Army Of The Winter Court (Skeleton Key) Read Free

come across as casual. He had a strong jaw and prominent cheekbones. Nothing about him stood out as being extraordinary, but all his features together made him hands down the most attractive man she’d ever seen.
    Or, it’s been way too long since you’ve talked to a man. She thought, annoyed that she found herself so drawn to him.
    He cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow as his sparkling blue eyes darted to the bench, then back at her face. A blush crept up her neck as she realized she still hadn’t answered him and choked out a, “Sure.”  
    Smooth, Evvie…
    Picking up her bag, he moved it under the bench and sat next to her, so close she would bump him if she moved her arm. Too close… not close enough?
    Stop it, stop fawning over some hot guy just because he asked to sit on a bench. She chastised herself. It really had been too long.
    “My name’s Ian,” he said, breaking the silence.
    “Evvie.”
    “Your name means life, am I right?”
    “Yeah, I think so. I’m not really into that kind of thing.” She reached up and pushed a strand of dark brown hair behind her ear, trying to find something to do with her hands.
    “You’re not into life?” Ian asked winking.
    “What? No, I meant name meanings, that stuff,” she said hurriedly, letting her words tail off as his grin widened.
    “I’ve always believed that a name can tell you a lot about a person.”
    “I’ve never given it much thought,” she said shrugging.
    “It’s fitting,” he added to himself.
    Fitting? She tilted her head to the side,  
    “What do you mean?”
    “It’s nice to meet you, Evvie,” he said, ignoring her question.
    “Nice to meet you too.” She held out her hand, dropping it after a moment when he didn’t take it. An awkward smile formed on her lips as she attempted to get past the weirdness of the situation. It was probably all in her head anyway—she’d spent so much time over the last three and a half years locked away in the library or her room, studying. It wouldn’t be a surprise that she was completely out of touch with socializing.  
    “So, uh… Are you a professor here?” she asked, taking in his perfectly tailored suit. He certainly wasn’t a student.
    “No,” he said, but didn’t elaborate.
    “Oh… Are you waiting for someone?”
    “Something like that.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as if he’d found her amusing. His mannerisms struck her as odd.
    The faint scent of roses floated past her as a light breeze picked up. It was late in the season for roses to be in bloom, but she pulled it into her lungs, enjoying the sweet fragrance.
    Letting her mind wander, she tried to figure this strange man out. He was talkative but didn’t give straight forward responses. What was his motivation? He seemed to be hiding something, but it wasn’t clear if he wanted anything more than a casual conversation.
    “Your eyes are a stunning shade of green,” he said as he leaned inward, his face only inches away from hers. Her breath caught in her throat as she leaned back.
    “Thank you?” For some reason, her words came out as a question. Turning from his intense gaze, she inched away, trying to put a little space between them. Evvie’s fingers fidgeted nervously with the zipper on her jacket. The longer he sat next to her, the more her mannerisms seemed awkward.  
    She shivered and rubbed her arms up and down.  
    Breathe, he’s just some random guy.
    Her attempt at relaxing didn’t work as well as she’d hoped.
    “You’re cold,” Ian said frowning. “Let me buy you a coffee—or tea if you prefer.”
    “That’s okay, I wouldn’t want to trouble you.” She braced her hands at her sides on the bench to hide the fact he realized she was cold before she did.
    “It’s no trouble,” he said, placing his hand over hers. His skin lacked the warmth she would have expected, sending a chill up her arm and down her spine.
    “I have to get to class soon.”
    Ian raised an eyebrow, looking