Blood & Cinders- Choose your Own Adventure Story

22. A 🔥

No.

She shuffled back, putting space between them with a shake of her head. His face shadowed disappointment.

It was unthinkable what he was asking! That she, an unwed woman, lay with a man she had barely known but a fortnight. Yet, a small voice rationed, the other girls seemed to have little issues uncrossing their legs in the name of survival.

Perhaps, to survive, this is what she must do. She could not deny that she found his personality endearing and that the sight of his human visage ignited sinful thoughts and urges.

"I won't force you," he added. "I confess, though, that I have thought of you often. You are the light of hope that brought me out of despair. I did not think it was possible such warmth still existed in this world. Or that you could accept me-a beast-as a friend. If we had met under different circumstances...I would have liked to court you properly for your hand."

Her stomach fluttered wildly at his bold confession and she swallowed hard to keep the butterflies from climbing up into her throat. But she was already choked for words.

She gathered a breath of courage.

"I doubt I would have met you under different circumstances," she answered. As a fallen noble she would have no opportunity to visit the palace. Upon seeing his crestfallen face, she added, "but I am glad that I met you, Adam. Even under these conditions." She took another breath of nerve. "I too have enjoyed our time together this past while and you're human- I mean..." Her face was too hot to think straight. "And I-I find you beautiful as well. Both body and soul," she whispered, dropping her gaze, hoping his human ears did not pick up the last part. She was beyond embarrassed, her heart thundering in her chest as the knot started to spool tighter in her belly.

"Isabelle," Adam reached for her hand bringing it up to his lips and placed a long tender kiss. The feel of soft lips on her skin caused a shudder to skitter down her spine. Honey brown eyes hypnotically drawing her in with an unwavering gaze.

He shuffled closer, till there was nothing but a sliver of space between them. His mouth hovered inches from her face as fingers came up, tracing the curve of her jaw, her cheek, before brushing the bow of her lips, leaving a trail of liquid fire where he touched.

"So beautiful," he murmured, as if committing her very existence to memory. The heat was building faster, loudly begging for release.

She had seen a kiss, known what it was supposed to look like. And so she leaned in, closing the gap between their lips.

His mouth was ‌soft against her own, eyes fluttering shut, as she pressed firmly into him. Warm and inviting. She felt a strong arm wrap around her waist, gently drawing her closer till her body was flush with his. The other ran up to fist in her hair. Her arms were caged to his chest. Cloth covered breasts pressed against hard muscle under the rough fabric of his tunic. The ache grew between her legs.

She could feel her nipples harden under the fabric, the sensation parting a breathless moan from her lips.

"Is that an invitation?" Adam leaned back, studying her face. His gaze molten and she shuddered, finding the beast lying behind his eyes.

"That was-" she searched for the right word, "incredible." Isabelle's eyes fluttered again, leaning forward. Instead of a kiss, she found his lips hot on her ear.

"I can show you more. Would you like that, Isabelle?"

She nodded, and he captured her mouth once more. She leaned into the sensation with a greed she didn't know she possessed as her hands rose to comb through his thick dark hair.