of intentions.” Bahlin’s eyes twinkled merrily, and he lost the battle not to smile. His grin made me feel so alive, like freefalling from the cave all over again. I smiled back and then, realizing he was still kneeling naked in front of me, I blushed so hard it made me light-headed.
“Here,” I nearly shouted, shoving his clothes in his hands and turning my back on him. I still knelt on the grass beside him as I spun away, probably staining the knees of my jeans green in the process. Great.
He reached over and tugged my windblown hair, leaning in close enough that his breath slid down my bared neck like warm caramel over the skin of an apple. His lips touched behind my ear, gently, and he slid his hands around my waist. It might not be politically correct to admit it, but I loved how small and protected he made me feel as he bent his body over mine.
“Do you need help?” I whispered, running my hands over his arms and leaning back into his bare skin. Please say no…or yes. No. Say no.
“No, mo chrid.” Well damn. “We’ve not had a proper meal in days and I’m flat starved. I know if you help me I’ll end up hauling you out to the barn and having my way with you in the hayloft. So come inside with me before you distract me for certain.” He moved away from me and I heard the rustle of clothing as he dressed behind me. There is something seriously sexy about the sound of a zipper, whether it’s going up or down, in the dark. Suddenly Bahlin was in front of me and holding out his hand to help me to my feet. Despite the temptation to stare, I’d kept my eyes turned away from him while he got dressed, and he had to step well around me before I would look up at him. He laughed. “You’ve seen the goods, handled the package and helped me make the delivery, Maddy. Don’t you think the time for shyness has passed?” He chucked me gently under the chin. “Never mind. I forgot for a moment who I was speaking to.” Grabbing the bag, he walked into the house and waved me along with his free hand.
I got up and followed him into the cottage, feeling like it had been eons since we’d last been here when in reality it had been less than forty-eight hours. How the mighty has fallen—flat on her back. I sighed mentally. I paused in the doorway, unsure what to do. There were a number of creatures gathered around the table, all of whom looked human but collectively they gave out waves of power that made my skin want to crawl off the muscle. Of course, had any of them meant me harm they would have had all the time in the world to act on it because I just stood there, the fight-or-flight instinct equally entrenched in my conscious mind as the two warred internally for superiority. I’d have to lose the logic and internal monologues in critical situations or I was going to end up dead, and probably sooner rather than later.
“Maddy,” Bahlin said, drawing me forward with a reach of his hand, “come meet some of my friends and family.”
His family? Oh shit. Brylanna had been bad enough. I didn’t need to meet any more people she could influence, or had already influenced, to dislike me. I shook my head in the smallest motion I could, staring at him.
“No, Bay,” I breathed quietly. “I’ll just, um, I’ll wait outside while you catch up with everyone, okay?” I asked, assuming we’d be going to London via car again. I began backing up slowly, a reverse death march, the tension radiating off me as our arms pulled tight against one another.
Bahlin tightened his hand and gave a gentle yank forward to make me quit pulling. “Stop,” he said, soft enough to be personal but loud enough that it wasn’t private. “I want you to meet my ma and da, as well as my younger brother Aiden. There are several members of our wyvern here too. Let me introduce you?”
He scored major points for asking instead of demanding that I concede. I nodded as slightly as I had moments before declined, and he grinned again. He shifted his hand so our fingers laced together without a conscious thought on my part and he pulled me gently to his