“I can’t decide if that grunt means ‘run for your life’ or ‘everything’s fine.’”
“Everything is fine,” he rasped, his voice rougher than usual.
“We both know that’s not the truth based on how you’re gripping that handle. Are you upset because I brushed up against you? Embarrassed?”
“No.”
“Did my boob touching you freak you out because I’m not eighteen?”
“No.”
I munched on a cheese curl while considering him, then took another one and offered it to him.
“I’m not good at guessing. It’d be easier if you just told me what you’re thinking.”
He turned his head, meeting my gaze, then bit the little snack from my fingers, somehow managing to use his tongue in the process. It was warm against my fingers, and I felt it all the way to my toes.
I stared at him, guessing where his thoughts were because of the accidental brush, and I was no longer sure everything was okay. Not because of him, but because of the way my stomach had somersaulted at the feel of his tongue against the pad of my finger.
“We should watch another movie,” I said.
“Yes.”
The cupboard knob was deformed when he released it.
Chapter Ten
Thallirin’s hand closed over my arm, halting my hasty retreat to the living room.
“Why are you afraid?” he asked.
“Why would you think I’m afraid?”
In the reflection of the television screen, I watched him tilt his head at me.
“I can hear your heart. It beats almost as quickly as when we were on the roof.”
“When I was afraid I’d been bitten.”
He grunted, and this time, I knew it was in agreement. Reluctantly, I turned and looked up at him.
“You liked it when I brushed up against you.”
“I did.”
“How much?”
“I would give anything to have you do it again…when you’re old enough.”
I took a deep, slow breath, considering what that meant. He was being clear and honest with me about his feelings. He wanted me as a man wants a woman, but he had also told me his wants weren’t my problem. Over eighteen or under eighteen, he wasn’t going to force me in any way. All of that reassured me immeasurably. What didn’t reassure me was the way my pulse was now racing and the way my gaze dipped to his mouth. Was my age protecting me or hindering me?
I wasn’t sure I was ready to consider that question in depth.
“If you’re worried that I’m afraid of you because of what happened in the kitchen, I’m not. And I’d rather not talk about why my heart isn’t behaving as it should right now. Let’s just focus on spending some non-hostile time together.”
He released me to take the snack that I handed him, and I moved to find another movie. Looking at the titles didn’t distract me from the cause of my racing pulse.
Like a switch had been turned on, I couldn’t stop feeling his tongue against my finger. It was messing with my head. After what had happened at the bunker, I’d thought any sexual type of feelings had been killed. But, apparently, I’d been wrong. Why Thallirin, though? Was it because he was the first one to touch me like that since I’d been rescued?
When I turned back to him, he was standing where I’d left him.
“Do you want to sit next to me?” I asked.
He tilted his head and studied me for a moment.
“What do you want?” he asked.
Another strong surge of relief swept through me. He’d truly understood all my talk about choices.
“I’d like to try sitting next to you if that’s okay.”
“Yes.”
He sat on the couch, and I put in another movie then joined him. A full couch cushion separated us, and I was okay with that. Yet, instead of watching the opening scene, I studied him, noticing more than I ever had before.
Scars crisscrossed his face. Some lighter and smaller, some darker and bigger. They continued down his neck, and I knew from seeing him shirtless that he had them elsewhere, too. I wanted to ask why he was so marked when fey supposedly healed miraculously but knew he was sensitive about them.
Seeing beyond the scars, I studied his features. He was handsome with his dark grey skin, arched brows, strong chin, and sculpted nose. The pointed ears were a little distracting, but I was growing more used to the sight of them by the day.
“Thallirin?”
He looked at me.
“Never mind,” I said, having glimpsed the color of his eyes. Dark green edged the deep yellow of his irises.
Why was I paying attention to all of these details now? I turned toward the TV and tried to forget my weird reaction to him when he’d licked my finger.
We watched the second movie together with no other conversation. When it finished, I set the half-eaten bag of junk food aside and swiveled on the couch so I faced him again.
“I don’t know about you, but I could go for some real food. Would you like to come over for dinner?”
“Yes.”
“Please don’t read into this invitation and go back to acting like you own me.”
He looked down, that rueful smile reappearing.
“What?” I asked.
His smile vanished as he met my gaze.
“I will never own you, Brenna. You own me.”
Uncomfortable, I stood and went to the kitchen. I didn’t want to own Thallirin.
I reached for the damaged knob, my fingers tracing the evidence of how much Thallirin wanted me. My stomach did a weird, twisting flip, and my heart joined in. What was wrong with me?
I opened the cupboard and put the snack food away. When I turned, Thallirin was only a few steps behind me.
“I think it should be safe enough to head back to my house now.”
We left Uan’s and walked side by side down the street. The long stares our companionable stroll drew from the meandering fey had me shaking my head. By the end of the day, Thallirin would be inundated with questions about how he’d changed my mind.
It took a few minutes to reach home since I wasn’t in any rush. And when we got there, I rang the doorbell instead of just letting myself in. Uan answered the door almost immediately.
“Hey, Uan,” I said. “Zach back yet?”
“Yes,” he said, moving aside so we could enter.
I put away my things and went to the kitchen. My eyes widened at the sight of the boxes spread all over the place. Mom and Zach were sorting through all the food the boxes contained.
“I take it today went well,” I said, looking at Zach.
“For me. Do you know you have a shadow?”
I glanced at Thallirin, who stood back, watching us.
“Yeah. Mom, this is Thallirin. Thallirin, this is my mom, Nancy. I hope it’s okay I invited him to dinner.”
“Of course,” Mom said, studying me. “Is that why you rang the doorbell?”
I slowly shook my head.
“As you probably already know, I didn’t go on the supply run today.”
“Oh.” I could see by her face that she knew exactly what had happened and why I’d used the doorbell.
“I’m sorry about that, sweetie. Had I known...”