Tempting Darkness [17+] ✔

Chapter 22

       "Do you want help with it?"

       "No! I-I mean, no thanks I have it handled." I didn't miss the sharp look he sent my way at the little fumble, but I plowed right on through like that would make everything better.

       "It's just difficult trying to find primary sources that tie the landscape of Deshua and Oregon into like the mystical background. And Siena and River were far to focused on their own papers to help, and I'm just starting to regret my topic choice. But it's cool, I'm cool. I got it."

       I wiped my hands dry on a kitchen towel and turned to make a bee line for the stairs. Like escaping from that awkward blunder would solve all my problems. Adriel was faster.

       "Hey! No manhandling!" I scolded as one of those strong arms wrapped back around my waist and curled me between his chest and the kitchen counter, his dinner sat forgotten next to the sink.

       "You like it when I manhandle you." That dark voice was teasing as it washed over me, and his blue eyes kept glancing naughtily down at my chest.

       "No, I don't." I grumbled even though I was quickly falling weak at the way his hands slipped easily beneath the edge of my shirt.

       "You and the lying today. I don't like it." Though there was no anger or scolding in his tone. If anything, he sounded like he was enjoying my 'lying' way too much. Those lips were back to leaving soft sensual kisses along my neck and I had to grip tightly on the openings of his flannel to keep from swooning into him.

       Fucking ass hole.

       "Adriel—"

       "You owe me remember?" He traced those kisses from my neck to my jaw and then at the corner of my lips.

       "Lunch. I owe you lunch." Even though it was a weak attempt at resisting him. Not that I would ever want to resist him but watching those blue eyes flare made my stomach feel all fluttery inside.

       "Exactly."

       "You're a pig."

       "So you keep telling me." But we were both smiling and for the first time in nearly a week I felt myself completely ease. Nothing was wrong in the world when we were like this. I would have given anything to make sure that never changed, but we all know how much the universe loved fucking with me.

       My eyes closed and I leaned further into him as those lips pressed against mine. It wasn't meant to be a sexual kiss. Just a soft touch of his lips against mine, but even that sensation was enough to make heat flare through my body and had my thighs clenching.

       He broke away barely a few seconds later, and it was harder than it should have been letting him. "I'm going to go take a shower." Adriel murmured against my lips. I blinked my eyes open to find his blazing heat into mine. "It you want to join me."

       I had to purse my lips to keep them from smirking. "You said Raf was taking a shower.""

       "In the hallway bathroom, mine is wide open." One of those strong, calloused hands slipped teasingly along the bare skin of my back underneath my t-shirt—daring me to say yes and go with him.

       "She can't be alone for too long—"

       Adriel rolled his eyes and pulled slightly away. "She's nine, not four, Lark. She can handle being alone for half an hour, more probably if you gave her the chance."

       I raised my eyebrow as he stepped away and grabbed his dinner plate once again. "A thirty-minute shower?"

       He raised that gaze to mine and winked. "Or longer if you want." I blew air into my cheeks to keep from laughing like an idiot. I could deal with pruning skin for thirty minutes of wet alone time with Adriel. Pun intended.