Page 201 of Once Upon a Fable

To be a man who’d fallen from a cliff and woken up changed, whole, reborn.

A man who would kiss the girl he desperately wanted and then say goodbye.

But I wasn’t that man.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, shivering as I glided my fingers through her hair to the delicate indent of where her neck met her shoulder. My eyes dropped down her body, sending blood rushing to my cock and away from my addled brain, making me sway before her.

A single touch and we were both panting as if we’d been running toward this moment our entire lives.

Stop.

Gritting my teeth, I tore my eyes from her breasts and continued to her ankle. I had to know. My plan all hinged on one vital piece of information.

The cuff.

Still wrapped tight around her delicate ankle, still padlocked into place.

I smiled as I looked back up to meet her stunning stare. “You didn’t manage to undo it.”

She struggled through the need swirling between us, her eyebrows drawing together. “No, I—”

“Did you try?”

She licked her lips, chewing on honesty. “I did.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

I nodded, brushing my touch along her shoulder and neck again, searching for that perfect, assailable spot. The pressure point drawn in a diagram I found in a martial art book in the library.

The thing she hadn’t understood about me was, yes, I was a tortured soul living alone in the valley. Yes, I was more animal than man. And yes, I had many flaws and countless holes in my education.

However...

Books had been my saving grace. They’d been my only friend on those long winter nights and endless summer days. I’d read everything cover to cover, including topics that would help me defend myself if more enemies came to Fables.

My thumb found the spot, my fingers prepared to squeeze.

I bent to kiss her.

Her chin tipped up, stupidly trusting that I was as drunk on chemistry as she was. I wouldn’t lie. My head was swimming, and desire had replaced every inch of my concussion. I was rock fucking hard.

But I was looking at the bigger picture where I had a lifetime of seducing this girl. Whereas she was looking at a final, passionate goodbye.

Two people who belonged with each other yet continued to fight the inevitable.

Our lips brushed as I spoke into her mouth, “I’m glad you tried.”

“You are?” She kissed me back, her tongue flicking out to lick along my bottom lip. “Why?”

“You’ll see.”

I smashed my mouth to hers. I kissed her so damn hard.

She moaned.

I groaned.