Borrowed Ember Read Free

I
    think he might be right. People might try to use my feelings for you against me and vice versa.
    Jai took a step back, letting go of her, and Ari immediately regretted speaking up. She wanted his lips back and his hands al over her. She wanted to pul his t-shirt off and put her hands al over him . But more than anything she wanted her possible boyfriend (oh God that word made her want to grin like an idiot) to stop looking at her like that. Like he was pissed. So, you want us to pretend we’re not together?
    Just in public.
    He narrowed his eyes on her, the thick lashes almost obscuring the vivid irises. We’re not in public.
    But Charlie…
    A dark cloud trembled over Jai’s face and he brushed past her, his anger trailing at the back of him like open flames. Ari winced and turned to face him. Okay, she wasn’t stupid. She knew that sounded bad. This isn’t about me and Charlie, if that’s what you’re thinking.
    Jai scoffed and refused to look at her, instead standing with his hands braced on the balcony railings as he looked out over the mountains. His brooding silence filed the room until Ari felt like she couldn’t breathe.
    Great. Their first day as… whatever they were, and she’d already hurt him.
    It’s not because I’m in love with him and feel like I’m betraying him, she tried to explain. It’s just, he’s here facing death because he saved someone’s
    life, and I don’t feel like I should be allowed to be happy until I know he’s safe. And being with you… well, it makes me happy. Even with all this
    going on.
    Jai sighed and slowly turned his head to look at her. You promise?
    The question caused an ache inside of her. This was a side to Jai she’d never seen before. He realy was insecure about Charlie, and he couldn’t hide it anymore. He was making himself vulnerable to her.
    Wow.
    A rush of overwhelming love caved in on Ari’s chest and she struggled a moment to catch her breath. She had to reassure him somehow. He had to know how she
    felt. Taking tentative steps toward him, Ari smiled with her eyes. I told you I don’t think of Charlie that way anymore. And I also made it clear to him how I
    feel about you.
    Surprise lit his eyes and Jai straightened to his ful height, turning to face her. Just as quickly as the surprise had hit him, the spark of hope she saw in his eyes faded.
    He glowered at her. You told Fallon you’d die trying to save him here.
    Realization dawned as she closed the distance between them. Ari had almost died to save Jai from an Haqeeqah —the essence of the emerald of Mount Qaf in its purest form, a weapon—and it was what had finaly made him realize how much Ari truly cared for him. Did he now think that, because she’d die for Charlie, it somehow meant the same thing?
    Shaking her head, Ari reached up to touch his face, something she’d wanted to do almost from the moment she’d met him. Her fingers gently stroked his cheek, tracing his high cheekbones and lower to the firm, hard cast of his jaw-line. Instead of leaning into her touch as she’d dreamed he would, Jai tensed. Jai, she pleaded quietly, if you hadn’t noticed, I’m a guts and glory kind of girl. I think I’d die trying to protect anyone I care about. It’s just the way I’m wired, I guess. I
    would die trying to protect Charlie because I love him. He’s my family, and I don’t want to lose any more family. She took another step so her body pressed flushed to him, her fingers faling to his lips. The sound of his shalow breathing emboldened her. But Jai… I would die a hundred deaths to save you…
    because the thought of being here without you now , the thought of losing you… is unimaginable. Their eyes locked and heat bloomed in her cheeks as Jai pressed closer to her, his hand sliding across her lower back and gently guiding her even more tightly against him. Jai, you have no idea how much I’ve fallen in
    love with you. I don’t think a person could fall any harder.
    His eyes