And that summed up my worst fear. That Tavlor was only ‘with’ me because my father had asked him to. That he hadn’t come to see me at the Fae realm because he missed me, because he wanted me, but because he was assigned to protect me and following his assignments was the only thing he cared about.
“Your father does want me to protect you...” he began.
I put my hand on his shoulder and tried to push him away. He was like a boulder—firm and unmovable.
Tavlor spoke a few magical words that made my towel disappear. Literally disappear.
I squealed as he pressed his fully clothed body onto mine, his thigh going between my legs to rub against a place that was now throbbing with desire.
“But he would kill me if he knew what I was doing right now, what I desperately want to do to you,” he continued.
I blinked up at him, noticing that he was still looking directly into my eyes. He hadn’t even glanced down at my naked body yet.
I furrowed my brow. What was he saying? What did he want to do to me, exactly? Clearly, he was interested in the physical closeness, but was it because he actually cared about me?
“Why?” I asked, desperately hoping he understood my question.
“Why do I desire you? Why do I care so much?” he asked.
I nodded. If he did desire me, then yes, I wanted to know why. It would help me make sense of how frustrating he was behaving.
“Because you’re the first person to look past the scars, past my parentage, past the anger and betrayal I feel whenever I am close to a witch or warlock,” he said. “Because you’re the first person to see who I really am. And that scares me more than I’m willing to admit.”
The pain in my chest intensified, but not from distress. My heart beat like a caged canary wanting to escape.
I waited, not sure what else I could say.
He kept speaking. “So, if you’ll allow me, Ava, I’ll show you how much I want you, need you... desire you.”
My pulse quickened even more. I shifted underneath him, my nipples hard from the coolness that pinched at them.
“How do you want to do that?” I asked, my throat dry.
He grinned, his face lighting up. “I won’t remove any of my clothes,” he said. “I only want to give you pleasure.”
I inhaled sharply through my nose. What would that entail?
“Could you take your tops off, so I can feel your skin a little?”
He nodded slowly. “If that is your request.”
I bit my lip. “Yes, please.”
“Then you consent?” he asked, as though I would say anything other than yes.
I blew out a breath.
“Yes,” I said, though what I was consenting to, I wasn’t entirely sure. All I knew was that I couldn’t go another day without feeling this man’s hands on me.
Chapter 7.
Tavlor said a Fae casting word. The word hummed into my ear and I closed my eyes—despite the beautiful sight in front of me—simply because of how his voice sounded when he spoke in such a way.
When I opened my eyes, his robe and flowing top had disappeared. He was big, full of muscle, but approachable, at least with me. At least in this moment.
“Let go of my hands,” I said. “I want to touch you.”
More than I can say.