FEARLESS: The King Series, Book One by Tawdra Kandle Page A

invite me to listen to their thoughts; seldom did even my parents condone it. I closed my eyes, breathed deeply and carefully lowered the wall.
    “ Tasmyn, trust me. I won’t hurt you, ever, and if it’s in my power, I won’t ever let anyone else hurt you, either. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. May I kiss you… please ? ”
    I was shaking ever so slightly as I nodded my head, barely. A smile spread over his face as he brought his other hand to my neck and gently tilted my head back. His lips brushed mine, and it was so tender and innocent that I felt tears spring to my eyes.
    He kissed me again, deeper this time, and I moved my lips against his, lost in the sensation even as I heard him in my mind. “ So sweet, so soft. Tasmyn…”
    I don’t know how long we sat there, but at some point he lowered his hands to my shoulders and was holding me closer. I was so involved in the kiss that I barely even heard the quiet murmurs his mind was making. Suddenly I heard a loud, “ STOP! ” and I jerked back in surprise.
    His breathing was ragged, and his eyes were closed.  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to get so carried away.”
    I was somewhat breathless, too. “I only—you know, stopped, pulled back, because I heard you. You thought STOP really loud, you know that?”
    He looked at me for one solemn moment, and then with a shout of laughter, threw himself back onto the sand.
    “What? What’s funny?” I was just a tad defensive.
    He was still lying back, shaking with laughter. But I could feel that it wasn’t derisive or mocking; rather it was joyous.
    Finally he lifted his head and looked at me, still sitting as he had left me. He dropped his head and chuckled again. “You. That you exist. That I found you. That I…” He raised his head again to look at me, but this time the laughter was gone. “That you let me kiss you. That you trust me.”
    I had no words to reply, and the feelings rolling off him were too strong for me to comprehend at the moment. He sat up slowly, his gaze never leaving my face.
    “Are you still listening to me? You know, like, listening , listening?”
    “I’m… not getting precise words from you. Not complete thoughts, because I’m tuning into what you’re saying verbally. That’s normal. But I’m still getting waves from you.”
    “Waves?”
    “Yeah, even if I’m doing a good job of blocking actual thoughts, sometimes I still get these waves of feelings from people. Especially if they’re particularly strong feelings.”
    He smiled broadly. “And what kinds of waves are you getting from me right now?”
    I giggled. “Are you sure you want me to tell you?”
    “No, on second thought, there are some things better left unsaid, right?” He stood up then and stretched. The sun was sinking ever lower behind us, and the puffs of breeze actually carried some chill. “Come on. I’d better get you home before the gators come out for their night time feed.” At my expression of abject terror, he laughed again. “Kidding, just kidding.”
    He pulled me to my feet then, squeezing my hand as he gazed down at me. Hands still linked, we set out for hom e .

Chapter Fourteen
     
     
     
    As we drove toward my house, Michael glanced at me with a twinkle in his eye.
    “So,” he announced, “I just remembered that I actually do have some more questions for you.”
    I might have been worried if I didn’t hear the direction of his thoughts. I looked at him expectantly. “Okay, shoot.”
    “Do you always go by Tasmyn, or does anyone use a nickname?”
    I laughed. “I can’t believe that’s what you want to know. Okay, well, most people just call me Tasmyn, but my parents call me Tas sometimes. I answer to either one.”
    He nodded seriously. “Good to know. And by the way, you didn’t ask, but I only answer to Michael. My parents named me after an archangel, and they felt it was only right that I use the whole name all the time.”
    I raised my eyebrows. “So no Mike or