Page 64 of Taken By the Fae

“Rory.” His nickname for me sounds so smooth rolling off his tongue. “Anxiety is pouring off you right now.”

Spinning to face him, I cross my arms over my chest so he can’t reach for my hands. “This isn’t a good idea.” I scan the street to make sure we’re alone.

He tilts his head, regarding me with a thoughtful expression. His eyes alone make me want to give in—they see right through me. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.” When I don’t respond, he takes a step toward me, dipping his face closer. “You have a fire in you, Aurora. It’s something I deeply admire. And while you put yourself in unnecessary danger by sticking your nose into fae business, your perspective is refreshing, to say the least.”

My mind races. “I don’t think… We can’t.”

“Why?”

The words fall out before I can clamp my mouth shut. “I don’t feel like I’m in control when I’m around you.” It’s not something I wanted to admit. This moment feels different, as if it’s setting us on a new path.

He laughs. “You don’t think I feel the same? You challenge my every word. You go against everything I know.”

“You don’t know enough about me,” I say, as if that might have the power to deter him from pursuing me.You don’t want it to, an annoying similar voice to my own says, and it’s true. Being scared to want Tristan doesn’t mean I don’t. If anything, it deepens the allure.

He offers a knowing look. “Come on. You can do better than that.” His dark-eyed look sets my body ablaze. “I can hear your heart,” he murmurs.

“Good to know I’m still breathing,” I mutter, struggling to ignore the palpitations happening in my chest.

When he chuckles, a wicked shiver runs through me, and my mind goes places I wish I could say it hasn’t before.

“There’s that fire I enjoy.”

I uncross my arms and let them fall to my sides. “Can we not talk about this anymore?”

“Why? Because you know I’m right about what’s going on between us?”

I shake my head.

“You’re afraid because you can control a lot about your life, but you can’t control how you feel.”

I want to argue his words, but he’s right.Of course he’s fucking right.“I can’t see any way for this to work out well. I don’t understand why I feel whatever this is for you, because I know I shouldn’t. You and I come from different worlds—literally. You’d think that might deter me, that I might be able to walk away from this because of everything that has happened.” My chest rises and falls quickly.

“But you can’t,” he says.

“Shut up,” I snap breathlessly, grabbing his face as unbridled need consumes me. “Just… shut up.” My lips collide with his at the same moment his hands drop to my hips and draw me flush against him. Eyes closed, I deepen the kiss, sliding my fingers into his hair and tugging at the ends. He growls, gripping my hips tighter as his mouth devours mine. My lips part in a moan that saysfinally, and his tongue slides in, brushing against mine and flicking across the roof of my mouth. I never want this moment to end; I could live here forever happily. My pulse pounds in my ears and my breasts tingle as a delicious warmth spreads through me, and the world fades away.

“I’m taking you home with me,” he says against my lips.

I’m nodding before I can think of offering any other response.I want him.I want him so badly my body physically aches for him. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, and it’s as terrifying as it is exhilarating.

Tristan takes my hand, and we walk a few blocks until his car comes into view. He opens the passenger side door for me, and once I slide in and buckle up, he closes the door and walks around the front of the car, getting behind the wheel.

Pulling away from the curb, Tristan peers over at me. “Are you hungry? We can stop somewhere for dinner, if you’d like.”

My stomach is filled with too much excitement and nerves to consider food. “I’m okay.”

The soft sound of Two Feet’s “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” filters through the car speakers, and I stare out the window as we head downtown. My breath catches in my throat when Tristan’s hand wraps around my thigh, warming my bare skin, and I’m immediately grateful I wore a dress this morning. His thumb glides back and forth while his other fingers slide to my inner thigh. I press my lips together, stealing a glance at him, only to find his attention locked on the road. My pulse pounds beneath my skin, and I bite the inside of my cheek as I open my legs a little.

“Aurora—”

“Touch me.” The words fall from my lips, and my eyes widen.

“Are you sure?” His voice is deeper, smooth like warm caramel.

“If you don’t, I will.”Where the hell did that come from?As if I’m actually going to touch myself in front of him.

“Will you?” he taunts, his eyes flicking toward me for a moment before returning to the road. The darkness in them makes my chest tighten with anticipation.

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