“And if it’s not? If they finish the portal and open it before you reach it?”

“Then I’ll kill whatever comes through. I’ve been beating back evil invasions since I was old enough to hold a sword. I’ve got this.” He hoped.

She stared at her lap. Her whole body seemed to deflate, and even without a luceria connecting them he could feel her sadness and frustration. “Brenya should have picked someone else to guide you. I have no idea why she chose me, a weak human.”

“She must have thought you were the best choice.”

“Or maybe my brain is just so simple in comparison that it was easy to shove information into it.”

“I promise you that human minds are anything but simple. But even if that were true, Brenya is powerful enough not to let a little thing like that get in her way. She chose you because she thought you were their best hope. She knew you were brave and that you’d give your last drop of blood to save them.”

“Of course I would. Those women and children are important. Earth’s survival depends on them.”

“And their survival depends on you. Not exactly a task Brenya would have given to some weak human.”

“Desperate times…”

He took her by the shoulders, resisting the urge to shake some sense into her. “Stop it. I know plenty of humans. Some of them are weak—they break vows, they give up when things get hard, they toss each other aside like bags of garbage and spend their lives as victims, waiting for someone to save them from their own laziness and poor decisions. I know you, Grace. You’re not like them. You’re special.”

“You’ve only known me for a few days.”

He bit his tongue against the urge to correct her. “In those few days you’ve proven yourself over and over. Now stop bashing yourself and have a little faith in you the way Brenya and I do.”

She stared at him, her gaze direct. He could see the exact moment her mind changed, and it was a beautiful thing to behold. She shed her insecurity like an old skin and let a bright new confidence shine through. “You’re right. Brenya wouldn’t have risked everything she’s worked for all these years on someone she thought would fail.”

“Now you’re catching on.”

“I won’t let her down, Torr. Or you.”

“Honey, you couldn’t let me down if you tried.” I love you.

He didn’t dare say the words, but he let them swell in his heart, hoping that some of his intense feelings would spill through the disks that connected them.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and the sweetest smile warmed her expression. When she looked at him again, her eyes were brighter and filled with newfound hope.

He had to kiss her. There was no more holding back. No more resisting her pull on him. She was the woman of his dreams, everything he’d ever wanted. He didn’t care if she wasn’t a Theronai. He didn’t care if he couldn’t have her forever. She was here now, and he was going to love her for as long as he could, even if it was only for one night.

One night with Grace was more than he’d ever hoped to have. A lifetime with any other woman couldn’t compare.

There was little light left outside, but plenty for him to see by. The deep orange glow cast russet shadows across her body, highlighting the delicate lines of her frame.

He traced that line between light and shadow with his finger, following it up her arm, along her neck and across her mouth. Each inch he traveled made her brown eyes grow darker as her pupils flared in a way that had nothing to do with the dim lighting.

He cupped her face with one hand, being careful of the shallow cut on her cheek. His thumb glided across her skin, reveling in her soft warmth. There was something about the texture of her skin that was uniquely hers. Perhaps all those hours she’d spent holding his hand had somehow imprinted the feel of her skin in his mind, but he had no question that he would know the feel of her anywhere, even in utter darkness.

Her lips parted, and the slick, glossy inside of her bottom lip inflamed him. He wanted to taste that skin, to feel it glide under his tongue until he knew it as well as he did the shape of her hand in his.

There was so much of her he wanted to memorize, so many intriguing textures to experience.

Sweat broke out along his spine but did nothing to cool him down. His heart beat faster until he could feel it pounding through him in a mad rush. He felt like a young man again, giddy and eager for a first kiss.

Grace pressed her hand to his chest, right over his heart. His abdomen clenched hard. A flood of desire raced through him, so powerful it was hard to breathe through it.

Everything about her deepened his need. He wanted to control his lust and bank it until only low embers remained, but she made that impossible.

He tipped her head up and fitted his mouth against hers.

Grace melted into the kiss. Her fingers dug into his chest. A little breath of excitement eased out of her in the form of the sexiest sigh he’d ever heard.

He wasn’t exactly sure how it happened, but one second she was sitting on the cave floor, and the next she was straddling his lap. His hands were on her ass, holding her close, so chances were he’d simply picked her up and put her where he wanted her.

The hem of her tunic slid up to make room for her to spread her thighs around him. He could feel the leather bunching under his grip and wanted nothing more than to shred it away from her body.

He’d had her naked before, but had done his best to respect her privacy and keep his eyes to himself.

This time would be different. He would look his fill. He’d linger over every sweet curve and hollow, making sure he didn’t miss an inch.

She lifted up on her knees and grabbed his head, angling it to please her. Each kiss was a sweet little gift, but not nearly as much as he wanted.

“Open for me, honey,” he said against her mouth.

Her lips parted instantly, giving him the access he needed.

The taste of her drove him wild. Made him hotter. The cave air had been cool only a moment ago, but his body was in overdrive, unable to shed heat fast enough.

As if sensing his need, Grace grabbed the bottom of his new shirt and pulled it over his head. Their mouths separated only long enough to get the job done before she came right back to him.

The feel of her supple leather tunic grated on him. He needed her flesh on his, bare and hot. Maybe he was rushing things, but he’d wanted Grace for so long he couldn’t seem to stop himself from taking what she offered.