Page 70 of Ivy & Bone

Cyrus drew closer to her, and it took all her will power not to melt away into the wall behind her. She lifted her chin at his approach.

“So you’re ready . . . right here, right now?” His voice was a low murmur that made her skin grow hot.

“Yes.” Damn her trembling voice . . .

He took another step until they were only a breath apart. Prue felt the way his chest rose and fell so close to hers. Her heart thundered loudly, and it was a wonder he didn’t comment on it. Surely the entire inn could hear it.

“And it would mean nothing?”

“Nothing at all,” she whispered.

Cyrus cocked his head at her, his eyes glittering like a predator sizing up his prey. Then, with a smirk, he echoed her words. “I don’t believe you.”

“If this is about what happened in the cave . . .” Prue began.

Now it was Cyrus’s turn to laugh. “You think that meant something to me? It was release and nothing more. We both needed to unwind and stay warm. That was all.” The coldness of his gaze left no room for argument.

Prue’s heart twisted painfully. He can’t lie, she reminded herself.

Of course he'd only been toying with her in the cave. He'd only wanted to best her, to triumph in granting her pleasure when she insisted he couldn't.

It was nothing more than a game to him.

Something inside her shattered at the thought, but she clung to her composure as if it were her only lifeline. Though her chest felt like it was crumbling, she somehow managed to shrug and frown at the same time. “Good. Then, this won’t mean anything to you either.” She started unbuttoning her dress.

Cyrus stilled. “What are you doing?”

“Tell me why we shouldn’t,” she challenged, “and I’ll stop.”

A muscle feathered in his jaw, but he said nothing.

When her dress was fully unbuttoned, revealing her shift underneath, she looked at him with raised eyebrows, praying he couldn’t sense the heat rising in her cheeks. “Well?”

Please say no.

Please say yes.

Please do nothing at all.

Please just disappear entirely.

Prue wasn’t sure what she wanted. She wanted everything and nothing. Her mind was a mass of muddled thoughts she couldn’t sift through.

Cyrus closed the gap between them until his chest was flush against hers. She was aware of every breath she took, of the way her breasts rose against him. By the way his eyes turned molten, she knew he was, too.

Prue wasn’t sure what possessed her to do it, but she couldn’t stop herself. Perhaps it was mere curiosity. Or perhaps, subconsciously, she was trying to find a way out of this situation. She lifted a hand and stroked a finger along the length of one of his horns. It was cool to the touch, and much rougher than she’d anticipated.

At her touch, Cyrus went perfectly still, and then a tremor swept through him. The motion rippled across his body so violently that Prue jerked her hand back.

“Did I hurt you?” she asked, though she wasn’t sure why she cared.

“No.” His voice was strained. “It’s just . . . very sensitive.”

Heat blossomed in Prue’s chest. Well, now she couldn’t resist. She lifted her hand again, and he didn’t stop her. This time, she trailed her finger from the edge of his horn all the way to where it protruded from his temple, unable to shake the idea of stroking another lengthy part of his body in the same manner.

A growl built up in Cyrus’s throat, and in a flash, he had her pinned up against the wall, the sconce rattling from the impact. Prue gasped as his hips ground into hers and she felt exactly how her touch had affected him. His arousal pressed into her, firm and deliciously hard.

Oh, Goddess . . .

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