Lace & Lead (novella) by M.A. Grant

Author:M.A. Grant [Grant, M.A.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi
Published: 2013-10-31T18:30:00+00:00

Emmaline blinked slowly, trying to shrug off the remnants of the dream. There was darkness, the sensation of weight across her chest, uncertainty of where she was. There was a low grumble next to her and the weight on her chest disappeared.

She turned her head and saw Peirce stretched out beside her. His blonde hair was plastered down unevenly from his fitful sleep. She took in his long eyelashes, the narrow scar across an eyebrow, the sign of a formerly broken nose.

It was his mouth that really fascinated her. Even in his sleep, Peirce scowled. Before she’d seen him smile, she’d wondered if he didn’t know how to move his face into any expression other than a scowl, a smirk or a leer. Now she knew that he only smiled on rare occasions.

She couldn’t help herself. She traced his lips with a finger, still unable to comprehend this mouth had been on hers. She’d never tell him since it was far too embarrassing, but his kiss had been better than she’d ever imagined.

Her fingertip had just brushed the other corner of his mouth when those blue eyes snapped open and stared right at her. She was frozen, finger still on his lips, nervous and guilty about getting caught.

To her surprise, he just blinked at her and closed his eyes again.

“I—” she began.

“Give me ten more minutes and I’ll get up to shower,” he interrupted, settling in deeper to his pillow.

“Oh. Okay.”

She was getting out of the bed when his arm snaked out and pulled her back to him. He made a noise of appreciation and mumbled, “You smell good.”

“Thank you?”

But he was out again. Probably a military trick…He must have been used to getting sleep whenever and however he could.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to doze for a little bit.

She didn’t wake until the shower turned off. Peirce emerged wearing nothing but a towel and some lucky water droplets. One slid down his shoulder, over his pec, down to the scars, tripping over the uneven skin and vanished as it soaked into the towel.

She swallowed when she saw the scars, but they didn’t upset her like they had the first time. They were reminders of what he’d been through, that was all. She had a few scars of her own, so who was she to cast the first stone?

“I’ve got to go meet your dad,” he said casually as he pulled clothes out of his drawers.

Panic squeezed at her chest. “Why?”

“To let him know he broke contract.”

“I thought he didn’t want to meet you for a few days.”

“True. But I’ve decided I don’t give a shit what he wants.” He looked back at her, taking her in slowly. “I want you to be able to have a life again.”

She managed a weak smile. “No more being trapped in an ivory tower?”

“Not unless you want to be there.”

She had to stall him somehow. “Would you take my jewellery with you? See what you can get for it?”

He nodded his assent. “Kai’s better at it than I am.

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