I propped a hand on my hip, struggling to ignore the fire in his hungry gaze. “I’m certain Ruairi wouldn’t mind,” I teased.
The fire turned to smoke. “I do not find that amusing.”
“Lighten up, grumpy Rían. I feel nothing for him besides friendship.”
He inhaled deeply, as if desperate to ensure there was no lie. “He’d probably make you happier,” he said with a frown.
I kissed his worries away. “Not possible.”
We dressed and traversed the field to Hollowshade’s portal. Before I could call on my glamour, Rían leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the top of each of my breasts and whispered, “I will miss you, but I will see you soon.”
He was so bloody irresistible when he was being ridiculous. With a bit of magic, my chest went nearly flat, although I could still feel the heaviness of my breasts, like they were being squeezed into a too-tight corset and gown.
Rían gripped my hand, and heat swelled.
I pulled my fingers from his. “Do you think I could try on my own?”
He heaved a sigh and looked at me from beneath his lashes. “You are determined to test me today, aren’t you?”
“Please?”
He stroked the hollow of my throat, sending desire coursing through me anew. “Close your eyes.”
With a little focus, I managed to call on my own magic. Blackness came over me, and I fell into nothing for a split second before Ruairi’s house came into view. Rían appeared a split second later. I launched myself at him, squeezing tight. “I did it!”
“You did.” His dimples flashed. He dragged a finger along my smiling lips. “How I’ve missed you, happy Aveen.”
Reluctantly, I let him go. Rían unlatched and opened the gate set between two low stone walls.
I stepped through, taking in the cheerful garden and steep, sloping roof. “I still cannot believe Ruairi lives here.”
“Because it’s so small?”
“It’s not small.”
Rían snorted. “It’s not as big as my castle.”
Probably best not to point out that, technically, the castle belonged to his brother. When we reached the doorway, Rían let go of my hand only to draw me into a tight hug. “I will return for you in an hour.”
“Can you make it two?” I didn’t want to rush Keelynn.
“Fine.”
I poked a finger into his dimple. “Look at you. Apologizing and compromising all in the same day. Miracles do happen.”
He didn’t smile or laugh as I’d hoped. “This heart makes me too soft.”
I pressed a kiss to his cheek and whispered, “I don’t recall you being too soft an hour ago.”
Chuckling, he grazed a final kiss to my lips before pulling away. “I will see you in two hours. And if anyone you don’t know shows up,” he said, withdrawing his dagger and handing it to me, “kill them.”
Knowing better than to protest, I took the dagger. Rían evanesced, but I assumed he hadn’t gone far because I could still feel the heat of his gaze as I raised my fist and knocked against the wood.
The door swung open, and Keelynn appeared, her eyes red-rimmed and cheeks flushed and splotchy. When she saw me standing there, her brow furrowed. “May I help you?”
It took a moment to remember the full glamour I wore. “It’s me, Keelynn.”
Understanding lit in her eyes and her lower lip began to tremble. When she launched forward and collapsed in my arms, I wasn’t sure two hours would be enough time to sort this out.