Scorched Treachery (Imdalind, #3)(103)
“Death wish tonight, Cami?” Blake asked, pulling my arm away from the flames to quickly blow out the treats. They were charred to a crisp. I pouted and licked my lips.
“Fine,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Let’s go get another stick.”
He turned back to the edge of the clearing. I recovered my beer and followed him to the tree line, still holding the short stick with the crispy marshmallows in my other hand. Though I was only three steps behind, he already had his army knife at work on a low branch of a small tree. He finished cutting and started stripping the leaves.
Too impatient to wait, I took a bite from what I had, pulling my lips away when they burned. To cool my mouth down, I sipped the beer. “Beer and burnt marshmallows? Two great things that are not great together.” He laughed, taking the cup from my hand.
“They are, actually,” I said, licking a bit of sticky white stuff off the right side of my mouth. He watched me intently, his look even sweeter than the marshmallows.
“Try it,” I offered, stepping forward and putting the stick to his lips. He leaned in, closed his eyes, tilted his head, and touched his lips to the same exact place where mine had been. It was a kiss in time delay.
I breathed in, smelling the smoke and enjoying the moment. That is, until he squinched up his eyes, pursed his mouth, shook his head, and totally broke my trance.
“Way too burnt,” he said, scratching his tongue on his teeth to get rid of the taste. I loved the way he touched my face as I leaned toward him. His eyes changed yet again, as he stared right at me, running his fingers down my cheek, then my neck. His thumb passed over my collarbone, and then slowly, so slowly, he gripped my neck, right under my ear where I’d gotten hurt a few hours before. Drugged with anticipation, and buzzed from the beer, I felt no pain. I closed my eyes, beyond excited for this particular now. Then he stroked the skin behind my ear.
“Ouch,” I protested, before I could stop myself.
With a horrified look, he drew away his fingers.
“I’m just being a baby—I’m fine.” I took his fingers and kissed them, to try to bring back the moment. But, there, on his fingers, I noticed fresh blood. It wasn’t a lot, but it definitely was there—and it meant the cut went deeper than I’d thought. I didn’t want Blake to see it; if he did, he would switch into Guard mode and our night would be over.
Acting quickly, I licked the blood from his fingers before he noticed that it was anything more than water from my still-wet hair. Touching him like that was a bold move, and Blake’s eyes widened in response. He kissed my cheek softly, and then nuzzled my ear. He looked at me again to make sure I was okay. I sent a silent thank you to the Universe and hoped my cut would take care of itself.