Page 50 of Nightbane
By the set of his jaw, she knew he was thinking about one person in particular.
“Ask me,” she said.
“Ask you what?”
“Ask me if I still love him.” During the Centennial, she had developed feelings for Grim. When it mattered, though, he couldn’t access her abilities. Still, Oro knew she was starting to remember their history. He must have wondered if it had changed anything.
Oro grimaced at the ground. “It isn’t a fair thing to ask.”
“Ask me anyway.”
He paused. “You don’t have to answer.”
“I know.”
“Do you love him?”
She didn’t hesitate. “No.”
Isla could see the little signs. She recognized them now. His shoulders settling. Jaw loosening. Relief.
She was telling the truth.
Isla didn’t love Grim. Perhaps she had, at one time. But that was in the past. Now she was completely focused on the future.
Hewas her future. He was her friend. The person she trusted. The person she was happiest with.
He finally stood, towering over her. She looked up at him and said, “Oro. Oro—I love you.”
He knew that. He had known for months, thanks to the thread between them. She had almost said the words before.
He went very still anyway.
Then he broke out in the most beautiful smile she had ever seen. “Say it again,” he said. “I missed it.”
“You did not,” she said, laughing. Then she took a step closer to him. “I love you.”
He closed his eyes, like he was taking every word in, committing this moment to his mind. “Again,” he said, like they were in training.
She took a step closer and whispered it right in front of him. “I love you ...” she said. “Even though you’ve never taken me on a date ... even though you’ve never so much as kissed me.”
Oro opened his eyes and peered down at her. “You want to be kissed, Wildling?” he said.
She shrugged. “Among other things.”
He shook his head at her, but then he raked his long fingers through her hair, cupped her by the back of the neck—
And kissed her.
His lips were hot as flames. Their first kiss was soft. Loving.
Their second was not. He pulled back to look at her for just a moment, then seemed to forget they were in front of Lynx, who made a sound of distaste. In a quick motion, he lifted her to his height by the waist, turned, pressed her against the closest tree, and kissed her desperately.
He parted her lips, and she could taste him—he was summer and heat and fire, and when he bit her bottom lip, she groaned into his mouth. She couldn’t get enough of this; her heart felt like it might burst inside her. Her chest tightened as she felt his warm, muscled body pressed against hers.
His grip kept her firmly against the tree, but his thumbs swept under her shirt, making circles against her lower stomach.
Fire flowed through her veins at his every touch. She lowered her head and brushed her lips against his neck and kissed against his pulse. It quickened—his hands suddenly curled beneath her, and she locked her legs behind his back.
