Page 63 of Love in the Wild

He had been ready to believe that Thorne was a fantasy, another well-played ruse to try to take his fortune and his home away from him, along with his hope. But seeing Thorne in person had made his heart cry out, telling him that this young man was blood of his blood. Yet still he had doubts. How could he not?

Cameron left the sitting room and headed back into the drawing room where the secret door was still partially open.

“Avalon ...”

He whispered the boyhood nickname for his and Jacob’s sanctuary. An island of peace and healing for two boys who’d needed to escape the world, even for a short time. There was nothing quite like the bond between siblings, and he and Jacob had been closer than most. They were drawn to legends, drawn to the belief that secrets and beautiful mysteries still existed in the world. Jacob had often said to him that if he could have had one wish, it would have been to witness a legend firsthand.

Today Cameron had seen such a legend in the face of his nephew. The boy who had been raised in the heart of the jungle, and yet he’d grown up to be so like his parents in a thousand small ways. Jacob’s intensity, Amelia’s loyalty—and he’d known the magic word to break apart the walls of doubt around Cameron’s heart.

Cameron smiled and shook his head as he gently closed the door. “Sweet Avalon.” That little room contained mysteries for another day, but at least one had been revealed. Thorne was alive. Thorne washome.

15

Thorne gazed out of the tall windows of the massive bedchamber. His eyes took in the gardens below the balcony. Colorful flowers bloomed in wild, lovely patterns amidst the carefully arranged green yews and rhododendrons.

The heady scent of roses filling his nose and the delicate brush of petals as he giggled and hid from his mother while she counted to ten. Hearing her call his name as he ran through those gardens and she tried to catch him.

The more he saw of this place, the more small but powerful memories like that came back to him.

Eden came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder, and he could feel the heat of her skin through the blue dress shirt he wore. He smiled and covered one of her hands with his.

“Are you okay? That was pretty intense.” She was always worrying about him. Even Keza had not worried this much about him. But then, these past few days had been an adventure unlike any other, in equal measures terrifying and exciting to him. Perhaps some worry was justified.

Thorne turned, catching Eden in his arms and holding her close so he could lean down and nuzzle her cheek. One of the best things about being mated was having the right to hold his mate like this. Physical intimacy, even as innocent as this, was a gift he treasured.

“I am fine,” he assured her.

“Do you want to rest or explore the house a bit?” she asked, then sighed as he nibbled her earlobe. He knew just how to tease her there.

“You have to stop that or people will think we’re sex addicts.”

“What is an addict?” he asked. He gently blew on the sensitive spot below her earlobe, and she shivered in his hold.

“People who can’t stop doing something, even though they know they should.”

“And we can’t be addicted to sex?”

“No, we definitely can’t. I mean, we should find other ways to bond too. At least until ...” She gave up her protests and wound her arms around his neck. “Oh, fuck it.”

He grinned, hearing the soft surrender buried beneath her sighs as he kissed her. He wanted her to feel how grateful he was to have her, how glad he was that she was here with him. This world had left him feeling out of place, like a fish that had splashed onto shore and couldn’t get back to the water.

With Eden, he felt like he wouldn’t be lost in the vast currents of this new life. He trusted her guidance. His love for her grew every minute, but he had no idea how to tell her, how to make her see that what he felt for her went above and beyond the sheer bliss of her kisses or her touch or the physical act of mating. From the first moment he’d seen her, it had been something deeper, something that made him feel like he could face anything, so long as she was with him.

Thorne cupped the back of her head, deepening the kiss, enjoying her excitement and knowing he was the cause. Bringing pleasure to her was one of his great joys in life.

But she was right. Their mouths slowly parted, and he held her in his arms, breathing softly as he cherished this moment.

“We should do something else,” he said.

“No, no. I’m fine with this, really!” Eden said quickly.

“You are right. If I am always mating with you, we might not bond in other ways.”

“Well, I mean, we can always bondlater.” She started to kiss him again.

“No. We should do something now.” He couldn’t resist teasing her.

“Goddammit,” she grumbled. “Of all the times to act all noble.”

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