Page 34 of Hidden By the Gargoyle

My head rested against his shoulder. I could feel his heart pounding through his shirt. His body shuddered again but he remained silent.

“I’m okay,” I assured him.

“I left you here alone,” he replied. “I shouldn’t have done it. I can’t lose—” He abruptly went quiet again.

“I’m right here. You stopped me from walking out of the ward’s protection.”

He didn’t reply.

After a few moments, I lifted my head and looked at him. His eyes were once again such a deep, dark blue that they were nearly purple, the silver streaks gone. A question trembled on the tip of my tongue, but I was afraid to ask.

No, I wasn’t afraid to ask. I was afraid of the answer. But if there was ever a time to be brave, it was now. Dax had given me mixed signals all day and I needed clarification.

“Why did you kiss me?” I asked, forcing myself to hold his stare. Aunt Minnie had suggested that all I needed to do was watch him to see how he felt about me. So that’s what I was going to do.

But, goddess, it was fucking hard.

His gaze jumped to my mouth before he caught himself and met my eyes again. A dull pink flush spread across his cheeks. His right hand was still resting on my knee and his fingers flexed around it.

And I understood then what my aunt meant.

All these years, I thought Dax viewed me as his little sister. Or a family friend.

But that wasn’t true.

He saw me as woman. And, whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was attracted to me, too.

“Dax?” I pressed.

“I…” He didn’t finish his thought.

I saw his jaw clench and all but heard his back molars grind before he finally answered.

“You reacted for a moment when you saw my face, but it didn’t last. My only options were knocking you unconscious or kissing you and…” He paused, his eyes moving away from mine. “I couldn’t hurt you.”

My heart immediately started to race at his words, and I knew Dax heard it because his gaze shot to mine again.

“Ally—”

I lifted my hand from where it had been resting on my lap and touched his cheek. “I’m glad that was your choice.”

For the first time since I realized how I felt about Dax, I had enough confidence to tell him what I wanted.

“But I want you to do it again.”

His swallow was audible, but he didn’t move. With our faces so close together, I saw his eyes change, the deep blue melting into silver and sapphire and sparkling in the dim light inside the cabin.

“Ally, I don’t think?—”

I shook my head. “I don’t want an excuse or a flimsy reason why it’s a bad idea. Do you want to kiss me?”

Once again, his eyes flicked down to my mouth and stayed. His hand on my knee tightened and his arm around my back pulled me an inch closer.

And I had my answer.

Keeping my eyes open and on his face, I leaned forward until I felt his breath against my mouth. Dax didn’t move. He was barely even breathing.

I stopped just before our lips touched, giving him a chance to pull away. When he didn’t, I closed the distance and laid my mouth against his.

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