Spring (Evermore Academy #2) - Audrey Grey Page 0,6
don’t get it. How can I give myself to a stranger?”
A near-imperceptible flinch ripples across his countenance. Never taking his gaze off my lips, he drags his knuckles gently across my jaw. “Then get to know me, Princess. All of me.”
Fae ears, everything about him—from his voice to his smoldering eyes to the way his fingers press into my flesh—drips sex and desire.
Which is exactly why I can’t trust my feelings around him.
I exhale, trying to break the spell his presence has over me. “What about your father? I thought he would get suspicious if we’re together.”
“I’ll take care of him.” His sharp features harden with determination. Whoa, he’s sexy when he’s serious—
I clear my throat. “And the school?”
“Everyone thinks I’m still with Inara.”
Oh, that. Of all the reasons—plural—falling for the Winter Prince is a bad idea, his pretend relationship with Inara is the worst. Both let the ruse that they’re still together play out, although for very different reasons.
Inara refuses because her ego can’t handle publicly losing him. And Valerian goes along with the rumor that they’re still together for my safety. Because as long as his father and all the other courts think their engagement is still on, no one will pay any attention to his interest in me.
“I could be expelled,” I remind him.
He smiles, the grin so arrogant that I’m reminded how much power he commands. “No, you couldn’t. One word from me and the headmistress won’t touch you.”
“Okay. What about what happened to Evelyn?” A blush creeps over my cheeks at the thought.
“You mean, what if you became pregnant?” he asks softly. “There are herbs to prevent pregnancy as well as spells. What happened to your friend was a tragedy, but that won’t happen to you—if you choose to give yourself to me.”
Give myself to him? Like a shiny present ready to be unwrapped? I shiver, a pulse of warmth hitting me square in the chest as I imagine his deft fingers slowly undressing me—
No, Summer. We all know where that road leads—darkling city. So unless you enjoy being a zombie who dines on Fae flesh, knock it off.
As if he can hear my thoughts, he leans forward, his wavy ink-colored hair sweeping over his forehead, and brushes his mouth over mine. “What we share will never be simple. It’s always going to be messy and complicated and dangerous.”
The second our lips meet, a wave of need rushes over me, so thick I can’t breathe.
“But screw easy. Easy’s boring.” He nips at my bottom lip. “You can’t tell me this isn’t worth fighting for.”
I want so badly to let him kiss me. My body practically thrums as one of his hands lazily runs up and down my back, stroking, reminding me how he once lavished that same gentle, meticulous attention on my thighs, and other places.
He must feel the shiver that slams through my core, because he chuckles.
Not fair. “Is there a way to inactivate the, you know, mating bond, once we . . . turn it on?”
His fingers slide up my neck, take hold of my jaw, and gently tilt my head back. His eyes dance with amusement and something else, something more primal. “You mean, once we make love and the magic binding your soul to mine reaches its full power?”
I nod, my throat suddenly dry. “Yeah, that.”
Another wolfish smile. Shimmer save me. “No, there’s no turning it off. Our soulbond isn’t a light switch, Summer. It’s a rare gift from Queen Titania, one that every Evermore in existence would kill for. Once the powerful magic is finalized it’s permanent.”
“Permanent,” I repeat, breathless, my throat choked with emotion.
I still struggle to commit to my sock color every morning; I’m definitely not ready to activate some magical bond thingy that locks me with a Fae male for the rest of eternity. Especially considering Vi’s reaction today.
Over the summer, I let myself believe she would warm up to the Fae world, given enough time. I ignored the rancor in her voice whenever I brought up anything academy related. Overlooked the horrified way she would stare at the prince’s brand on my arm when she thought I wasn’t looking.
Speaking of . . .
“And when do I get this removed?” I hold up my arm, moving it so that his metallic gold swirls glint softly. Admittedly, a part of me relished having something of the prince during his absence. At the same time, having a tattoo that marks me as someone’s property goes against everything I believe.