Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 142214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 711(@200wpm)___ 569(@250wpm)___ 474(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 711(@200wpm)___ 569(@250wpm)___ 474(@300wpm)
Of course, he would.
When they got to her house, he shut off the car and walked her to the door. She dreaded any awkwardness and worried how far he might go to prove this was a date.
Unlocking the door, she turned to him with uncertainty. “Thank you for a beautiful night and the clothes.”
“It was my pleasure.”
“Well...” Moments like this were so painful. She just wanted to get through it. “Goodnight.” She hugged him, but he caught her hips, then slowly moved his hands up her back, fingers trailing through the silk.
“Goodnight, Wren.”
“Soren…” She feared he wasn’t going to let her get away without a kiss.
“Do I scare you?”
“Of course, not.”
“You’re not trapped here.”
Although he held her intimately, she was free to leave. With an awkward smile, she said, “Well, goodnight then.”
They broke apart, and she took a step, but Soren caught her hand and tugged her back. It was just enough to set her off balance as he backed her into the wall and caged her in with his body.
“Did you honestly think I’d let you get away without a kiss goodnight?”
She sucked in a breath as he gave her a moment of warning, his body radiating heat in the cold night air. Her heart raced as he closed the distance.
“Tell me that you’re not the least bit curious and I’ll stop.” He framed her face with his hands, tucking her hair behind her ears with gentle reverence. “Last chance to push me away, Wren.”
She had plenty of time to tell him no, but she was silent, caught between terror and anticipation.
“Don’t be scared.”
Her breath hitched as soft lips glided over hers. Slow and seductive, teasing her mouth open with practiced skill. It was nothing like Greyson’s hungry, desperate kisses, and she immediately felt guilty for thinking of Greyson at a time like this.
“You’re not kissing me back,” he whispered, as his hand slid into her hair.
Slowly, she traced the tip of her tongue against his, and he groaned, taking control and deepening the kiss. He was measured and deliberate, the kind of kisser who had so much skill one could never get bored.
Enjoying the feel of his mouth on hers, she leaned into him, looping her arms over his shoulders. His hand tightened at her hips as the other threaded through her hair. He kept her on her toes, and when he pulled away, she swayed, warm and slightly disappointed to see it end.
He touched her lower lip with his thumb. “I knew it would be like that—kissing you.”
“Like what?”
“Life-affirming.”
She might have rolled her eyes if she weren’t still reeling, her pulse hammering wildly against her throat. Who knew one kiss could confuse her so much?
“You’re dangerous, Soren Hawthorne.”
“Never to you, Wren Wilde. Never to you.”
CHAPTER 9
“Oh, Damn, Look What I Forgot”
The moment Wren stepped outside, two things became clear. Her aunt had arrived at The Haven sometime that morning, and snow would follow. Both left their mark on the atmosphere—one scientific, pressure dropping like a stone, the other wafting a trail of patchouli and rosemary like breadcrumbs from a fairy tale.
She smiled and sought out Bodhi, who would undoubtedly be sharing time with his sister, Astrid. The Sol Room drew Wren like a magnet—that sun-drenched sanctuary where retreat guests found a peaceful place to sip tea and reflect in quiet, but also where Bodhi often liked to sit and read.
“There she is!” Aunt Astrid rose the instant she spotted her, arms opening wide and disrupting the morning peace like a whirlwind in silk scarves. “Oh, would you feast your eyes on this glow? You’re absolutely luminous!” She pulled Wren close, whispering against her ear with breath that smelled of ashwagandha and echinacea tea, “Only two things paint a woman with such radiance. You’re not carrying a child, are you, pumpkin?”
“No!” Heat climbed Wren’s neck as her eccentric aunt’s smile widened with knowing satisfaction.
“Then it’s a man. I demand every delicious detail.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, Aunt Astrid, but my love life is as mundane as ever.” Certain secrets deserved protection when Aunt Astrid entered the picture with her uncanny ability to read people like open books.
Wren’s aunt frowned, her wooden bangles clacking as she gestured dramatically. “Really, I was so certain I sensed a shift in your aura. I hope my vertigo’s not coming back. Damn inner ears can give the third eye such problems.”
“Sorry. Any glow I have comes strictly from daily yoga and a plant-based diet.”
Astrid’s brow furrowed as she shook her head, clearly unconvinced. “My intuition’s getting worse with age.” Reaching into her blouse, she withdrew a satchel of herbs and tossed it onto the table like dice, the dried leaves rustling with aromatic promise. “Brought this for you. Last season’s lemon balm. It eases tension and digestion. Steep it for ten minutes with honey. It pairs beautifully with hibiscus.”