Freeing Luka: The Clecanian Series Book 2 by Victoria Aveline (readict books TXT) 📕

His heart leap into his throat, cutting off his rapidly dissolving reasonable argument to the contrary. He tracked her abrupt pacing around the room, her words coming quickly, as though she’d rehearsed her argument.

“When we first met, I didn’t really know you. You helped me stay sane in that place, and for that, I’ll be forever grateful, but I need to stop putting other people’s happiness before my own.” She glanced at him beseechingly before resuming. “I was willing to give us a try, but that was stupid of me. Again, I don’t know you, and the way you’ve treated me so far has been very similar to other people in my life who’ve proven to be toxic.”

Indignation roared through him. She’s comparing me to people who have hurt her in the past? She can’t think of me that way!

“I can explain my actions,” he barked, more harshly than intended.

She flinched, and he cursed his erratic temper. The only way to win her over would be to go back to being the calm, reserved person he normally was, but his feelings for her and her rejection were making that impossible.

“I’m sure there’s an explanation,” she said, throwing her hands in the air. “There’s always an explanation, but I need to stop letting people treat me badly and then explain it away.” She spoke in a low voice, miming someone. “‘I didn’t mean to yell, I just had a bad day at work.’ Or ‘I’m sorry, I forgot about your birthday again. It’s just so close to Christmas.’”

Luka couldn’t follow everything she was talking about, but it seemed like she’d been treated very poorly by someone or possibly many someones, and now she thought he might do the same. “You’re right. I should’ve never treated you that way. There is no excuse for my behavior.”

She blinked at him, searching his face. “Well, uh, thank you for that.” She ran a hand through her hair.

They stared at each other for long moments. Luka didn’t know what to say to help the situation. How could he prove himself to be a suitable male? All of the lessons from husbandry school hadn’t prepared him for this. Something Jade had said stuck out in his mind, but he hadn’t gotten enough information to know if it’d work. She’d said it was very romantic and although he’d never tried it, he figured it couldn’t hurt.

“Can I make it up to you?” he asked, stepping toward her. He took it as a good sign that although she looked at him wearily, she didn’t back away. When she remained silent, he continued, “I’d like to kiss you.”

Alice’s eyes widened in surprise. In the next moment, many emotions played across her features. Her gaze flew to his mouth and grew temporarily heated, making Luka growl quietly under his breath.

She shook her head as though trying to dislodge a thought. “No!” Walking up to him until only a few feet separated them, she prodded him in the chest with an accusatory finger. “Didn’t you hear anything I just said?”

Before he could stop himself, he snatched her hand, circling her wrist and resting his thumb in her palm. A loud purr erupted from his chest at the contact.

She stared at their connected hands but didn’t move. Slowly she raised her gaze to his. “What makes you think I’d want to kiss you?” she muttered breathlessly, belying her question.

Luka didn’t know why she might want to, but Jade had made it seem like it was a very important thing done among courting humans, and Alice’s reaction told him something he hadn’t known before. She may not like him. She may even hate him. But she was attracted to him.

He ran the pad of his thumb down her palm, squeezing the pulse point at her wrist with his other fingers. A quick inhalation of breath showed him that even this small touch was affecting her as much as it was him. When the scent of her arousal wafted between them, it took all of his willpower not to crush her to him.

“Well,” he began, his voice scarcely more than a growl, “for starters, your pulse has sped up substantially. Also—” he ran his gaze down her body, not bothering to hide his perusal of her figure “—I can scent your arousal.”

Alice let out a small whimper and shifted her stance so her legs were more firmly squeezed together. Not a denial, then. He smiled.

He stepped nearer to her, and her brows drew together in concentration. Because his words seemed to drive her anger away, he continued, “I’ve never kissed in the way Jade described, but if it elicits this reaction from you, then I’d be happy to do it every minute of every day.”

“You’ve never kissed?” she whispered, eyeing his lips and licking her own.

He stepped closer to her still, making sure not to touch her for fear of her shying away. “I’m a fast learner. Top marks in all subjects.”

Crooking a finger under her chin, he angled her head up toward his. He inhaled deeply, his eyelids drifting closed. Her natural, sweet scent mixed with her arousal called to something deep within him. His already rising shaft shot hard in an instant. He’d smelled this before. He recognized it somewhere in the back of his mind.

The fact that he’d scented her arousal previously, and now recognized the scent, made his spirits soar. It meant she’d responded to him like this before. Had been attracted to him and couldn’t suppress it.

A devious thought entered his mind. He may not be the best with reading her emotions, but he could make her desire him in other ways. If he spent enough time pleasing her, she might slowly come to want him around. If he was around enough, he