get closer
to him. And he accommodated by using those amazing hands to plaster her along
the length of his body as his lips continued to devastate her senses.
And
then he froze, every part of him so still, it felt as though she were holding
onto stone. “Nate?” she murmured against lips that still hovered over hers.
With
a deep groan, he gripped her arms, pulling them from around his neck. He gave
her one last, soft, lingering kiss and then pushed her away from him.
“I
can’t. We shouldn’t. I don’t—” Nate slashed his hand through the air. Adelaide
watched as a gamut of emotions crossed his face. Desire, regret, confusion, and
then suspicion. “What are you doing to me?” he demanded roughly.
“Me?!”
Adelaide gasped.
Before
she could go further, he shook his head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that.” But his
eyes had gone all blank on her again.
It
kept her from reaching for him, or asking what was wrong, or asking anything at
all. “No. You’re right. We shouldn’t.” She kept her expression and her tone
light.
He
frowned. “I’m sorry.”
Adelaide
held up a hand. “No need. We were both involved in that kiss. But we’re essentially
strangers in the middle of nowhere. Probably best to keep things on just a
friendly basis.”
Instead
of looking relieved, his scowl only deepened. “You’re sure?”
“Of
course.” She smiled to show no hard feelings. Then she turned and headed back
to the house. Her mind was spinning. What was he suspicious of? Her?
Relationships in general? Something else?
Adelaide
tried to force it from her mind. The important thing to focus on was her
abilities. They’d proven today that she did better learning her new skills with
a little help. Perhaps slightly more skilled help was needed now. The next time
Charlotte came, Adelaide decided to ask her to bring Ellie along when she came
to visit in the future. Adelaide’d have to send Nate away, of course, or at
least hide him on those days. She still needed him close in case the dragon
inside her tried to come out. But if she wanted to be independent, she
obviously needed the practice and an expert adviser.
Chapter 16
“Delia,
you in here?” Ellie’s voice preceded her appearance in the doorway. “Hey,
friend.”
“Hey.”
Adelaide closed the book she was reading and pushed thoughts of Nate from her
mind. He seemed to occupy her thoughts more and more lately.
But
now was not the time. Tonight was Ellie and Adelaide’s night to work together
on Adelaide’s power control. They’d been practicing every few days for a little
while now, and the extra work was helping. Adelaide sent Nate away each time,
though she had no idea where he went. She was afraid it might be time to send
him away forever. She didn’t really need him anymore… not for the shaking at
least.
She
glanced at the clock. “You’re a little late tonight.”
Ellie
grimaced. “I think training the Vyusher and then practicing here with you is
getting to me. I took a nap this evening and then overslept.” She stifled a
yawn.
“Do
you feel all right? We don’t have to do this tonight.” Adelaide frowned.
Svatura rarely got
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