Still, she couldn’t stop herself. She touched her mouth to his. She needed to give him something back. To acknowledge his look. His lips were warm and firm and soft and a blatant invitation to more.
Andre’s hand cupped the back of her head and his mouth moved against hers. For the first time she recognized hunger in the gentle coaxing of his tongue. She should have pulled back. She didn’t know him. She was alone with him. She’d already given one man the wrong impression, with disastrous results . . .
Andre folded her closer, his mouth dominating, commanding even, short-circuiting her brain so that every thought disappeared and she leaned into all that heat and simply caught fire. The rush in her veins was like a fireball spreading through every part of her body. It was the most beautiful, amazing moment in her life. She didn’t want it ever to end.
His mouth was hot and perfect, and she knew she was giving herself to him even as he was taking over. Taking charge of her in a way she would never have allowed if she thought about it. The fire spread fast, out of control, and she wanted it, wanted that burn to consume her. Mostly, she wanted him. She wanted to be his. She felt as if she was his, pure and simple.
You are mine.
She absorbed the soft statement, the one more in her head than whispered in her ear. His mouth kept moving on hers, his tongue stroking and caressing until she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t catch her breath. For a moment, she thought she might die of kissing if that was even possible, but her lungs refused to work, burning her raw. And then, somehow, weirdly, he filled her lungs with air, exchanging breath with her, air with her, so that she felt him inside her. Close. Twisting through every organ and cell she had, lodging there. Branding himself in her very bones so that if she died and they did an autopsy, his name would be there, on every bone she had.
He lifted his head reluctantly. She clutched at his hair, his neck, hating to give him up. She felt dazed and a little shaky. He held her steady so that if her legs gave out, he wouldn’t allow her to fall.
She stared up into his blue eyes. “What’s happening here, Andre? Because it’s scaring me just a little bit. I’m not like this. Not at all. I’m acting totally out of character, and you’re a total stranger and I’m scared.”
“I know you are, csitri,” he murmured gently, his hand at the nape of her neck, his thumb sliding along her cheek and then finding her pulse in the sexy way that he had. “You do not ever have to be afraid with me. I would give my life before I would ever harm you.”
It was impossible not to hear the utter sincerity in his voice or see it in his eyes. That was just as scary. She was always afraid, but she’d made it a priority to face every fear. This was different. This endangered her heart. She could fall for him, hard. She realized that, looking at his handsome face. If it was just his looks, that would be one thing, but she knew it was much more. They were connected in a way she didn’t understand.
“See?” It had to be said. “Even that is bizarre. You don’t know me at all and yet we’re so wrapped up in this craziness you’d be willing to give your life for me. Does that makes sense to you?”
She forced herself to step back. Away from him. Away from the threat and potency of him. He was too mesmerizing. Casting his spell over her and holding her prisoner. It wasn’t all him. She was honest enough to evaluate her own behavior. She would have fought to save him. She might even go so far as to give her life before allowing something or someone to harm him as well, and that was really scary.
Teagan backed farther away from his heat. From the fire. From the gentle promise in his eyes. She could barely breathe again. The only sane thing to do was put distance between herself and this man. A lot of distance. A country or two. She picked up her backpack with one trembling hand. Grandma Trixie might have to stay crazy just a little longer, living in her world of vampires and monasteries.
She actually turned to go, but somehow, he got there first. She hadn’t seen him move. She hadn’t heard him move. Not a single rustle of clothes. Not a footfall. Not even a breath. She just blinked and he was there. Solid. An immovable rock. His hand, so very gently, took the backpack out of hers.
“Teagan.”
Her name. That accent. His low reprimand. She shivered and bit at her lower lip. She was not going to make the mistake of looking into his eyes. That way led to complete and utter disaster and she wasn’t going there again.
“Now you are just scaring yourself. You are tired and your body aches. I can feel the way your muscles are screaming. Please get into the water. It will make you feel so much better.”
His voice was velvet soft, smoothing over her skin like the caress of fingers. She had the feeling if she tried to leave, he would find a way to stop her, and that would really freak her out. Maybe he was a psycho just making her feel safe with him, only she didn’t anymore. Why? Because her entire body melted at his touch. No, it was even worse than that. Her entire body melted when he looked at her.
“Sivamet. I do not like to feel your fear. I am not this psycho you are afraid of. Te avio päläfertiilam. Ainaak terád vigyázak.”
Steadfastly refusing to look at him, she took a breath. “Andre, I don’t know what that means.”
“If you get into the hot spring, I will tell you.”
She glanced up at him. His blue eyes were the colors of the purest glaciers she’d ever seen. The hot spring was tempting. She was tired. Exhausted. She needed rest if she was going to hike back down the mountain and tell the authorities what had happened to Armend.