Page 151 of Craving Carla

“See?” Amari raises an eyebrow, his fingers still massaging the lotion into my skin. “You need rest just as much as I do.”

I huff in frustration. The last thing I want is to give him another reason to worry about me.

He lifts my foot to his lips and kisses my toes. I’m dressed only in panties and the thin nightgown he helped me into earlier. Even while healing, he’s catered to my every need—washing me from head to toe, conditioning my hair, applying lotion to every inch of my skin, and dressing me.

“Lie down,” he says, standing and pointing to the headboard. “I’ll make a quick dinner.”

“Amari—”

“How does salmon with potatoes and broccoli sound?” He cuts me off, his tone making it clear he won’t take no for an answer.

“Delicious,” I admit.

“I’ll be quick about it.” He flashes me a smile before disappearing from the bedroom, moving at that impossible vampire speed.

I’m too tired to argue, so I do as he asks, scooting back against the bed and resting my head on the pillow. My eyes fix on the ceiling as I process everything that happened today—how suddenly it all unfolded, how I never saw it coming.

Since stepping foot on the tourist island, I’ve felt a new confidence in myself. Amari has been instrumental in that, pushing me to accept nothing less than being the beautiful, marvelous woman that I am. The way he and his men stood up for Wintermoon, Amari putting himself in danger to save Tofi... my heart quickens just replaying those moments.

But it’s Anora who dominates my thoughts. Her rage, her difficulty calming down. If Amari hadn’t intervened...

I take a sharp breath and roll onto my side, Tabatha’s words in my mind: Those difficult choices. Was this one of them?It nearly destroyed me. What other difficult choices lie ahead? Something tells me this isn’t the end of my battles with Anora.

She’s right about one thing—the humans won’t stop coming for her family. But shouldn’t we be working together against this threat? Maybe then she wouldn’t have another breakdown.

Or maybe Anora is right about being able to siphon the dark magic out of her. But what would that mean? Sometimes it’s dangerous to interfere with Fate’s plans. She made Anora this way for a reason.

What reason? I don’t know.

I roll over when the scent of seasoned salmon fills the room. Amari stands over me with a tray, concern evident in his eyes despite his smile. He climbs into bed beside me, and I notice the gallon of blood on the end table. He must be desperately thirsty after his injuries.

He places the tray in my lap and steals a kiss from my cheek.

“What’s bothering you, baby?” he asks, watching me. “If you really don’t like salmon, I can make you something else.”

I glare at him and grab my fork, stabbing into my food before taking an angry bite. He just laughs, the sound warm and familiar. It feels like we’ve been doing this dance forever, not just the brief time we’ve known each other.

“I’m relieved,” Amari says, his eyes never leaving my face. There’s something different in his gaze since the bonding—more focused, as if he’s taking in every detail.

“Oh?” I chew slowly, eyeing him suspiciously. The salmon melts in my mouth, perfectly cooked. Despite everything, I have to admit he’s an excellent cook. It’s one of those little things about him that I love—how a centuries-old vampire still takes the time to perfect cooking for his mate.

“Relieved that things are still the same between us,” he explains. “I thought the mate bond might change you. But I canstill get under your skin, still piss you off, and you still get sassy with me.”

I roll my eyes. “Oh please, Amari.” But inside, I know exactly what he means. I’d worried too—that somehow the magic of the bond would alter who we are to each other, that the raw, real connection we’d built would be replaced by something predetermined and artificial.

He starts laughing again. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but I really love that about our relationship. That I can be playful with you.”

“I love that about us too,” I say softly, then mutter through my chewed food, “Even if it drives me nuts sometimes.”

I put my fork down and reach out, gently pressing my palm to his cheek. Amari closes his eyes and leans into my touch, sighing deeply.

“I remember how mad you would make me,” I smile, stroking his face. “How it drove me crazy. But at the same time, I yearned for you so badly.”

Amari opens his eyes and shifts his face, pressing his lips into my palm. “Finish your food so you can rest. It may not seem like it, but I’m also anxious about the mate bond.”

I blush and move my hand back, picking up my fork and digging into my food again.

Amari sits up and reaches over to the end table, grabbing the gallon of blood. He pulls the top off and tilts it back, chugging it down.

---