Page 25 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck

“I’d never let any of them hurt you, Rachael,” he said, meaning every word of it.

She bit at her lower lip, tempting him.

“You and I going on a date is risky,” she returned.

He dipped his head more and inhaled her sweet scent. She smelled like strawberries with an undernote of blueberries, of all things. “Every ounce of me says you’re worth the risk.”

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

“Then what if we justhappenedto be at the same locations at the same time?” he asked. “Merely a coincidence.”

The edges of her mouth twitched. “You really think that would work?”

He nodded. “And, if I’m lucky, you’ll randomly end up in the same bed as me for the entire night. Okay, more than just one night. Many, many nights. Okay, forever. You’d end up in my bed forever. Yeah. That one.”

As the words left his mouth, Drest realized he’d pushed too far.

She stiffened and then darted back and away from him, returning to where he guessed was her place setting at the table. She pressed a pleasant smile to her face and nodded in the direction of the foyer. “The stuffed goblin doll out on the side table in the foyer, was that your doing?”

It was very plain to see Rachael wanted to change the subject. He’d let her, for now, but he fully intended to get his way and take her out on a date. He nodded. “I thought Astria might like it.”

The smile she gifted him left all the doubts he’d had about the gift flying out the window. Her smile eased, and she teared up.

Drest found himself hurrying over to her, wanting to be within touching distance. “Rachael? Did I do something wrong?”

“No. You did something right. The doll was super sweet of you,” she said, her palms coming to a rest on his chest. “For as far back as I can remember, Uncle Nile has talked about how dangerous all you Hunters are. How you hate the Frankensteins so much that you look for reasons to end us. Seeing the goblin doll challenges all of that.”

“I’d never hurt you,” he whispered, cupping her face.

“You can’t know that,” she returned, still teared up. “But thank you for saying it.”

“I can and do know it,” he said softly. “And I meant what I said before. I’ll never let any other Hunter harm you.”

Drest’s ring began to warm again. With the warmth came the increased desire to kiss. Unable to stop himself, he gave in and dipped his head, his lips slanting over hers.

She opened her mouth to him, and Drest seized the moment to ease his tongue in. The woman tasted like she smelled, like a mix of blueberries and strawberries—delicious. He growled into her mouth, increasing the kiss, their tongues easing around one another.

The heat from his ring increased, and it took Drest a moment to realize there was a glow coming from the ring once again. It wasn’t faint. It was bright, bathing the entire room in a hue of purple.

He broke the kiss just as the chandelier bulbs flickered again—sparks coming from them once more.

Rachael stepped back, breaking contact with him, and the light show ceased at once. There was no sign it ever happened.

A second later, Amice came walking in from the kitchen, carrying a tray full of roast. Henry was behind her with a bowl full of cooked potatoes, carrots, and onions.

“Can I grab anything?” asked Rachael, fidgeting with the front of her dress, the same blush that drove him wild back on her chest, neck, and cheeks.

Amice smiled at her. “No. Your brother will bring the rest in if he wants to survive the night.”

Henry set the tray of food on the table a second before Drest went at him.

Drest grabbed the man by his vest and slammed him into the wall, growling as he did.

Rachael gasped.

Amice smiled more.

Henry’s hands went to Drest’s forearms as a challenge lit in the man’s eyes.

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