17. Midas

CHAPTER 17

MIDAS

S he stares at me as if I've grown a set of heads on my shoulders. I check to make sure I haven't. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened. Maybe I have. It isn't like me to offer something so risqué within moments of meeting someone. But there's something about this woman that's both frustrating to be around and intoxicating. It's as if she both repels me and attracts me. Everything from the wild tangles of hair around her face to the way her clothing fits her form perfectly, to the way her skin glitters with a golden sheen. I want her to keep being aggressive with me. I want her to curse my name in whatever language she's speaking as I'm buried deep inside her. I want to bend her over my knee and?—

"You're serious?" she asks, shattering the imagery in my mind.

"Why not?" I ask with a shrug, choosing to ignore the way my chest tightens at her question. It's not the only thing that tightens either. I'm suddenly glad for my loose shirt. "You said you wanted a good, hard dick."

"And what makes you think that means you?" she asks, getting back to her feet.

I shrug again. "I'm here," I offer, trying to remain nonchalant.

"I'm not desperate," she says, rolling her eyes. "No thanks."

My shoulders tense in offence. "Why not?"

"Look at you!" she laughs, and I find myself getting even more offended.

"What about me?" I growl, before gritting my teeth.

"You're wearing enough gold to fund a fucking war," she points out. "Probably multiple wars."

"What wrong with gold?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Nothing. . . if you're a mafia boss or a rapper," she says, shaking her head. "Do you keep it on while you fuck?"

I straighten. "What if I do?"

She laughs again and it makes my hackles rise. "Look, I appreciate the offer. I do, but I wasn't being serious."

Despite her words, I lean closer as she comes up to me. I put my face right in hers, making her stop to look up at me with narrowed eyes.

"I was," I declare.

Our eyes meet and hold, and something passes between us. Before I can take advantage and kiss her offensive ass, she starts to laugh again. She shakes her finger at me with a grin.

"Yeah, okay. Let's get out of this place and we can discuss this little joke between us further. Wherever this place is, anyways."

I nod. "We'll discuss it further."

I'm certain we're going to. I wasn't kidding. I think this woman somehow thinks I am, but that's not the case. Now that I have the image of her wild hair tangled around my fist, it's all I can think about.

A howl cuts through the air around us so suddenly, it nearly makes me jump as it echoes. It's close, whatever it is, but I can't see the source. The woman takes a step closer to me.

"What the fuck was that?" she whispers.

I like that she moved closer to me. I almost reach out and tug her into my side but somehow, I think she'll fight that despite the danger we're very much in. What the hell is wrong with me? I shouldn't be thinking of her like that. I don't even know her name. I haven't asked. She doesn't even know mine.

"What's your name?" I ask suddenly, not bothering to whisper.

She jerks to look up at me. "What?" she hisses quietly.

"What's your name?" I repeat.

"And you think the time for that is now?" she croaks. When I just look at her, she scoffs. "Tempest. Or Tempi, for short."

"Tempest," I repeat. "I'm Midas."

"Okay. Cool. Nice to meet you, Midas. We should leave," she spits. The howl echoes again, this time closer. "Like now."

"I agree. Open a portal," I command.

"I don't know how to," she growls through gritted teeth, as if she's tired of repeating that line. "I don't control the portals. They just appear."

"Then I suggest we start moving away from the creature," I say, keeping my voice low now. "Until another merge finds you."

"Good idea," she nods before turning and quietly stepping through the underbrush. Surprisingly, she makes very little sound. What kind of training has she had to seem so light on her feet?

I follow after her as she leads the way. My eyes may drop to her ass as she walks, but I'll never admit it.

I look around again, wondering which world we're in. It's not the Enchanted Forest. That I know. Hopefully, nothing eats us.

Hopefully, no one I know appears and remembers just what I've done. . .