Asher’s POV – Bonus Chapter Revelation

2 Encounters – Asher’s POV (Revelation)

I’m bored out of my mind. When I took on this assignment, I hadn’t given much thought to attending college, again. Yet here. I. Am. Sitting in architecture for the second time in my life, listening to the professor drone on and on.

Eve looks just about as bored as I am. She’s zoned out. I can tell by the way she’s tapping her pen on her iPad. It’s not even turned on. I allow myself a brief side-glance taking in her face. A slight smile crosses her beautiful pink lips, and I find myself wondering what she’s thinking about. Damn, she’s so beautiful.

Suddenly, she realizes that she should be paying attention and sits up straighter before turning on her iPad and beginning to take notes.

Halfway through the lecture, I feel her eyes on me. I’m actually surprised it’s taken this long for her to discern my presence since we’ve been in class for about a month now, and bonded a little longer than that.

Her gaze leaves a trail of heat along my skin. It’s just the bond. I tell myself and school my features. I’m not supposed to have contact with her, and she definitely is not supposed to know I exist, not yet anyway.

I’ve been careful up until now and I remind myself that I’m only her protector, a job that needs to be handled from a distance. So I keep my eyes focused forward, pretending I don’t know she’s taking me all in.

As soon as her stunning hazel eyes land on The Spiritual Assembly of Protectors tattoo and leather bands, I cross my arms attempting to show her that I’m not interested. Eve doesn’t get the message though because oddly enough, she’s actually leaning toward me.

I turn my gaze toward her and narrow my eyes while watching her with fascination. What the fuck is this girl doing to me? I catch those beautiful eyes with mine and see desire in them. I need to stop whatever is happening here. So like a jackass, I lean over the empty chair between us, into her space.

“See something you like?” I ask in a malicious whisper, hoping she’ll get the point.

I watch her face, her reaction turns to surprise and she actually blushes. Shit. That’s my undoing. Like a stalker, I watch the pink hue form on her perfect cheekbones before she snaps her gaze back to Professor Davidson.

Against my better judgment, I decide that I need to hear her voice, just once. When I notice the professor is mostly done for the day, I head to the exit and wait for her, casually leaning on the doorframe.

Shock crosses her face that I’m already down here waiting for her. I smile to myself, knowing that she’s confused about how I got down here so fast.

Eve moves closer to the door but she still hasn’t said anything to me. Her face morphs into an, excuse me look, and damn if it doesn’t just make me want to push her against the wall and kiss her plump lips senseless.

“After you,” I say and her cheeks turn pink again.

I motion toward the door, trying to get her to say something, anything at this point, but she doesn’t. My charge just walks through it rolling her eyes. I should walk away, hell I need to walk away, but I just can’t seem to. I’m so drawn to her.

“No need to thank me. It’s truly my pleasure.” I reply in a condensing tone, hoping to bait her.

It works. Eve spins around so fast that I have to stop walking before I run her down. I grab her upper arms to prevent her from stumbling backwards and try to ignore the sparks of energy that emanate off of where I’m touching her. Fucking bond.

My eyes drop to her face as I watch her close her eyes and inhale. Wait, is she smelling me? I lean in to her.

“Falling for me already?” I ask brushing my lips softly against her ear, needing to be closer to her. The minute I touched her, I knew it was a mistake, but I can’t seem to stop.

Suddenly, her hazel eyes look up at me through her long lashes and I come to my senses. I see she isn’t amused with my lack of charm and for a moment, I’m confused and torn. Do I continue to talk with her, or just walk away? Her lips part and she makes the decision for me.

“What the hell is your problem?” she barks and narrows her eyes at me.

“The siren speaks,” I feign awe at her voice. “I was beginning to question your familiarity with the English language.” I smirk pleased with my goading and her reaction.

“Charming,” she says, annoyed. “I happen to be verse with the English language.”

