Paladins 09 - Darkness on Fire by Alexis Morgan

Author:Alexis Morgan [Morgan, Alexis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781439168684
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2011-09-12T14:30:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Jora made a halfhearted attempt to straighten the room while she waited for Penn to come back out of the bathroom and tell her what was going on. Obviously the early arrival of the two Kalith warriors had thrown him off balance. Why? What difference could a few hours mean? She would have thought that he’d be glad for their presence; it meant they could return to the barrier sooner.

Finally he came out, still looking grim. She sat on the edge of the bed and waited for him to tell her the plan. When he didn’t speak, she asked, “Do you want me to stay here while you confer with your friends?”

He actually considered the suggestion, and it surprised her how much that hurt. “Well, then, I see. I’ll eat some of the cereal we bought. Do you think you’ll be long?”

She immediately went back to picking up her meager possessions and sticking them in a drawer. When she straightened up, Penn had noiselessly moved up behind her, startling her into a gasp.

“Don’t do that,” she snapped, and punched him in the arm, venting a little of her hurt anger. To hide the very real possibility of tears, she turned her back to him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to spook you.” He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her, once again comforting her with the warm strength of his body. “And I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I was trying to decide if a public place was the best venue for you to meet two males from your world for the first time. I can vouch for both of them, if that helps.”

She was willing to bet that wasn’t the only reason behind his hesitation. “I have to meet them sometime.”

“If you’re sure that’s what you want.”

Why did his voice sound so reasonable, when the tension in his body was telegraphing a completely different message? Did he not want her to meet them? That made no sense since they had to work together. Was he worried about how they’d react to being confronted with a woman of their homeworld? Or was he worried they’d guess how the two of them had spent the night?

God, she had no experience in this morning-after etiquette.

Well, they’d never get anywhere if both of them kept pussyfooting around. “Penn, tell me what you want me to do. If you want me to wait here, say so. If you want me to go, I will. If you want me to pretend last night never happened—”

Before she could finish, Penn spun her around and his mouth crushed down onto hers. Then he pulled back to rest his chin on top of her head. “Shit.”

She made herself ask, “Regrets?”

“Some, but not for this. I’ve got to get my head back in the game, though, and that’s hard to do when every time I get near you, all I can think about is touching you.”

He stepped away. “We’d better go before they come looking for us.”

Jora watched him gather up his wallet and keys.

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