Page 11 of Witch Undecided
“I appreciate that. But Cora, you need to remove your hand before I crash this car.”
Shit. I yanked my hand away and he shot me a grin and a wink.
Damn, he was good at masking, but then so was I, so I didn’t miss the dullness to his eyes that hinted at his pain. And then that pain was inside my chest, dark and swirling, and fuck, it hurt so bad it made my eyes sting.
This was the real Leif. This was his grief communicated through our bond, and it was darkness and emptiness and…No. He wasn’t going to do this alone.
“Pull over.” My voice was gruff and urgent.
“What?”
“Pull over now.”
He swung the car to the left and put it in park. “Cora—”
I crawled over the gear box and into his lap.
“Cora?” Confusion painted his features.
“Come here.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tight, pressing my body to his and giving him my strength. His hands remained at his sides for a moment and then he hugged me back, his arms crossing over my back and enveloping me in his unique scent. “Stop it. Stop hiding it and let it the fuck out. Please.”
“I…I can’t.” His voice was thick with emotion.
“Yes. You can.”
He tucked his face into the crook of my neck and took a shuddering breath. And then warm wetness kissed my skin.
He was crying.
Oh fuck, he was crying.
My chest ached with his tears, and my throat pinched with his pain, then my vision blurred with tears of my own. We remained like that for long, silent seconds, just holding one another as he vented his pain. The knots in my chest unraveled a little, the pressure ebbing.
Finally, Leif pulled back, looking at me with wet eyes. He brushed my tears away with the pad of his thumb.
His gaze fell to my mouth and my lips parted on instinct. “Fuck it.” He kissed me. A soft, tentative kiss, plucking at my lips with his like the intro to an epic tune.
Just a peck, this was just a—
His tongue flicked out to taste me and I lost control, deepening the kiss, taking his tongue and sucking on the mint and coffee flavors while my fingers reveled in the rasp of stubble across his jaw.
His grip on me tightened, fingers digging into me, and then he tore his mouth free, chest heaving, gunmetal-blue eyes dark and drenched with desire.
“Friend zone…” His breath kissed my lips in a goodbye.
I nodded mutely, grateful for his restraint, because in that moment, I had none.
He closed his eyes and brushed the tip of his nose against mine. “Thank you, Cora.”
“You’re welcome.” I climbed off his lap and settled back in my seat, keeping my eyes on the road ahead and willing my pulse to slow as he started the engine.
It was only when we were back on the track that it hit me.
I’d not only be meeting Leif’s mother and his sisters. I’d also be meeting all the women who wanted to fuck him.
An ugly emotion twisted in the pit of my belly.
Jealousy.
Great. Fucking great.
