Page 38 of Stolen Threadwitch Bride
Our eyes met and we froze. The steps put me almost level with him, and now our lips were only inches apart.
I could’ve pulled away. I should’ve. If I told him to release his hold, he would have done so.
I didn’t.
His chest heaved and his gaze lowered to my mouth. Gods knew what I was doing, but my chin inched up.
“Ahem.” From the door.
I leapt away, and for a heart-wrenching moment, lurched through empty air. But Ly caught me and deposited me safely on the floor beside those damn steps.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Boyd said from the doorway, not looking remotely sorry as he shot me a look full of daggers. “However, it’s nine o’clock—your appointment, Ly.”
“Right.” He huffed and swept the hair from his forehead. Surely he wasn’t ruffled? “Do you have all the measurements you need?”
Clearing my throat, I nodded. “I have enough to get on with.”
With a stiff smile, he was gone, leaving me to my work.
* * *
A little later,Hil brought me a flaky pastry flavoured with almonds for breakfast, as well as a whole pot of tea and a cup of coffee, because she didn’t know which I preferred. I worked all morning, drafting a pattern for a fitted jacket. I flicked through a stack of books while I ate lunch. One included patterns for gloves and bags. I paused over the gloves, mouth too dry to swallow the sandwich that Sylvie had delivered.
I had nothing in the face of their power, but poisoned gloves could be a last resort. They just might save my life.
My hands had ended up in his enough times that it was easy for me to gauge which size to use. Not that I wanted to use them on him, but… Here, he was my greatest danger. And even if another fae posed a threat, with a little luck they’d have hands smaller than Ly’s.
I traced the pattern.
All afternoon, I worked on a toile of the jacket, testing the design. I couldn’t start on the breeches until I had more measurements. Inside leg—thatwas going to be fun to take. Gods, why had I agreed to this?
I took dinner in the workroom, too. It was quiet where the room off the kitchen was too chaotic.
Hells, I could admit it—my feelings forhimwere too chaotic. Somehow, despite my traitorous chin rising and inviting him to kiss me, I wasrelievedhe hadn’t reappeared. Avoiding dinner with the others meant I could avoid facing him. And that was almost as much of a relief as bargaining my way out of a forced marriage.
The house was quiet and dark when I emerged, but with lunch, Sylvie had brought a floating fae light that I could direct with a gesture and whose colour and brightness I could change with a word. It was part of another order Ly had made, she’d explained, this one taking a little longer because of its magical nature.
Whatever reason he had for sneaking somewhere, it had to be for something important—he must’ve spent a small fortune kitting out this workshop. And the sewing bird, the floating light, the books and materials… he’d put a lot of thought into it as well as money.
When I climbed into bed and dimmed the light with a whisper, I lay in the dark, staring up, and my hand crept to my neck. What the hells was wrong with me that I’d let him touch me like that?
Even worse, I’d wanted it.
Groaning, I pulled a pillow over my face. “Oh, shit.”
It was simple and horrifying and almost as frightening as his overwhelming power.
I liked him. The fae who’d kidnapped me away was thoughtful and kind and gentle as well as painfully attractive, and I damn well liked him.
Company
“Do you want some company?” His voice cut through the silence.
I bolted upright, almost jabbing my finger in the process. Thank the gods I was finishing the toile rather than working on the gloves. Clutching my chest, I huffed. “You gave me a bloody heart attack.”
Standing in the doorway in darkest indigo with shadows pooled at his feet, he was night. But night didn’t give rueful smiles like the one he was wearing. “Not intentional. We’re just… naturally very quiet.”
We. Fae. Eyes closed, I rubbed the bridge of my nose. I had to remember that. He wasn’t a human, he wasn’t a person…
