Page 103 of Harnessed in Gold

I whimper, my muscles clenching. “Leo?—”

“Let go,” he urges. “Go ahead.”

I break with a cry, heat and pleasure exploding from my core, and my back arching off the bed. I hear Leo growl while my body wracks, feel his fingers still working, even while he comes. He doesn’t stop until we’re both gasping for breath and the last wave curls my spine.

Trembling, we collapse onto the mattress, his body covering mine and our hearts slamming in our chests.

What in god’s name just happened? We were supposed to be working on my power and now here I am, limp and shuddering in Leo’s arms after the best orgasm of my life.

He rolls onto his side, taking me with him, and sweeps my hair from my hot face. I feel his ribs contract as he lets out a long exhale, feel the backs of his fingers as he traces my cheek.

Eyes searching mine, he breathes, “You know what it means.”

“What what means?”

“A chroí.”

I nod. “‘My heart.’ And a chuisle mo chroí means ‘pulse of my heart,’ right?” I don’t tell him I googled the pronunciation.

“How did you know?”

“Rime.”

When his jaw clenches, I quickly add, “Remember when we went to Bingo and he was supposed to be my Irish boyfriend? When he said it, I remembered hearing it. From you when—well—you know?—”

“And he told you what it means?”

“No, one of the old ladies at our table did. She said it’s engraved in her wedding ring.”

“Her wedding ring?” He’s calmer now, toying with a lock of my hair that’s fallen over my shoulder.

“Yeah. It makes sense, actually.” He watches as I open his left hand, palm up. “Apparently people used to believe that there was avein here—” with the tip of a fingernail, I draw a line from his ring to his wrist, “—that runs directly to the heart. That’s why we wear our wedding bands on this finger.”

I trace the vein’s trail again, this time further up the inside of his arm. He shivers and exhales, snatching my hand and bringing it to his lips.

“You’re the pulse of my heart, Betts. I can’t live without you.” He presses my palm to his chest. “I’m not going to leave you.”

His heart thumps against my hand, slow and strong. But when I kiss him, it picks up its pace. My eyes sting and a hollowness swells between my ribs.

What if he doesn’t have a choice?

“Rime’s going to be furious,” I say.

“I told you, letmeworry about Rime.”

I burrow in closer. “I’m sure he heard us.” Truth be told, I’m surprised he isn’t pounding on Leo’s door.

“He didn’t,” Leo says. “I put up a sound shield.”

I jerk up onto my elbow. “A what?”

Wearing a crooked smile, he holds up a hand and brushes his thumb across his fingers. “A sound shield. It’s a type of glamour. Sound can get in, but nothing comes out.”

My eyes widen and my jaw drops. “That’s why no one was staring at us when you and Zander were fighting in the library.”

Leo shrugs. “They might’ve thought we were acting a little strange, but since they couldn’t hear us, they lost interest.”

Unwelcome memories come racing back. All the accusations Zander threw at Leo.You a senior? Junior? Grad student, maybe? Because I couldn’t find you registered here at Brownhill.He was right, and yet so wrong.