Fear of Fire and Shadow (The Fade #1) - Samantha Young Page 0,59

He would marry and I … definitely would not!

But what to do now? When I went into the house, how should I act? My stomach churned. I dreaded an actual conversation with him about it. Oh, surely Wolfe would know it was a mistake. A bleary-eyed, adrenaline-rushed error in judgment. I should just act like nothing happened. I bet that was exactly what he would want.

Nodding, happy with my decision, I scrambled down out of the hayloft, nearly falling on my bottom I trembled with nerves so badly. The sun was bright and hot outside, and I winced at the thought of riding to Caera in this heat. Heaving a huge sigh, I braced my shoulders as if readying for battle, and headed into the widow’s house. Wolfe was nowhere to be seen; the widow bustled around the kitchen, the smell of breakfast heady and thick in the air. My stomach grumbled a plea.

“There you are.” The old widow smiled at me. “I hope you slept well.”

I nodded, confused. Where was Wolfe?

“Your man is out back getting washed up at the trough.”

I glowered. “He’s not my man. He’s my …” I realized I didn’t know how to finish that sentence.

Chuckling, the widow lay out the breakfast for us. “I’m just going out to feed my pig. Be back in a minute.”

“Thank you.” I gestured to the food and sat down, answering her cheery smile with a half-hearted one of my own. I never knew confusion could be so physically disorienting. Shrugging it off, I dug into the delicious food, salivating as it melted on my tongue. Perhaps we should take the old widow back with us, employ her in the palace kitchens. My lips twitched at the thought. Cook wouldn’t be amused by that turn of events. Ah, Cook. I missed her. And Valena. And Haydyn … but that went without saying.

At the sound of a creak behind me, my ears perked up, and then his familiar scent hit me. I sensed Wolfe behind me. The press of his lips against my neck was startling, and I flinched back from him, staring at him incredulously. Wolfe took a step back, a wary aspect flickering across his gaze. Whatever he saw in my expression made him sigh heavily as he took the seat beside me to tuck into the breakfast.

“Last night was a dream, then?” he asked with a definite edge to his voice.

I took a moment, shaking off the delicious tingling on my neck where he had kissed me, desperately trying to ignore the way my stomach flipped at the sight of his aquamarine eyes and wicked mouth. Finally, when I was sure my feelings wouldn’t betray me, I replied, “Not a dream. Just a mistake.”

Somehow Wolfe managed to glare at me out of the corner of his eye, and it wasn’t hard to fall back into the way of things, bristling at the condescending expression he slid on and off his face as easy as a mask. “A mistake?” He shook his head. “I should have known you’d wake up as skittish as a mouse. I shouldn’t have left.”

“It’s got nothing to do with that. And I am not skittish! I never skitter.”

“You are being skittish. But I’m willing to forgive your less than pleasant reaction and give you some time to think about things.”

Whatever else I had been feeling, whatever doubts, whatever confusion, rushed out of the window at his patronizing. “You arrogant, condescending, arrogant—”

“You said that already.” He flicked his fork at me, amusement playing on his lips.

He thought I was kidding. He thought we were having a disagreement. I took in a deep breath, willing my nerves to calm. “I’m completely serious, Captain,” I told him, hating how he flinched as I reverted to calling him Captain. “I’m sorry to have misled you in any way … but what happened last night will not happen again.”

Wolfe studied me, perhaps trying to discern how earnest I was. Then he shook his head, angry confusion in his beautiful eyes. “Rogan, don’t. I know this is … difficult … but we can figure—”

“Don’t.” I stood quickly, my plate rattling on the table. “I’m going to wash up.” Before he could argue any more, I hurried out of the kitchen, brushing past the bewildered old widow.

The trough was right out back, hidden in the shade of the house so the water was still chilled. It was delicious, shocking, and refreshing as I splashed my face, rubbing water droplets into my