he screamed back at me.
“I ’m not a bargaining chip you can sell to get your kingdom back, Prince Far From Charming. You can go find some other pet project—
“Stop touching her , you jerk ass,” Ames bounded into the room interrupting our screaming match. “Keep your hands off of her.” His eyes didn’t look at me, but his hands were clearly pulling him off and guarding me like Joshlin might actually hurt me. I don’t think he would, but I didn’t know him as well as Ames.
“You could be a little less of a witless wonder if you ’re able. I am sure being granted amnesty is sufficient enough to have a means to an end, though I’m rethinking that now. You are welcome to go back the damn hole you were—
“Fine. She ’s not worth crap anyway. Her kiss wasn’t even worth the effort.”
I should be hurt by his insults, but I wasn ’t. I’ve been there, done that. Christina Fowler saw to that for over a year.
And I knew what Joshlin hoped to gain by it, but he only confirmed the fact that a goblin ’s kiss can only exist if both parties feel the same and are from a true heir. Well maybe if the same feeling between them was hate. They say love and hate are synonymous, but not in this instance. And Joshlin wasn’t an heir.
I expected...or rather Joshlin expected Ames to react to his admission and fly off the handle, but he was sorely mistaken. Ames ’ experience with the inept fools of his past made him hardened and callused enough that he didn’t flinch one iota.
“ I don’t know who released you, but you better run. Leave now and never come back, brother. If you do, it will be the last thing you do.”
“This isn ’t over. He will come for her with or without some magic damn kiss. I was just the confirmation service.” Joshlin gave me one last look, long undefined toe-tip all the way to the top of my head look and turned to leave. After he was gone, I remained in place unable to move until Ames lifted his left foot into the air and then replaced it. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to hide. Joshlin’s words were meaningless to me, but I still felt shame for being put down in front of Ames.
Trying to read his motives behind not moving or talking, I faltered when I read it as if he were ashamed of me or something. I know this because he grabbed my shirt sleeve from the back, pulled me to his chest, and whispered close to my face, “He was just testing to see if he was...”
“I know, Ames. I know exactly what he was doing. I just don’t want you to think I wanted him to.”
He pulled our shoulders apart far enough to see my face an inch away from his and pulled a grin up. “I am not jealous , sweetness. He can’t come close to this.” He let go of my arm to sweep it across himself like Mr. GQ himself. Oh, brother.
I rolled my eyes and laughed at his humor be cause we both needed it. “As long as you’re not mad at me.”
I was yanked into the fastest kiss I ’d ever experienced. And passionate. I couldn’t remember ever being kissed like this before. Within seconds I was overheated and felt my knees wobble. Grabbing a hold of his arm to stay up, I didn’t mean to fall against him when he tugged on my bottom lip with his teeth. And I didn’t mean to whimper when he did a second time. His ability to immobilize my brain and body into one mushy mess was disturbing, but I wanted more and more.
“ See.”
“See what?” M y mind was still swimming.
His breath was still close to mine that I could taste the earthy scent of pine and the feel the heat hitting my open lips. I gasped at the realization that I wanted him to kiss me again and then again. Just.like.that.
“That. You’re inability to stay coherent when I kiss you.”
I slapped his chest from the small space I had to work with. “And what about you? You ’re not the least affected?”
“Oh, you ’re mistaken there,” he pressed against
“I ’m not a bargaining chip you can sell to get your kingdom back, Prince Far From Charming. You can go find some other pet project—
“Stop touching her , you jerk ass,” Ames bounded into the room interrupting our screaming match. “Keep your hands off of her.” His eyes didn’t look at me, but his hands were clearly pulling him off and guarding me like Joshlin might actually hurt me. I don’t think he would, but I didn’t know him as well as Ames.
“You could be a little less of a witless wonder if you ’re able. I am sure being granted amnesty is sufficient enough to have a means to an end, though I’m rethinking that now. You are welcome to go back the damn hole you were—
“Fine. She ’s not worth crap anyway. Her kiss wasn’t even worth the effort.”
I should be hurt by his insults, but I wasn ’t. I’ve been there, done that. Christina Fowler saw to that for over a year.
And I knew what Joshlin hoped to gain by it, but he only confirmed the fact that a goblin ’s kiss can only exist if both parties feel the same and are from a true heir. Well maybe if the same feeling between them was hate. They say love and hate are synonymous, but not in this instance. And Joshlin wasn’t an heir.
I expected...or rather Joshlin expected Ames to react to his admission and fly off the handle, but he was sorely mistaken. Ames ’ experience with the inept fools of his past made him hardened and callused enough that he didn’t flinch one iota.
“ I don’t know who released you, but you better run. Leave now and never come back, brother. If you do, it will be the last thing you do.”
“This isn ’t over. He will come for her with or without some magic damn kiss. I was just the confirmation service.” Joshlin gave me one last look, long undefined toe-tip all the way to the top of my head look and turned to leave. After he was gone, I remained in place unable to move until Ames lifted his left foot into the air and then replaced it. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to hide. Joshlin’s words were meaningless to me, but I still felt shame for being put down in front of Ames.
Trying to read his motives behind not moving or talking, I faltered when I read it as if he were ashamed of me or something. I know this because he grabbed my shirt sleeve from the back, pulled me to his chest, and whispered close to my face, “He was just testing to see if he was...”
“I know, Ames. I know exactly what he was doing. I just don’t want you to think I wanted him to.”
He pulled our shoulders apart far enough to see my face an inch away from his and pulled a grin up. “I am not jealous , sweetness. He can’t come close to this.” He let go of my arm to sweep it across himself like Mr. GQ himself. Oh, brother.
I rolled my eyes and laughed at his humor be cause we both needed it. “As long as you’re not mad at me.”
I was yanked into the fastest kiss I ’d ever experienced. And passionate. I couldn’t remember ever being kissed like this before. Within seconds I was overheated and felt my knees wobble. Grabbing a hold of his arm to stay up, I didn’t mean to fall against him when he tugged on my bottom lip with his teeth. And I didn’t mean to whimper when he did a second time. His ability to immobilize my brain and body into one mushy mess was disturbing, but I wanted more and more.
“ See.”
“See what?” M y mind was still swimming.
His breath was still close to mine that I could taste the earthy scent of pine and the feel the heat hitting my open lips. I gasped at the realization that I wanted him to kiss me again and then again. Just.like.that.
“That. You’re inability to stay coherent when I kiss you.”
I slapped his chest from the small space I had to work with. “And what about you? You ’re not the least affected?”
“Oh, you ’re mistaken there,” he pressed against
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