The Corollaria by Courtney Lyn Batten Page B

across the small hallway to another yellow painted door on her left, looking at Luke. They both nodded and told her thank you.
    “If you need anything,” she said in a small bird-like voice, “Just pick up the phone. I or Anthony will be happy to help. There should already be fresh linens and extra clothes in your rooms.”
    “Thank you,” Emily replied.
    Stephanie smiled, nodded and disappeared down the stairs. Emily hesitated at her door.
    She wanted him to stay with her. She wanted to ask him, to just feel his warm arms wrapped around her. She wanted him to kiss her again.
    Luke took her hand and squeezed her fingers. He smiled, leaned forward and kissed her just to the side of her mouth.
    He whispered softly in her ear as he pulled away, “Night, Em."

Chapter 9
     
     
    B right warm sunlight spilled into the small courtyard, highlighting the stone walkways and glinting off the clear sweet smelling water that bubbled from the fountain. Emily traced her fingers along the star-shaped purple flowers of the wreath Queen Aine had given her the night before, as she thought about her mother and grandmother. And Luke.
    She closed her eyes and took a deep sighing breath. This was all just so much to take in.  And then, despite the severity and grave nature of everything that was happening around her, along with finding out the truth about her family, all she could seem to think about was Luke.
    Luke and his soft kiss.
    Luke and his rough hands.
    Luke’s stormy gray eyes.
    Luke.
    Luke.
    Luke .
    Emi ly buried her face in her hands. The emotions inside her were almost suffocating, consuming in their sheer force and size. She raked her fingers through her blonde curls.  She gasped when she looked up, her blue eyes, almost as dark as the sky at twilight, locked with gray ones.
    Luke stood there a moment, just staring. He was drowning in her eyes, swept away by the strong pull he felt to her. His fingers twitched with the need to bury them in her hair, to touch her skin, to learn her curves. Carson’s words repeated in his mind. This is your destiny. She is your destiny.
    Emily felt her skin prickle, the soft hairs stood on end, and goose bumps dotted her flesh. She could feel Luke’s angst, could almost see his tension, the want and desire, the confusion all as if it shimmered in the air around him.  His breathing was shallow and ragged. His heartbeat rapid. She closed her eyes, trying to understand why he was looking at her this way. But the only thought she could focus on, the only two words she could seem to grasp at the moment, kept repeating in her mind, beating in rhythm with her heart. My wolf. My wolf. My wolf.
    In the next instant, Luke was kneeling in front of her, his rough hands, calloused but tender, were on her face and tangling in the soft ribbons of her hair. He leaned his forehead against hers and expelled a long calming breath. His voice was soft, strained, and a little hoarse.
    “Emily,” he managed to whisper. H is breath was warm against her face. Her lips tingled. Her whole body hummed with a fierce energy just from his nearness. “Em, honey, I don’t—”
    She cut him off, and pressed her lips to his.
    Emily felt the fire inside her belly ignite. Her fingertips trembled as they came up to trace his strong jaw, dusted with days old stubble. Somewhere deep inside her chest— her soul, her blood— instantly recognized it’s other half. Even though she could feel his anxiousness and doubt tickle her skin and in the initial hesitancy of his kiss, she couldn’t deny the overwhelming, uncontrollable need she had for him, for her destiny. For her wolf.
    Luke groaned when Emily’s lips parted, and she pulled his bottom lip between hers. He could n’t resist her even if he tried. Even if he wanted to. And he definitely didn’t want to right now. Even if that was the right thing to do.
    Words like destiny and love and her wolf, swirled in his mind as he felt the energy between them crackle and