Fractured Refuge by Annabelle McInnes

Author:Annabelle McInnes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd

Chapter 12

Kira consumed her breakfast with deliberately small mouthfuls. The noise of her knife and fork as they clinked against the ceramic plate was grating. A reflection of the rigidity in the room.

She painstakingly avoided catching his gaze. Nick narrowed his eyes as his girl took an extraordinarily long time to chew her last mouthful. He spoke into the increasing tension. ‘Are you going to forgive me yet?’

Kira kept her focus on the placement of the omelette on her fork. Her posture was impeccable. ‘I haven’t decided.’

A slow grin split across Nick’s face. ‘Really?’

She sniffed haughtily and she replied, ‘Really.’

Nike sucked his teeth in an attempt to keep his humour concealed. ‘But you’ll still eat the breakfast I made you?’

She chewed, swallowed. ‘I don’t waste food.’

Fuck him, she was so pretty when she was pissed. ‘Your frugality is impressive.’

Cool blue eyes sliced his way. Her lips pursed, and a tiny furrow appeared between two blonde brows. Nick struggled to contain his chuckle.

‘Big words for such a pretty boy,’ she said, as she attempted to hide the glint of humour in her eyes.

‘You think I’m pretty?’

‘I think it’s lucky you’re pretty,’ she counted.

‘Otherwise?’

‘Otherwise I wouldn’t feel bad about bruising those lovely cheekbones.’

Nick couldn’t help it. Her proud reserve, even as she wore clothes that were disintegrating. The arrogant tilt to her chin despite her hair swirling around her shoulders in a battered mess. Her glorious little toes that curled into the carpet in an adorably youthful act.

It all gave her away.

Reservation was for pre-plague. Nick tipped his head back and whooped with laughter.

She was so fucking perfect.

He focused back on her just as her stormy eyes began to calm. Her sharp features softened and her tight lips reluctantly tipped up in a rueful smile.

‘I don’t doubt it, Pix.’ He pushed himself off the laminate kitchen benchtop he’d been resting his ass on and took the few steps across the room to stand in front of her at the dining table. He placed his knuckles to wooden surface and he leaned in. He relished the hitch in her breath and the flutter of her pause at her gorgeous throat. ‘Forgive me?’

Her eyes narrowed, ‘Never.’

‘Never? Even if I,’ he drifted closer, delicately touched his lips to hers. ‘Kiss you,’ another brush. ‘Just like,’ one final feather. ‘This?’

Despite her ire, or maybe because of it, her lips parted under his careful attentions.

‘Especially if you kiss me like that,’ she whispered against the sensitive skin.

His smile slid into a grin. ‘You’re such a tease.’

‘And you’re such an ass.’

‘But you love me.’

Their breath escalated, mingled. This close, Nick could discern the flecks of indigo in her cobalt eyes, the swell of emotion that softened the muscles at the corners and the gloss over slick lips when a tiny pink tongue escaped to wet them.

She whispered, ‘Lucky that you’re pretty. And that I love you, yes.’

Against her lips he said, ‘Love you too, Pix.’

Her smile stretched as the lingering ice in her eyes melted and the stiffness between her shoulderblades unlocked to allow them to fall.

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