Lights of Aurora (The Stone Legacy Series Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

trailing down his stomach. She followed it until it vanished beneath the buckle of his pants. His chest expanded with a sharp inhale. The subtle fluttering in her stomach exploded into a fierce energy radiating through her body.
    His lips slid to the corner of her mouth and down her jaw. She tilted her head back toward the night sky while his mouth ran over her neck.
    He pulled away, nearly panting. “Zanya—”
    “No.” She rose on her tippy-toes and kissed him again. She wouldn’t have him try to talk reason into her. Not now, when they were finally alone.
    When dawn broke, they would risk their lives. This could be their last chance to be together if it all fell apart.
    She spread her hands across his back and trailed them over his shoulders. His fingers dug into her hips and he broke their kiss again. “Heavens help me,” he whispered in a raspy breath. “Zanya, please.”
    She shifted her weight. “What’s wrong?”
    He shook his head.
    “Don’t you…” The thought of saying it aloud made her blush. Maybe he didn’t want to move forward, though his kiss said otherwise. She hung her head. How could she have been so wrong?
    He hooked his fingers under her chin. “I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair.”
    “Fair? What are you talking about?” She bit her lip, trying not to notice the electrical current that spread over her skin from his touch. What the heck was wrong with her? She’d never acted like this before—wanted anyone so much.
    He brushed his finger along her cheek. “Please, trust me.”
    She paused, realizing she’d moved her hands under his shirt, and was resting her hands against his solid muscle. The mental haze slowly faded. Being this into him was a little scary.
    Zanya slowly pulled away and pressed her hands against her sides. Maybe it was the fresh jungle air, or maybe it was just that they were headed into the unknown the next day. Whatever drew her to him was relentless. Her head spun, and she rested her fingertips on her temple. It was as if something had taken her over. Something with an insatiable need.
    She blinked away clouded vision and forced a soft smile. He was right. Waiting was better. She’d sworn she’d take it slow. He’d promised he’d wait. Not push. Not pressure her. And he hadn’t. Not even a little. There was nothing wrong with taking things one step at a time.
    Except suddenly she wanted to leap.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Four
     
     
    Arwan
     
    Two miles to go before they reached the caves. That gave Arwan just two miles to make Zanya smile. She’d been forlorn all morning. Perhaps because of what happened the night before. Of course she would be upset. He’d rejected her, but not because he didn’t want her. Certainly that wasn’t the case. If she had pushed, even a little more, he might not have shown the willpower he had.
    He watched her, so quiet and despondent. “Do you need a break?” It was a legitimate question, but a part of him just wanted to see if she’d answer.
    She shook her head.
    Not quite the response he’d hoped for. “We’re making good progress. At this pace we will arrive in less than an hour.”
    Zanya glanced at her watch. “Good. We don’t have a lot of time to waste.”
    Her tone was cold, distant, and so unlike her. He’d hurt her feelings, though not intentionally. They had no other option than to slow down. That, or they would have done something she might later regret.
    Especially after today.
    “We should skip lunch,” she called over her shoulder. “The less we stop, the quicker we’ll get there.”
    The tension in his muscles wound tighter. Each passing minute meant they were growing closer—closer to the caves, closer to the underworld, and worse, closer to Zanya finally knowing the truth.
    He was the only one who could get her past the gate. It was the reason he’d volunteered to escort her, and though he hated the idea of her going at all, if she went alone, she’d never be able to get