Fairest 02 - The Frog Prince Read Online Free Page A

break through. But after a tense moment, Chris felt the heat lessen and eventually disperse entirely.
    He stepped away carefully, suspicious that the creature would return at any moment. He crouched on the ground, staring unblinkingly at the door for any sign of danger, but none was immediately forthcoming. Chris sat there for almost half an hour, and he didn’t realize he had fallen back into his froggy habits until he started eyeing a dust mote as if it were a particularly obnoxious insect. He surged to his feet, mouth growing tight in irritation. He heard a whimper and he turned to glance at the woman. He could have sworn he saw one of her fingers twitch and he stepped closer. Unsure. She flinched again and Chris crossed the room to her. Was she waking up? There was more color to her cheeks and for the first time he could see her chest rise and fall as she breathed. But as he leaned over her, he couldn’t find any other signs that she was coming out from under her spell. Looking down at her, he couldn’t help but think back on all of the fairytales he’d heard as a child. Seraphim had never told him exactly what it was he would need to do in order to heal them both. She’d just ordered him to show up. When he thought about it, the only logical thing to do was to kiss her. Her mouth was calling him after all, and considering their situation, it would only be fair to give the simplest solution a try.
    Now that he’d effectively talked himself into it, he leaned forward, covering the distance between them, and pressed his lips against hers. She tasted just as sweet as he’d thought she would. Like gingerbread and spices, like butterscotch and caramel. He slipped his tongue between her lips, his eyes drifting shut. She felt so warm against him, so soft and pliant. Something growling and hungry reared its head deep inside of him, and with a sigh, he pulled away.
    When he opened his eyes, he found himself gazing down into the hazel depths of his very own sleeping beauty. He grinned at her, pleased that the kiss had worked. Her lips quirked in a return smile, right before she reared back and head-butted him in the face. He flew back, hands over his stinging nose. But before he could say anything, he shifted back into a frog in a puff of purple smog.
    “What the hell?” the woman murmured, and Chris croaked in angry assent.
    ***
    She was awake.
    Sweet body of Christ, she was awake.
    Her hands reached up and she stroked her own face, disbelieving. Rachel was trembling and she couldn’t seem to stop touching things. Pressing her hands into the pillows that surrounded her, stroking the silk of her blanket, running her fingers through her hair and squealing in pleasure at the overload of sensation.
    Smells had never been stronger; her sight had never been so sharp, her hearing so acute. She loved it. Maybe she’d been a little overzealous when she’d attacked the man who’d kissed her. Speaking of which…
    Rachel glanced around the room, pulling herself upright. Her muscles were so shaky from disuse that she rolled off the mattress clumsily, unable to hold herself upright. She felt like a newborn calf, struggling to crawl her way across the floor without falling straight on her face. The frog glared at her, backing away with suspicion in his eyes. Rachel hadn’t gotten a very clear look at him before her forehead had made close acquaintance with his nose. Either way, she remembered the feel of his lips against hers. It wouldn’t have been the first time she’d had an overzealous man show her some lovin’ to wake her up. Usually they started a little lower before working their way up to her mouth, but Rachel found that she liked the change of pace.
    She grinned at the little critter, pleased with him. She hadn’t thought a kiss would have done the trick. But Rachel supposed you should never diss the oldies.
    “Thanks, sweetie,” she cooed, pulling him close and cupping him in her hands. She nuzzled him, enjoying the