Page 69 of Dark Rover's Luck

"You need to spell it out for me because I don't want to make mistakes." He turned his hand beneath hers so their palms met, fingers intertwining.

Fenella hesitated, not quite ready to put her nascent feelings into words. "Right now, I'd like you to kiss me. The way you wanted to do it last night. I chickened out, and I've regretted it ever since."

"Really?" His voice sounded husky.

"Yes, really," she admitted with a soft laugh. "I'd like to find out what it's like to be kissed by you."

He reached up with his free hand, brushing a strand of hair back from her face with a gentleness that made her heart ache. "Finding out sounds like a worthy endeavor," he murmured. "Very archaeological, in fact. Exploring unknown territory with careful attention to detail."

"Are you comparing me to one of your dig sites?" Fenella arched an eyebrow despite the warmth spreading through her body.

Din smiled, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. "More like a precious artifact that deserves to be handled with reverence."

"Smooth talker," she whispered, leaning slightly into his touch.

"Only stating the naked facts," he said, his face now inches from hers.

The wordnakedstill reverberated through her mind as her eyes fluttered closed and Din's lips finally met hers.

The kiss was tentative at first, a gentle pressure that inquired rather than demanded. When she responded, parting her lips in invitation, he deepened the kiss with a controlled passion that sent electric shocks through her body.

One hand came up to cup the back of her neck, fingers threading through her hair as he angled his head to better fit their mouths together. Fenella made a small sound of approval, her own hands moving to his shoulders, feeling the solid strength beneath the fabric of his shirt.

He kissed her like he had all the time in the world, like each moment was to be savored rather than rushed through.

When they finally parted to come up for air, Fenella was momentarily at a loss for words, which almost never happened.

Din's eyes had darkened to a stormy blue, his pupils dilated with desire. "Was that what you wanted to find out?"

Fenella nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak yet. The kiss had affected her more profoundly than she'd expected, awakening sensations she'd thought were still deadened by trauma.

"I'm glad," Din said, brushing his thumb across her lower lip. "I've been wanting to find out what it was like to kiss you for half a century."

A laugh bubbled up from somewhere deep inside her. "Was it worth the wait?"

"Every second."

Fenella wanted to make a joke, something that would deflect the intensity of the moment with humor as she always did when emotions threatened to overwhelm her, but she just couldn't.

Not this time.

Perhaps it was the warmth in Din's eyes, or the way his hand still cradled her face as if she were precious.

Instead, she leaned forward and kissed him again, putting into action what she couldn't yet put into words. This kiss was less tentative, more exploratory, as Fenella tested the waters of her own responses. To her immense relief, there was no flashback, no sudden panic—only warmth and a growing desire for more.

When they separated this time, Din rested his forehead against hers for a moment, his breathing slightly uneven. "Should I still make that coffee?"

"Coffee can wait," she said, her fingers trailing along the collar of his shirt. "I'm more interested in exploring other options at the moment."

Din's eyes darkened further, but he didn't move right away. "I need you to know that there's no rush and you can take all the time you need. Whatever happens or doesn't happen tonight—I'm not going anywhere."

The simple promise, delivered without dramatic flourish, touched something deep within her. "I know, which is why I feel safe with you."

30

DIN

Din took Fenella's hand, trying to keep his touch reverent and light despite the desire coursing through him. He'd imagined this moment for so long, yet now that it was here, he felt almost overwhelmed by its significance. His heart raced as he looked into her eyes, seeing trust there that he'd done nothing yet to earn.

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