I honestly had no words. I could not believe that this gorgeous, confident man, was attracted tome. I had so many more questions. I opened my mouth to ask if he’d always been attracted to me but stopped when Torin held up a finger.
“Don’t, Liora.” Torin’s voice rasped, and he took a sip of his beer. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.”
“But what if I do want the answers?”
Torin leveled a look at me from across the couch and desire speared inside me.
“I’d ask that you respect me, as a person, who’d like some privacy with his thoughts and feelings. It’s not fair that I can’t protect what I’m thinking and saying because of a spell thatyou’ve wielded. It wouldn’t be right of you to take advantage of that by digging into all the corners of my brain, would it?”
“Och, Torin.” I gasped and put my wine down. Leaning over, I patted his arm. “I’msosorry. I didn’t even think about it like that. Of course, I shouldn’t be asking invasive questions if you have no choice in how you answer them. That’s entirely too intrusive and, bloody hell, what was I thinking? I’m sorry. I’ll have to get adjusted to the idea that I have to be careful in my line of questioning since you’ve got no filter now. I’m sorry. I am. Truly. I’ll do better.”
“Thank you. It’s a bit of a mind fuck to not be able to filter my thoughts right now.”
Torin met my eyes and silence filled the room and something warm and heavy hung in the air between us. I realized I was still touching him, my hand curved partly around his massive bicep, and I eased it off, breaking the contact.
Though I was definitely going to spend the rest of the evening thinking about how he said he was attracted to me. Because, holy hell, how could I not? He was the type of man bound to invade my deepest fantasies, and I knew I’d have a hard time falling asleep later with his image branded on my mind.
“So. It’s agreed then?” Torin pulled me from my thoughts, and I blinked at him, confused.
“Agreed?”
“We’re dating.” Torin put his beer down on the table. “At least until we figure out a solution to the truth spell.”
“What if it takes a long time?” I asked, worried. Leaning over, I set my glass on the table and sat back, twisting a sterling silver and amethyst ring I wore on my thumb.
“Then we date for a long time.” Torin startled me by sliding across the couch and putting an arm around the back of the cushion behind me.
My eyes widened and my breath caught as I turned to look up at him. Every nerve ending in my body came to life, and I was equal parts terrified and excited by his closeness.
He smelled like newly chopped wood and soap, a fresh intoxicating scent, and I bit my lower lip, nerves working their way through me.
“Och, that lip.” Torin glowered, his eyes on my mouth.
“What… what are you doing?” I asked, surprised at his nearness.
“If we’re dating, we have to get comfortable with being close to each other. And usually, I would kiss my date at the end of the night.”
“Wait,” I said, slamming a hand on his chest. My hand met a wall of steel.Bloody hell but the man was ripped. “You haven’t taken me out to dinner yet.”
“Aye, but I did. Didn’t I feed you?” Torin leaned closer, a devilish smile dancing on his lips, and I sucked in a small breath, torn between laughter and anxiety.
“You did but…” His mouth hovered over mine.
“Say, thank you, Torin.”
“Thank you, Torin,” I whispered and then his lips were on mine.
The kiss shocked me. As in, sent a physical shock straight through my body. I jolted against him, and his hands came to my shoulders, steadying me, as his lips explored mine. Softly, he pressed against me, his teeth scraping my lower lip, and he sucked gently. Desire pooled low in my belly, molten and slow, and my fingers curled helplessly into the front of his shirt.
Torin kissed like he spoke—controlled, sure, but with something unruly simmering underneath. His mouth brushed mine again, softer this time, as if savoring the taste of me, and the gentleness of it undid me far more than any wild, demanding kiss could.
“Torin…” I breathed into his mouth, not even sure what I meant to say.
He hummed, a low sound that vibrated against my lips, and his hand slid from my shoulder to cradle the side of my neck. His thumb stroked just under my jaw, guiding me closer, and he let the moment stretch. His lips parted such that a whisper of breath mingled with mine, the tender press of him coaxing me into leaning in for more.
I kissed him back. Carefully at first, then with a helpless, aching hunger I didn’t mean to reveal. His lips curved against mine, as if he felt the same, and that tiny, wicked smile made nerves swoop low in my stomach.
When he finally pulled back, it was only by a breath. His forehead rested lightly against mine, our noses brushing, our breaths tangling in the inch of space he’d left between us.