Page 12 of A Bolt of Magic

I swallow thickly and nod back, my eyes locked with his.

Alaric pulls the tie from my hair, pushing my amulet into my smock and between my breasts. Then he presses me against the wall and covers my lips with his. He pushes his body solidly against mine. Hot and hard man.

I gasp, my body going stiff and my eyes flying open.

“Play along,” he says against my mouth.

I make a noise of agreement, my eyes still wide. He’s right. This is the only way. I have to play along, or I’ll…we’ll be caught.

He presses his lips to mine and slips his tongue into my mouth.

I gasp again, but he swallows the sound, deepening the kiss.

I kiss him back, moaning and sliding my arms around his neck just as the guards walk around the corner, stopping mid-stride.

One of them chokes out a laugh, but I ignore him. I have to. I pretend to be engrossed in the kiss.

Alaric wraps his hand around my thigh through the layers of my dress and pulls it up. He is cupping my jaw with his other hand, shielding me from their prying eyes.

“What have we here?” the mean guard asks as Alaric holds me tightly. The man holding me so tightly scents of all things masculine, like leather and smoke, with a hint of sandalwood, perhaps.

The other guard laughs heartily.

My heart continues to beat wildly in my chest. It’s fear. If they catch me, I’m done for.

“Well, well, well. Looks like we’ve got ourselves a little show,” the other one chuckles. I recognize the voice but can’t put a face to it.

Jessop’s tit! I’ve gone stiff all over again. I need to relax.

Alaric pulls back just a little. “You’re about to ruin my day, sirs. A little space…please.” Then he kisses me again.

I will myself to relax. To give myself over to the kiss. I push my fingers into his hair.

“Let’s leave the lad be.” He laughs again. “Lucky bugger.”

They don’t move away. “Maybe I’ll stay and watch.” The mean bastard sounds like he is smiling.

I stop, putting a hand against Alaric’s chest as if to push him away. His arms tighten around me like he’s trying to keep me in place.

“Leave them be, Harlow,” the other one says. “We need to find the witch. She has a lot to answer for.”

“Fine,” Harlow mutters, and they finally start to walk away.

I open my eyes.

Instead of stopping, Alaric deepens the kiss all over again.

I realize that the guards could still be watching. They could turn back. I slip my hands around his neck and finally start to relax, feeling his mouth against mine. His hands on me. His body against me. For a moment, I forget everything, includingthe reason why we are kissing in the first place. For just a moment, I allow myself to feel.

To feel him, to taste him, to smell him.

I’m lost and drowning in a kiss that isn’t even real. I have never been kissed like this before. I like it. I moan just as he pulls away. Alaric holds onto me, steadying me.

“That was close,” he says.

“Yes…it…um…it was. Too close.” My cheeks are red. I can feel the heat blossoming up my neck, spilling over on my face. “You’re good at pretending.” Why did I say that?

He smiles, and my insides do something strange.

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