CHAPTER TWELVE
※ BLAISE ※
Shocked, Blaise took a step back, staring at Gala. Did she realize what she was doing, kissing him like that?
Despite her startling beauty, he had been trying not to think of her this way. She had just come to this world, and in his eyes, she was as innocent as a child. Her actions, however, belied that idea.
This was getting complicated. Very complicated, very quickly.
Swallowing, Blaise thought about what to say. He could still feel her soft lips pressed against his own, her slim arms embracing him, holding him close. He hadn’t realized that he would react to her so strongly, that it would take all his strength to step away from that kiss.
She took a step toward him. “Um, Blaise?”
“Gala, do you understand what a kiss means?” he asked carefully, trying to control his instinctive reaction to her nearness.
“Of course.” Her blue eyes were large and guileless, looking up at him.
“And what does it mean to you?” Was she just experimenting with him, trying to ‘learn’ about this aspect of life as she tried to learn about everything else?
“The same thing that it means to everyone, I imagine,” she said. “I read about it. There are a lot of stories about men and women kissing if they find each other attractive. And you find me attractive too, right?” There was a questioning look on her delicate face.
Blaise knew he had to tread carefully. Despite his aptitude for sorcery, he was far from an expert when it came to understanding women. The charming creatures had always mystified him, and here was one who was not even human. He might’ve created her, but her mind was as mysterious to him as the depths of the ocean.
“Gala,” he said softly, “I already told you that I find you irresistible—”
She gave him a look that resembled a pout. “But you just resisted me.”
“I had to,” Blaise said patiently. “You’re so new to this world. I’m the first man—the first human—you’ve ever met in person. How can you possibly know how you feel about me?”
“Well, aren’t feelings exactly that? Feelings?” She frowned. “Are you saying that because I haven’t seen the world, my feelings are somehow less real?”
“No, of course not.” Blaise felt like he was digging himself a deeper hole. “I’m not saying that what you’re feeling right now isn’t real. It’s just that it might change in the very near future, as you go out there and see more of the world . . . meet more men.” As he added that last tidbit, he could feel a hot flare of jealousy at the idea, and he squashed it with effort, determined to be noble about this.
Gala’s eyes narrowed. “All right. If that’s your concern, that’s fine. I’ll go out there tomorrow, and I’ll meet other men. And then I’m going to come back and kiss you as much as I want.”
Blaise’s pulse leapt. “Why don’t I take you to the village right now then?” he said, only half-jokingly.
Her eyes lit up, and she practically jumped with eagerness. “Yes, let’s go!”