Page 78 of The Nightmare Bride
Kyven snickered and strolled to a bench. “How unfortunate for you. Because last I checked, she could stand wherever she damn well pleases.”
At that, my stupid heart swelled and swelled. Kyven draped himself atop the bench, perfectly at ease. Meanwhile, Merron tensed like a matchstick curved against two thumbs.
They were both looking straight at me. But seeing two completely different people.
“Go back to bed, Merron,” I said, softening my dismissal with a step away from the brink. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
He studied me, plainly affronted, then threw his hands up and padded back down to the attic.
Once he’d gone, Kyven winked.
I expelled a sigh. “Don’t do that.”
“What?” A smirk curved his mouth. “I didn’t say a thing.”
“You didn’t have to. Your face did all the talking.”
He laughed, then extended his arms. “Come. Sit. Tell me about this dream.”
I drifted close. I’d come out here to escape him, yet here I was, unable to resist the allure of that insouciant half smile. Orthe fact that he apparently considered my will to live a foregone conclusion.
But once I neared the bench, I hesitated. I had nowhere to sit except in a straddle atop him, which he seemed to expect, because he flicked beckoning fingers at me.
I scoffed. “I’m not going to use you as a seat, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
He pouted. “Why not?”
“Is that a serious question?”
“Oh, come on. I had to endure all of five minutes in bed alone. The least you can do is cuddle me.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Not a chance.”
“You’d deny a poor, lonely husband the minimum of attention?”
“You’re a big boy.” I settled into our familiar sniping, the dream’s aftertaste finally receding. “You’ll live.”
“Oh, come on,” he said. “We’re both wearing clothes.”
“Not enough forthat.”
A shimmer moved in his eyes, one that said heknewI wouldn’t surrender, but he enjoyed putting the effort in, regardless.
“Besides,” I added. “Last I checked, I could sit anywhere I damn well please.”
He laughed and dropped his hands. “Well, I can’t argue with that. It was obviously said by someone incredibly wise.” He heaved himself upright—complete with an obscene amount of abdominal rippling—and patted the now-empty half of the bench. “There. Happy?”
I eyed the space he’d cleared. Goddess. He both eased and sharpened the ache inside me. Like an addiction. The more I got of him, the more I wanted. And the more I wanted, the harder it was to keep him at arm’s length.
This was dangerous.Hewas dangerous.
So dangerous, in fact, that I couldn’t stop myself from settling on the bench and drawing up my legs. I tucked my nightgown close, at least, so as not to provide any encouragement.
Not that Kyven needed such things. He stacked his forearms on the apex of my knees and rested his chin on top.
I sucked in a breath. Starlight and bayou-glow danced across his face, rendering him breathtaking. Even more so than when he slept.
“You’re staring,” he said.
