Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) by Elianne Adams Page A

away from her face, to test their softness between his fingers. She had haunted his dreams and his fantasies since that fateful day when they had almost lost Rhiannon. Having her so close, with her face relaxed and serene, it was all he could do to keep from pressing his lips to hers and claiming what should have rightfully been his.
    Her brows furrowed. What was she up to? She had done all she could to help him, demanding nothing in return, yet she was in the Dark Lands. He had to figure it out before he could return to Avalore. If she was a traitor and working with the beasts to get to his sister, he would deal with the situation, no matter the cost to him personally.
    Evan didn’t kid himself into thinking he was a great catch for any woman. He was too single minded and too dedicated to the Coalition. A mate would never be happy sitting at home alone, sometimes for months on end, waiting for his return. His mind had concluded it was best he hadn’t joined Brienne three years ago, but his phoenix—and if he were completely honest, his heart—would have wished for things to be different. Wishing for it didn’t make it so. He couldn’t forsake his responsibilities any more now than he could three years ago.
    If she was a traitor, she would still be one when he woke, and he’d deal with it then. One thing was certain. Whatever the days to come had in store, he would need his strength and his wits about him. Shaking his head, Evan closed his eyes and willed sleep to come.

Chapter 7
    Brienne woke with a start. Her cheek rested on a hard, warm surface. It wasn’t until her long, lazy stretch met with a small groan that she realized where she was and whom she was using as a pillow. Evan’s chest rose and fell with each slow, steady breath he took. She wanted nothing more than to snuggle into his heat and go back to sleep, but she couldn’t. He required healing, and she needed to get away from him before her resolve fled. It was too dangerous to stay with him.
    When she had left Avalore—and him—behind, she’d known it would be difficult, but the intensity of her grief had crippled her. She had thought of little else those lonely days in the cave other than ending her existence and her heartache, but she had been too much of a coward to allow herself to let go. She could not risk getting to know him better, to start caring for him. She had barely survived his first rejection, and she couldn’t go through it again.
    Old hurt wound its way around her heart, tightening and squeezing until she couldn’t catch her breath. She had to put some distance between them. Clenching her teeth, she tried to push against him. The arm she hadn’t realized was around her tightened, keeping her where she was.
    “Let me up. I don’t want to hurt you more than you already are.” The words “but I will” hovered between them unspoken.
    “You won’t hurt me, Brienne. You might wish to do so, but you won’t.”
    Ignoring how sexy his morning voice sounded, she shoved against him. She rolled away and stood with the fluid grace of a fighter. “You don’t know the first thing about me, don’t pretend otherwise.”
    He took his time sitting, then standing, guarding against jarring his injuries. “I may not know you well, but your hands, as you so roughly pushed against my body to get away, found their way to areas where I had no injury. You removed yourself from my arms without inflicting the slightest pain. Why is that, do you think, Brienne?” His eyes glittered as he stalked toward her. The muscles of his chest and shoulders rippled with every gliding step.
    She would not be intimidated. She had stood nose to nose with the Alpha Erritrols and come out the victor, so standing up to Evan should be no problem. Her dragon stretched and preened. The little hussy was enjoying the male display— damn her . “Lucky for you, I suppose.”
    “Luck had nothing to do with it.” He didn’t stop until he was inches before her, his