“You’ll need to grow longer legs to outrun me, little tiger,” his smooth silky voice caused a shiver down her spine.
“What do you want?”
“You.” Tegan stumbled to a stop turning to him in alarm. “I have some questions I need to know before I can Cast the spell. Answers i need to know in regard to the mate bond.” Cord continued, enjoying the flush on her skin caused by his deliberate misdirection.
“Can youpleasestop calling it that,” Tegan asked him through gritted teeth as she resumed walking.
“Of course, I’ll call it our pairing,” Cord suggested, glad when Tegan winced at the phrase.
“That’s worse!”
“Bonding?”
“Cord, be serious,” Tegan snapped at him.
“Alright, how about, connection?” Tegan shook her head vehemently, he carried on, “Closeness? Attachment?”
“Ugh, that’s vile.”
“I have it, relationship?” Tegan turned so quickly he almost didn’t dodge her punch in time, catching her wrist he pulled her to him, a smile hovering on his lips as she looked up at him. The fire in her eyes making them a deeper indigo. “You’re breathless, little tiger,” Cord murmured as he held her.
“Being close to you makes me ill,” Tegan snapped as she tried to step away.
Cord grinned, his smile savage as he watched her struggle. “Lie, little tiger.”
The two of them looked at each other wordlessly, Cord’s hold on her wrist tightened minutely. Pressed up against him, Tegan stopped struggling, although she was ashamed to admit, even to herself, she hadn’t been trying that hard to get away from him. She searched his face trying to understand this pull towards him, was it just his looks? He was strikingly handsome, his eyes held secrets that she wanted to uncover, with his thick hair that she wanted to run her hands through. His mocking looks when he spoke to others, the cold exterior he presented, she wanted to dig under it and find who he really was.
“Are you both alright?”
Cord dropped her hand and stepped away from her as he turned to look at his brother. “We’re fine, little brother,” he answered smoothly.
“I’m surprised to see you here,” Sloane said as he looked to Tegan, checking she was alright. Her face was flushed, and she had her head turned away from them both, hoping they couldn’t see the blush to her cheeks.
“I needed to see Tegan, I have questions that I need answered,” he glanced at her once. “Regarding our relationship issues,” he added with a smirk.
“You cannot call it that,” Tegan snapped turning back to him as she rubbed her wrist.
“Well pick something that suits,” Cord retorted just as snappy.
“Curse,” Tegan glared at him.
“You wound me, little tiger,” Cord mocked.
“Iwillwound you soon, Castor, mark my words.”
Cord laughed; frustrated when Tegan walked away from him. His hand caught her elbow. “Not so fast, we still haven’t discussed what I need,” he reminded her.
“Hurry, I grow bored with you,” Tegan said as she checked her knives in her belt.
“Of course you do,” his mocking voice making her grind her teeth. “Shall we adjourn to your room?”
“Woah, wait a minute!” Sloane interrupted their silent stare-off. “Why are you going to her room, there are plenty of spare meeting rooms here. No need for bedroom meetings.”
Cord glanced at his brother – his contempt obvious. “She’s in no danger from me in her bedroom.”
“It’s about perception, Cord, you know that better than anyone,” Sloane rebuked him as he closed the distance between them.
“Fine, lead the way to your designatedsafe place.” Cord instructed as he pulled his hood up, eager to get this over and done with. Being in her presence confused him, the appeal to touch her was too tempting. Grudgingly he realised his brother may have a point in keeping them away from Tegan’s bedroom, she was getting harder to resist.