asked the most terrifying question I had ever asked.
“How do you want to touch me?”
I braced myself for a boob grab or a southern grope but received neither. He opened his eyes, his gaze feathering over my face as he reached up, his hand trembling, and gently stroked a finger down my hair. Another tremor ran through him, and he dropped his hand to his side again.
That was it. He’d wanted to touch my hair.
I took his hand and lifted it to my cheek. His breathing grew ragged. Knowing I’d pushed us both far enough, I turned my head and pressed my lips to his palm to comfort and thank him.
He jerked back from me as if scalded, and an angry growl echoed from his chest.
“I’m sorry,” I said, inching back. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
He fisted his hand at his side, and I looked down at it, wondering what he meant to do. My gaze didn’t stay there, though. It shifted to his waist, where all thought of an enraged fey evaporated at the sight of the massive tent he was sporting. No, tent was the wrong word for it. The shorts weren’t that loose. His meat-mallet was trying to rip its way free of the pathetic material.
He wasn’t angry. He was raging the biggest boner I’d ever witnessed. I’d never be able to unsee it.
As I stared, it twitched.
His fingers touched the bottom of my chin and forced my gaze up to his eyes.
“You’re too young, Brenna. Eat. I will return.”
He left the kitchen, and I stared after him in amazement. He didn’t just have restraint; he had an iron will. And probably a set of blue balls from hell.
Why did that make me want to grin like an idiot?
I scraped the burnt pancake mess from the pan and started over on the breakfast he’d been trying to make me. I knew pancakes weren’t the fey’s first choice in breakfast food. It was meat. It was always meat. That Thallirin had been up trying to cook something specifically for me only made me smile more. Even with the promise of nothing, he was still doing what he’d said he would do.
My smile fell, and I felt a little cruel. Oh, guilt wasn’t going to get me to hop into bed with him, but I sure was going to try to be a lot nicer and more understanding.
By the time Thallirin returned, showered and dressed, I had a nice stack of pancakes made and the table set.
We had a quiet breakfast together where he kept glancing at me.
“What are your plans for today?” I asked finally.
“I have no plans.”
“Me either. Want to spend some more time together?”
“Yes.”
“Great. I’m going to head back to my house to shower and change. Should I meet you back here in an hour?”
He grunted, and I went to the bedroom to put on my jeans. They weren’t on the floor where I’d left them, but on the bed, neatly folded. The bed was made, too.
“You don’t have to clean up after me,” I called. “You’re already doing me a favor by letting me stay here.” I tugged on my pants and buttoned them.
Turning, I squeaked at the sight of him standing in the doorway. I was beginning to recognize when I’d done something he’d really liked by the color of his ears. Watching me put jeans on over my sleep shorts was about a six in his book. The palm kiss had been a seven. I wondered how he would react when I did something that ranked higher. The thought didn’t upset me. In fact, I kind of wanted to find out.
Dangerous territory.
“I’ll see you in a bit,” I said, edging past him. “Don’t give my room away while I’m gone. I might need it again tonight.”
Outside, I took a deep breath and smiled. Maybe it was the good night’s sleep. Maybe it was knowing I had another day where I didn’t need to leave the safety of Tolerance. Or maybe it was Thallirin’s now flattering attention and my resolution to be nicer to him. Whatever it was, I felt alive and happy.
Smiling even bigger, I started home. I’d only made it a block when I spotted Zach coming my way.
“If you’re headed home, don’t,” he said.
I took in the dark circles under his eyes.
“They didn’t stop?”
“Not yet. Next time you have a bright idea in the middle of the night, come get me, too,” he said.
“I thought you were sleeping.”
“Like anyone could