Forbidden: Broken

Chapter 8

As she lay looking up at him, he figured it out.

He loved her.

And he couldn't tell her. No, not couldn't. Wouldn't. He moved around and dressed in sleep pants. With a roar in his ears, he slid in beside her and pulled her up against him.

Surprising him, she adjusted and laid her head on his chest, right over his heart. Her fingers curved gently around his waist.

Pulling the pins that held her hair back, he spread the silken strands over them. He curved his arm around and under her. Satiny skin warmed his fingertips as they stroked her back.

She surrounded him, flowing in his veins, blanketing him in the most tenders of ways. Her breath caressed his skin and filled his lungs. And now he had her in his heart.

As her breathing grew peaceful and even, he lay there marveling at the one emotion he never expected to feel. He didn't know a demon could feel it. Not for anyone, much less an angel. Never for her. Not as old as he was. And not with how steeped in the blood of her people he was. That was why he would never tell her.

~~~

Sunlight stroked her face, welcoming her to the new day. Warm arms held her against a hard chest. A smile crept across her face and she took a deep breath. Her demon tightened his arm and she chuckled. The big bad scary enjoyed her presence even in his sleep. Moving ever so carefully, she turned to watch him sleep.

His face looked younger, softer in the morning light. Unable to stop herself, she stroked the forehead that lost the lines he carried with him. Down the bridge of his nose and across his lips. They thinned slightly and she looked up to find his eyes watching her. She smiled and continued her exploration. His lips parted as she slid her fingers up his cheekbone and down to his jawline.

"What are you doing to me, my angel?" His voice was husky.

"I am learning you." She smiled at him. The tiny whiskers on the tip of his chin tickled her fingertips.

He took her hand and placed it over his mouth, nibbling her fingers.

Her breath caught at the look in his eye. It wasn't sexual in the slightest. It was gentle. Kind.

"Why do you want to learn me?" He asked, rolling onto his back and pulling her with him.

She wanted to be brash and bold. She wanted to swear, be offensive. Something to make her feel more grounded. The emotion in his eyes cause a fluttering in her heart. She still didn't know what it was. It wasn't frightening. Unknown. And one thing she learned on Earth was that things that were unknown were usually cause for trouble.

"Well, you are in my bed. I don't let that happen often." She winked up at him then frowned. "Or ever."

The chest she was lying on rumbled with laughter.

"It's not funny." She glared at him but felt her lips curve. "What are you doing to me?"

His quick roll had him lying on top of her. "Now, it appears I am learning you." He brushed her hair away from her eyes. She lay motionless as his fingers traced the lines of her face. Was there no escaping this feeling? Sex was one thing. Lust she understood. Hate. All of these she had felt. She understood the cause. She could identify with them. Not this.

"Irin..." He said before trailing off. "I need to ask you something."

"Be careful." She said in all seriousness.

His half grin was cute. Cute? When is a demon cute? When he was looking at her like this one was now. That's when.

"I am very careful of you, angel."