Page 53 of Knight’s Salvation

“I just…fuck.” His head dipped forward. He was hiding from her again.

She reached out and touched his arm. “Tell me.”

“I just want to get to know you, all right?” He growled the words at her, but she wasn’t afraid. It hadn’t been hard to work out anger was Zenon’s default emotion when he was uncomfortable or uncertain.

Heart beating faster, she moved slowly, lifted her legs onto the couch, crossing them in front of her, and faced him. She was afraid something might shatter this—whatever it was that was going on between them. “Yeah, I missed having a dad. My mom talked about him all the time. She really loved him, yanno? He left just after I was born. Chaya was barely one. She never said why he left, but she never got over him. She died loving him.”

She knew better than to question him about his childhood and waited, hoping he’d ask her another question.

He watched her again, making her breath hitch and her body warm. “What’d you wanna be when you grew up?”

Of all the questions he could have asked, she hadn’t expected that one. She kept her expression serious. “I wanted to be a fairy princess with a crown and a wand, and ride a purple unicorn.”

To her utter shock and delight, Zenon threw back his head and laughed. The sound was deep and husky and she felt it all the way down to her toes. He looked even more beautiful like that. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.

When he stopped, a small grin played on his lips. “You would’ve been an amazing princess.” He reached out and wrapped a lock of her hair around one of his thick fingers. “You’ve got all this beautiful red hair, princess hair.”

The compliment stunned her, but again she forced herself not to react. “I always thought so, but to become a princess I needed to find my prince. I haven’t had much luck so far.”

The grin disappeared and he dropped his hand, looked down. Dammit, she wanted to kick herself.

“There been anyone serious, Mia?” The words sounded torn from him. Was he jealous?

“No. I shied away from anything that might get serious. I knew I was a ticking time bomb; that this would happen eventually. I couldn’t do that to someone else, couldn’t do it to myself.”

When he looked up she couldn’t read the expression on his face except to say it was fierce, a little wild. “What about you?”

His eyes widened. “Me?”

“Anyone serious?”

She held her breath, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer or not. He swallowed hard and shook his head. “Never.”

“Well, looks like—”

“Can I kiss you?” His words came out in a rush.

He looked nervous, almost vulnerable, and her heart squeezed. “Yes.” There was no other answer, not for her.

He scooted closer so her knees pressed into the side of his thigh. He lifted a hand to her face, threaded his fingers through her hair, and then ran his thumb across her cheek.

“You’re so beautiful, Mia. Inside and out.” His breath ghosted across her lips.

“So are you,” she whispered back. He shook his head and started to dip his chin, to hide. Mia reached up and ran her fingers over the brand on his cheek. “I’ve never been one to play favorites, but I think I love your lips best.”

He grinned, and Mia felt like she’d won the lottery. Not much could top that—well, that was until he leaned in and brushed those full, firm lips against hers. She dropped her hand to his side and fisted his shirt, holding on but not touching him, letting him take control. He took his time, kissed her slow and soft. She didn’t push, didn’t try to deepen it.

He tasted and teased her mouth then ran his tongue across her upper lip, once, twice. He tasted like toothpaste and Heaven, and she opened for him. The kiss went from slow and soft to slow and deep. He reached around her waist, tugging her down, and moved over her, pulling her under him so they were lying on the couch. One hand stayed at her waist and the other cupped the side of her face. The achingly tender way he worshipped her mouth almost broke her heart. This meant something to him, something she didn’t understand.

He didn’t try to take things further, just continued to kiss her, like they were teenagers, like this was their first kiss. A wonderful revelation they were discovering together.

When he pulled back a while later, he rested his forehead against hers. “You taste like heaven.”

And just like that, she was done for. She’d already started to fall for this broken male full of secrets and pain, and with those softly spoken words she let go of the ledge, sailed through the air, and hit the ground with enough force to shatter the walls protecting her heart.

Jesus, she wanted him, wanted him to be hers. “You taste like all my dreams come to life,” she whispered against his lips.

He flexed his fingers in her hair and buried his face against her throat. His body trembled slightly and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. “I can’t be your prince, Mia.”