Ecstasy Untamed (Feral Warriors #6)(15)

"That works," Kara said, a smile in her voice. "I'll see you both soon."

Faith pulled her gaze from Hawke's just as Kara disappeared through the swinging door. Pink and Xavier, too, had wandered away at some point, leaving her alone in the kitchen with Hawke. Maxim would not be happy. And the way her pulse was tripping, she couldn't really blame him.

She stepped away, casually circling the island until the wide counter separated her from Hawke, then reached for another cookie. Just one more, then she'd go. "You really don't eat sweets?"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she remembered the way he'd alluded to her and Kara as "sweets." Her gaze snapped up to his, heat rising in her cheeks at the weak double entendre. He wouldn't have caught it, surely.

The mix of laughter and heat in his eyes told her he had. Most definitely. But to her relief, he acted the gentleman, answering the question she'd intended to ask, not the far more carnal one.

"None of the current Ferals has much of a sweet tooth, nor have the past couple of Radiants. Kara's the exception. Skye, too, loves sweets, so Pink bakes on a regular basis for the first time in years." His eyes smiled at her. "What about you?"

Faith returned his smile. "I enjoy a sweet treat when I have a little extra money." She felt herself falling into his eyes. Jerking her gaze away, she looked around - the dark cherry cabinets, the gleaming appliances . . . anywhere but the man. "This kitchen is beautiful. How long have you lived here?"

"We redid the kitchen about ten years ago. But we built the house centuries ago."

"You built it?" She looked at him with surprise.

"Not me personally. I haven't been alive that long. Lyon, Tighe, Kougar, and Wulfe have, though. They came to America from Europe in 1540. Initially they lived in a series of small houses while they sought a place with a strong conduit to the Earth's energies. They finally found it here, among the rocks that make up the cliff face overlooking the Potomac. We call it the goddess rock."

"Where did the Ferals live before America? I know they were in Scotland at some point. One of the men in my childhood enclave had lived near them then."

Hawke nodded. "They came to America from Spain. But before that, they'd lived in Ireland, Scotland, what's now Germany, France."

Faith watched him, fascinated as much by his words as by the play of light on his rugged face. "If I asked, could you tell me the dates and the reason for each move?"

As she spoke, the door swung open, and Tighe strode in. "Hawke can tell you anything you want to know about any subject, trust me." He glanced at them curiously. "Just the two of you?"

Hawke's expression tightened slightly. "Kara and Faith snuck down to raid the kitchen. Kara just left to get ready for the reception."

Tighe nodded. "Maxim?"

Faith tensed. "I think he's still in his room. Have you seen him?"

"No." The contemplative look in Tighe's eyes only deepened. "Delaney was trying to hold out for the reception, but she's too hungry." A smile broke over his face. "She's always hungry."

As Tighe began piling cookies on a small plate, Faith turned back to Hawke. "So how do you know so much? You must have gone to school."

Tighe snorted. "Twenty-four degrees. Or is it twenty-five?"

Hawke's smile had a charmingly self-deprecating quality to it. "Twenty-seven, though most are obsolete. They were earned a long, long time ago."

She watched him with wonder. Twenty-seven degrees. "What are your favorite subjects?"

"She's as curious as you are," Tighe muttered as he turned and went back through the door, cookie plate in hand.

Hawke shrugged. "I've studied everything from philosophy to engineering, but I've always been most fascinated by people."

"Humans?"

"All people. At heart, we're basically the same regardless of race - human, Therian. Even Mage."

"I love to study people, too. I envy you getting to go to school. Everything I know I've gotten out of books. Or living."

"You never had a tutor?"

"No."

"I used to be one. Before I was marked. I can be one again." A gentle smile spread over his mouth. "For you."

Her own smile ignited until she felt herself beaming. "I'd like that." And she meant it. How she would enjoy sitting by this man's side hour after hour, listening to his rich voice as he opened the secrets of the universe to her curious mind.

As they smiled at one another, something began to change. His eyes began to gleam and darken as if opening to fathomless depths. The already-charged air between them thickened and danced, caressing her skin, sensitizing her flesh until even the touch of her clothing became too intense.

Slowly, his smile died, his eyes glowing with an intensity that set her pulse to hammering, calling to her until it was all she could do not to step forward, close the distance between them, and slide into his arms.

With dismay, she wrenched her gaze from his. This wasn't right. She shouldn't be feeling this. She shouldn't be with him at all, not alone.

Swallowing hard, struggling to corral her unruly pulse, she glanced at the clock and groaned. Maxim would be at her bedroom door to pick her up in fifteen minutes.