Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 398

Chapter 398: Needed discussion
Mia felt the shift in Ford’s attitude from playful to serious. In the dark, it was easy to hide, even as his forehead was pressed to hers. She was still sitting in his lap, a fact that had mostly escaped her notice until this particular moment. She lifted one hand to touch his face, letting the warmth of his cheek seep into her chilled skin.

“Why are you always so cold?” He whispered, and she shivered as his breath tickled her cheek.

“I don’t know,” She admitted. “But you’re changing the subject again.”

She meant to scrunch her nose in displeasure and bump it against his to show her irritation, but Ford’s face moved at the same time and she missed. Both of them froze as their lips barely touched.

Mia was too startled to even flinch. Ford had kissed her before, and almost kissed her again when Martin had interrupted them on the mountainside. Surely he wouldn’t object to another?

A faint, helpful voice reasoned that it would help her clear her mind of anxiety, and drive out all the confusing, intense images of the visions that had nearly driven her mad.

This… was an entirely different kind of madness. One she found that she didn’t mind at all.

So she pursed her lips slightly, tilting her chin to bring the slight contact of their mouths into a more substantial touch.

His response was swift, and well, rather thorough. The hand behind her back slid up to tangle into her braided hair, angling her head to deepen the kiss, causing her heart to fly.

Unbidden tears streamed down her cheeks as emotion overwhelmed her. Mia’s pulse raced as Ford pulled her closer. Could her heart take much more?

She didn’t care!

The strategy worked; there was not a memory left in her mind other than Ford. The softness of his lips, the heat of his breath and the way it made goosebumps race across her skin.

Without warning, he wrenched himself away with a low sound of disgust in his throat.

Alarmed and hurt, Mia scrambled out of his lap and as far away as the small space allowed… which wasn’t far.

With one hand, she furiously wiped away the tears that still slid down her cheeks, now joined by others of confusion and distress. It wasn’t as if Ford could see them, but she still felt the need to remove them from existence, if she could.

“Sorry!” Emotion distorted Ford’s voice slightly, making the feelings of rejection absolute for a moment. Mia’s break broke on a sob.

Her chest felt tight, and she wondered if the air was running out. Surely that would explain her sudden inability to breathe.

Did he expect her to apologize in return? She’d started the kiss. She had been fairly certain it wouldn’t be unwelcome… Apparently she’d been wrong!

She turned her head away from him. Despite the darkness, she wanted to hide further. She was glad he couldn’t see her even a bit!

“Mia?” Ford whispered into the silence. His voice shook slightly. “I’m holding out my hand. Will you take it?”

Even as he rejected her, he wanted to stem the drain of her magic? It was gallant, but childishly, she wanted to refuse. Practicality won out, and she slowly reached out her own hand until it found his.

“I’m sorry,” He repeated again, “I didn’t mean–I promised Seth–”

Mia’s face snapped towards the sound of Ford’s voice.

“You promised Papa what?” She demanded.

“That I would try not to kiss you again,” He responded a little awkwardly.

“Papa knows… about before?” The tips of Mia’s ears grew hot with humiliation, and yet, there was some relief in the admission. She wouldn’t have to lie to her father or keep anything secret from him!

“Yes, and I promised—”

“That you would never do it again?” Her heart ached. It must be a mistake! He can’t have meant it! Unless he didn’t want to, in which case the promise would have been easily given. Was it?

“Not never again, just not until–” He broke off, and Mia’s heart thundered in her ears. She had to count to ten to calm herself enough to prompt him.

“Not until what, Ford?”

The words were shaky. Uncertain. He squeezed her hand and a fresh crop of goosebumps raced up her arm. What could possibly be the milestone contained in the promise? Perhaps until the rescue mission was over…

That wouldn’t be unreasonable. Mia berated herself for becoming so easily distracted from the fact that they were still in the middle of a very important mission! Her mind was reeling from the kiss, but not in a way that would prevent her from using her magic effectively.

One or two more minutes, and she would be ready to leave, whether this conversation was resolved or not. Uncle Trace took precedence over this interlude with Ford.

“I don’t want to say,” He confessed.

“Ford.” She warned. “We’re encased in a rock at the base of a black castle, perhaps about to go to our deaths. You have about a minute and a half until I’m ready to keep going. If you keep something from me now I’ll never forgive you, so answer my question. Not until when? Until this mission is over? Until we get back home?”

“Mia,” Ford sighed, “I’m terrible at this. I don’t know how to say it, how to ask. I was going to get Grandpa to help me, but I just have no idea how to go about it in the first place. If you make me say it now, I’ll mess it all up and it won’t be the proper way.”

“Ask? Ask what?” Mia blinked, not daring to guess what he meant. The ‘proper way’…?

“I told your father everything. Well, most everything. I didn’t want any more secrets. After he heard it all, he asked me if I would promise not to kiss you again… until we were married.”