Tempting Fate

Eighteen: Tall Tales Made Real

"You know what Arietta can do. How?" Ronan repeated.

Fuck.

She knew this would come eventually, but she thought she'd have more time to learn about Ronan and what made him tick. She thought she'd have the chance to figure out how to best fit into the mold Ronan needed so that this conversation wasn't so...jarring.

She kept her expression neutral, clicking away at her keyboard again. After a moment, she made her neck turn. Made herself lift an eyebrow.

As if nerves weren't gathering like a hoard of snakes in her stomach.

Glancing quickly at the rest of the patrons in the small coffee shop, she said under her breath, "All the shifters suddenly get a boost in power. There's only one other person in the territory that's not a shifter. Ronan, it's easy to do a bit of deductive reasoning."

When she said his name, Ronan's eyes flashed to the animal and back. That made her pause. What was that reaction for?

"Deductive reasoning means you have enough knowledge of the possibilities in order to come to a conclusion," he said smoothly.

Shit.

Shitshitshit.

Way to go, Brynnie, her brother Darren would've said in that sarcastic, annoying tone he often used.

Brynn took a deep breath and glanced again at the patrons in the cafe. She tried to keep her tone even as she said, "I'm a little skeptical, to be honest. This is the stuff people make up. The type of fake stories wielders tell their children about at night. But what else am I supposed to believe?"

Ronan sat forward in his chair, his face close enough to hers that she could spot the faint freckles hiding among the tan skin under his eyes and along his nose. Despite the nerves, Brynn's heart pounded at the closeness. If she shifted forward just a few inches, she could press a kiss to—

Ronan's eyes flashed again, a low rumble building in his chest. His gaze flickered down to her lips. Then she watched his own lips part. Galetta help her. All she wanted was to know what it would be like to close that distance between them.

Her breath caught.

Ronan curled a knuckle under her chin, a small action that had every nerve ending along her jaw flaring to life. He closed the distance until his lips were only a millimeter from hers.

Brynn closed her eyes.

"If you tell anyone," Ronan said softly. "I will make you regret it."

Brynn's eyes snapped open.

Just as the computer in front of her gave a quiet ding.

It was like being drenched in sudden, cold water. Her cheeks heated as she went back to the computer.

Foolish, foolish Brynn. What was she thinking? What kind of delusion had she formed in her mind?

Had she really thought, for a moment there, that Ronan might actually like her? That Ronan might actually want to kiss her?

If someone had taken a shotgun and hit her directly in the chest, it may have hurt less. What made it worse, she was the one who had loaded up and aimed the shotgun.

She was only good enough when she was what others needed. Nothing more.

She needed to remember that.

Stop giving others the tools to hurt you.

Taking a painfully jagged breath, she focused back on the computer. Then frowned.

"What is it?" Ronan's knuckles were white as he gripped the edge of the table. Brynn hated the way she tended to lock on to every minute detail of this man.