As I licked my lips, I let my fingertips trail along the lines of his chest before pushing the side of his shirt away to reveal the house sigil. I traced the black letters of their house motto and then over the crow and branch. "Do all of you have this?"
Wynn's gaze softened. "Yes. We each got it the day we started our new house. It's a reminder of our bonds to each other and a reminder as well."
My eyes moved up to his. "A reminder of what?"
Wynn leaned down until our noses brushed and murmured, "Of where we came from and where we are determined never to go again."
I found myself tipping my head back. I didn't know if it was the lack of interaction the last few days or if it was Wynn using his powers on me. It could have been just the man himself, but whatever the cause was, I wanted Wynn to kiss me. I wanted it more than anything else in the world at that very moment.
I also knew that if Wynn denied me, I would be crushed. I'd been crushing on him since the moment I stepped foot in the Durand's household. While we'd teased and flirted, even had a small brush of the lips once, he had never kissed me the way I had dreamed of him kissing me. Not like Rayne had kissed me.
Oh, God. Rayne!
Remembering the redhead made me pull back from Wynn, no matter how much it pained me to do so. I forced my closed eyes to open and placed a finger on Wynn's lips to stop him from kissing me. His confused blue eyes met mine.
"I've kissed Rayne," I blurted out, my eyes wide. "I like Rayne. I mean... I like you too, but I don't know..." I dropped my hand and scratched the side of my head. "This is all so confusing. You guys are so... well, you know." I waved a hand at his hot body and then lost my words for a second, making Wynn chuckle. "Then you all come sniffing around with your pretty words and those bedroom eyes, and I lose my balance."
I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest. "I don't want to hurt any of you or cause a rift between you guys. You're brothers, and I'm just... I'm the maid."
Wynn stared at me for a moment, but then he nodded. "I understand, but there's something you have to understand as well, Piper." He paused and cupped both sides of my face. "We've been together for decades, some of us even longer. We are not unfamiliar with the concept of sharing."
As my heart beat rapidly in my chest at his words, Wynn leaned toward me. My eyes fluttered shut against my will, and I prepared for him to kiss me anyway, but his lips pressed against my forehead instead.
Then, before my eyes even fully open, he was gone.