“That’s astonishing, considering earlier, I caught you openly gawking at me.” I scan her face and lean into her. Fuck she smells good. My voice drops to a sensual tone of it’s own accord. “Pink lips parted, beautiful hazel eyes locked onto my chest, drooling as if I were a piece of chocolate,” I pause to watch her reaction. ”Yet not a single word flowed through that pretty, pouty mouth of yours,” my eyes drop to her lips, as my brain begins to daydream about how it would feel to stroke them with my own.

“Shows how much you know. I prefer salty verse sweet,” she says firmly.

I watch her. Damn she’s feisty. Not at all what I expected, not the sweet girl I read about in my dossier the council provided.

“Yeah, I can see that sweet isn’t your thing, sweetheart.”

“I have a name, and it’s not sweetheart,” she snaps.

She’s so damn cute all riled up. “What would that name be?” I ask, already knowing.

“Eve Collins,” she offers.

“Eve,” I say dropping my voice to a husky tone. I love the way her name rolls off my tongue. I’m watching her process my use of her name and realization kicks in with me. Damn they named her Eve. That’s just fucking perfect. “Eve,” I repeat while understanding sinks in. “Without doubt, a suitable name for you.”

“Meaning?” she asks tersely.

“Wasn’t Eve the mother of mankind? Of course, she was also seen as weak, allowing evil to succeed in tempting her to the forbidden,” I challenge her wondering why she isn’t making the connection.

“Are you implying that I’m weak?” She asks.

I just study her. Confused as to why she isn’t following the conversation. Then she comes at me again catching me completely off guard.

“I can assure you that’s not the case,” Eve says. “As a matter of fact, I could punch you right now and you’d be seeing stars for weeks followed by a plastic surgeon to reset your nose, pretty boy,” she threatens.

This throws me off. She’s spirited and aggressive. I laugh, throwing my hands up in mock surrender. “There’s no need for threats of physical harm, Eve.” I just stare her. I can’t stop, because holy shit she’s beautiful and my heart is actually jumping in my chest.

All of a sudden it dawns on me while I get lost in the hazel layers of her round, eyes she has no clue. No idea about who she is, we are, or what’s about to happen to her life. Damn, for a second, I almost feel sorry for her.

“Your lack of knowledge with regard to your name means nothing,” I say casually trying to calm her down. She isn’t ready yet to be enlightened. I shouldn’t have made contact.

“I don’t think this is working,” she says motioning between us.

I just smirk, she’s right. It’s not. It can’t ever work. “Do we need couples therapy already?” I throw out to see if she’ll get flustered again. I just want to see that pink hue once more before I walk away from her and protect her from a distance.

She exhales. “That’s not what I meant.”

I lean into her personal space, just one last time to inhale her vanilla-coconut scent.

“Would you please stop? I can’t think with you in my personal space,” she mumbles.

“I make you nervous?” I ask, because I’m seriously curious about her reaction to me. Is it the protector bond, or something more?

“Ah, no. Far from it,” she says. I don’t believe her.

“Your unconvincing tone says different,” I retort.

Before I can say anything else, I see McKenna approaching us from behind Eve’s shoulder. Shit. I need to walk away before she gives Eve a hard time, and I never hear the end of how I broke the rules and made contact with the divine secret I was sworn to protect.

“As delightful as this conversation has been with you, I have some where I need to be. Try not to walk into anyone or anything,” I mock her, and with difficulty walk away.

“Whatever,” she mutters and then calls me an ass stopping me in my tracks.

Damn, I think I just fell in love with Eve Collins. Fuck it. Once more I tell myself, just to get that blush going. I turn back to her and stalk at her.

“Tsk. Name calling is very unbecoming of you, Eve. Perhaps, you should consider your choice of words within the English language with more care when conversing with others,” I chastise.

She just glares at me, and there is that pink hue that I like so goddamn much.

“I’ll be anticipating your retort, siren. I’m sure it will be enlightening,” with that I walk away. Knowing she’s staring at my ass, and fuck if I don’t like it.