Page 22 of The Temptation of Truth
Brynn rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling, so with a wave to the room, I let myself out of the suite.
Then I run smack into Aurora.
The collision knocks us both off balance, her breath leaving her on anooof. My hands wrap around her biceps, and she grips my waist, her fingers sinking into the exposed skin where my corset doesn’t reach my skirt. I feel heat radiate out from her touch, covering every inch of my body, and when her eyes pop open, she lets out a little gasp that I feel on my lips.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to...I didn’t see you...I should have been watching?—”
“You’re good. I wasn’t watching where I was going either.”
I should let go of her, but I don’t, and she doesn’t let go of me either. She just stands there, hazel eyes bouncing between mine, mouth open just slightly, pink blush spreading from her cheeks to her neck to her collarbone.
“Did I hurt you?” she asks on a breathy whisper.
“You didn’t hurt me.” I brush my thumb over the soft, warm skin on her arm. “I don’t think you could if you tried.”
Her mouth curves into a small smile and her expression lights with humor as her nose does that cute little scrunch thing again.
“Are you saying I’m not intimidating?”
I shrug. “That might be what I’m saying.”
“I could be.” She narrows her eyes, lips twitching like she’s trying to keep her smile from widening. “If I wanted to be.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
We stay frozen like this, currents ofsomethingpassing between us, the eye contact making my pulse speed up. I’ve always been a sucker for eye contact, and it’s gotten me in too much trouble in the past. Then loud laughter sounds from beyond the door to Sav’s suite, and we break apart. My arms drop to my sides as hers fold across her midsection, and she makes it a point to look at everything in the hallway except for me.
“Anyway. So. Um. Sav texted, so...”
“Right. You’re meeting Brynn.” I take a few steps backward so I’m no longer blocking her from the door. “She’s nervous, so take it easy on her.”
Aurora lets out a breath of laughter. “No worries there. I’m nervous, too.” She brings her eyes from the carpet to my face. “I don’t have much experience with kids.”
“Honestly, that’s probably a good thing. Boss isn’t like most kids.”
She glances at the suite door and nods, inhaling deeply through her nose before exhaling slowly, her pink lips forming a perfect littleO.
“Any advice?”
“Just be yourself.” I smirk. “As long as you don’t want to be intimidating, you should be fine.”
Another tinkling laugh from her. Another stomach flip from me. Then she turns back to face me and locks her eyes with mine.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
“Oh, I almost forgot.” She pulls a keycard from a pocket on her dress. “Here. I didn’t realize I had it until I was leaving to come here. Otherwise, I’d have found you sooner.”
I take the keycard, careful not to brush her fingers with mine.
“Thanks,Roar.”
She blushes. “My uncle is the only one who calls me that.”
“Do you not like it?”
“No, it’s not that. I just...Well, I guess it sounds different when you say it.”
