Denial (Goblin's Kiss Series Book One) by Cyndi Goodgame

you
don ’ t want to now. So you stay silent to keep yourself safe from
getting me angry or walking straight back through those trees and
away from all this. I get that. But I want to know more and
you ’ re just going to have to get this done with.” I scooted down
more to the ground to make me eye level with him and continued on
before I chickened out. “I will give a small amount every time you
do. That is all I can promise. I will earn your trust and you mine.
It ’ s
called compromise. But I swear if you hurt me,” I gritted my teeth
in fear, “I will cut your balls off and serve them to Russian
speaking monkeys.”
    He coughed out a response. Score.
I made my point. “Deal, Ace.”
    “Ace?” I whispered since we were
incognito. That was a perfect nickname for him and I knew just what
it stood for.
    “You are one of a kind, Emma.
Nothing could top your speeches or your promises,” he shook his
head with a disbelieving laugh.
    “You know it,” I
smiled at his compliment and looked away from him just to prove
that I could. That he wasn ’ t consuming me. That his changing
attitude towards me didn ’ t affect me. He was already
different from just yesterday. More relaxed.
    A tree branch fell behind us. Ames
covered my head with his hands. Well, not completely relaxed. More
like on guard.
    When he felt
there was no danger he uncovered my face with my hands and said
presumptuously, “So is it a deal breaker if I kiss you because I
could really after that speech. In fact you ’ re little speeches strike up
many emotions in me your little emo reader can ’ t
detect. ”
    He liked to irritate me. He
was amused by it even.
    I could take
that really wrong, but I chose to take it like I wanted it to be. I
hit his chest where I could reach. “That ’ s where you messed up,
buddy. My speeches are usually reserved for people I
like.”
    “So you kiss a
lot of people you don ’ t like,” his eyes darkened,
velvety and inviting.
    I pushed him down on the ground.
When he fell back, I giggled. For an idle moment, my heart froze at
the idea of him kissing anyone else.
    “I ’ ll never have that privilege.”
    I pretended not
to hear him mostly because I didn ’ t know what he meant by
it.
    When we righted ourselves, over a
dozen pairs of eyes were looming above us. Oh, snap!

 
     
     
AMES
     
    Crap!
    “What do we have here, Cahn?”
Wicker asked suggestively.
    I was severely screwed. Way off
the mission.
    “Nothing,
Wicker. Go back to your fireworks and mind your business.
We ’ re all good here,” I shot out like a bullet. I hoped to steer
them away from her though I'd walked her right into it. I didn't
have that choice once Joshlin stepped in.
    “What are you
doing here then?” he challenged me. He was the same size as I was.
We all were. Wicker trained the newlings. He ’ d been the best bud
for years, but that was just that, years ago. And nothing else
mattered in my eyes, but it did to him. I still think he would do
anything for me, but his resentment towards Jem ’ s reason for existing
made him bitter in recent months. I needed to know if he was still
with me.
    “Emma here was curious so I
brought her to see.” I thought fast. Reality was a stronger dose of
why she was really here.
    The crowd
dispersed and Wicker with it. He looked back over his shoulder
though and said with a small salute making me sting with anger,
“Let ’ s see what she ’ s got.”
    Uh, oh!
    I leaned into
her neck and whispered, “Don ’ t tell them how long
you ’ ve had your power or anything else. And
don ’ t let them see how much. Even if it makes you look weak,
stifle the amount. Understand?” I moved my face to her eyes. She
nodded and bit her bottom lip in confusion. I felt the heat of the
hot breath she released, and reserved to kiss that lip very soon. I
needed a way out of that curse she was in.
    Wicker watched
her walk out with the prowess of a tiger circling the ring kicking
up another emotion in my