“Evanesced?”
He rolled his eyes, then disappeared only to reappear at my side, close enough for me to smell his strange, cinnamony magic. I jumped back, ramming my backside against the arm of my chair, knocking it closer to the fireplace.
“Evanesced,” he repeated, gesturing toward himself with a wave.
So that’s what they called it. He must be one of the more powerful creatures then.
“I had planned on taking the trellis, you see, but it was otherwise occupied,” he continued with a smirk. “You really should start locking your door. There’s no telling who’ll pop in.”
“What good would that do?” The door may not be locked, but he hadn’t used it. Wincing, I massaged my sore bum. There’d be a bruise by morning for sure.
“You’d be surprised.” He wandered around, touching my belongings. Picking up my perfume and taking a sniff. Trailing his fingers along the tassled canopy drapes.
I should kick him out. I really should. “What’s your name?”
“Oisin, Colin, Ciaran, Cian, Liam, Fionn, Dara, Shay. Take your pick or call me whatever you like.” He lifted his shoulders in a shrug as he sank onto my chair, bounced twice, made a face, and rose again. “Makes no difference to me.”
He probably thought he was charming, with his wicked grin and the mischievous sparkle in his ocean eyes.
I’d been charmed before. Never again. “Whatever your name is, you cannot be here. You need to leave.” If he wasn’t going to answer my questions, there was no point allowing him to linger.
“First I need a favor.” He dragged a long finger across the marble mantle, cluttered with small porcelain figurines and my jewelry box. The embers burst into fresh flames, sending heat slamming into me.
“What sort of favor?”
Ten seconds passed as I waited for an explanation, watching him watch me with an unreadable expression. I didn’t have it in me to be polite anymore. “Are you going to tell me or not? It’s late, and I want to go to bed.”
His eyes darted to the open canopy.
Damn it all if my pulse didn’t go berserk. “Alone,” I ground out.
His black waistcoat and breeches swallowed the firelight, making him look more shadow than man until he stepped closer. Orange light from the flames played on his features, highlighting the scar across his nose. “What’s the matter? Do you not find me attractive?”
So bloody attractive. Too attractive. “No. I don’t.”
He leaned forward, his nose grazing my cheek, and whispered, “Liar.”
The timbre of his voice left my insides in knots and heartbeat skittering. Why had my body finally decided to respond to a being who could probably kill me with an errant thought?
Still, no man, no matter how handsome or magical, was allowed to invade my personal space without my permission. He’d caught me off-guard in the shed. Never again. “Get out of my room, or so help me, I will scream.” I didn’t owe him a favor. I didn’t owe him anything.
Although he drew away, the scent of magic lingered, swirling on my tongue. I swallowed it down, intrigued by the way it heated my insides as if I’d guzzled a hot cup of tea.
His shirtsleeve brushed against my bare arm as he stepped past to trace the floral pattern in my curtains. “But if you scream, you’ll wake your poor sister.”
Building heat became a winter breeze.
He knew about Keelynn? No. No.No.
Had he overheard my conversation with Robert, or had he met her himself? The idea left my knees shaking.
“Tell me your favor.” Whatever it was, I would give it to him as long as he swore to leave her alone. Keelynn was still so naïve when it came to men. If she met this one, she wouldn’t have the good sense to stay far, far away.
He smoothed a hand down his waistcoat, tugging as he adjusted the bottom against his shiny gold belt buckle. “I would like you to kiss me.”
The sudden tightness in my chest warred with my fluttering stomach. “Absolutely not.”
No way was I going to kiss his perfect pink lips that probably tasted like magic and would be soft and supple and warm and . . .