Page 44 of Love the Way You Lion
I smile, watching him with soft eyes. He looks unscathed given our rather fierce re-mating this morning. It must be my blood in him,pumping him full of healing and regeneration. “Not bad. You’re looking unblemished and tanned.”
Chuckling, he shrugs. “You know, when I asked if you’d fight for me way back when I didn’t imagine it’d be fightingme. You and that lovely beast inside didn’t want to take no for an answer this morning.”
My lips curl. “I have no interest in our connection being less than it should. I had to fix whatever those drugs screwed up. She agreed with me, for once.”
“So, I’m not crazy, then? Your lovely and my demon mated—which is why I feel that bugger more than I have... ever.”
I pad over, nipping his chin. “I believe so, my darling. You’re entwined with every part of me now. Dark and light, though lately...?”
“It’s more dark than light and trust me, not a complaint from me, my little blood warrior.” He grins and tugs me over to the bed. “What did you buy and how bad is my wallet screaming?”
Sniffing, I give him a look. “I bought outfit stuff for the party. You’ll have to wait to see it all. Trust me; you willnotwant to be at the house until a little before it starts. Our family getting ready is more than you’d want to experience just yet.”
Taurus looks wounded, pouting. “Do you think I’m too much of a prude to handle it?”
My lips quirk up. “Yes. If Damien is dressing you guys, you’re getting ready won’t last as long as we all take. Trust me on this, my love.”
“Okay, okay. The goddess and I will have to live without the two of you for a couple of hours.” He stops and murmurs, “He loves her, right?”
I blink, taken aback. “Very much—I don’t even have to poke around to figure that out.”
“It’s—she’s not like me. She avoided relationships for much longer than me, even friendly ones. I worry about her.”
“I don’t blame you, but he’s—well, he’s always been more selective than me and after all the shit with the exes, I didn’t think he’d ever venture out again.”
“We walked on the beach today and she’ll kill me for telling you, but I think the magnitude of everything hit her last night. Especially since that rotter you’re mated told her he wants to make her as happy as I do you. It’s a tall order and even wanting to try is big. It made her girly and happy, then terrified.”
That makes me a little nervous, especially with Talia having a problem with it, but I need to let them find their own groove.
I arch a brow. “Did he? Good for him.”
“She’s afraid she doesn’t have it in her to give him what you give me. She thinks she’s forgotten how to trust that much. It’s some shit with the departed and his gnome making her stumble.”
Sighing, I nod. “That I am familiar with. Last I heard, the lunatic fringe says they’re halfway through their ‘quests’. Lily says they’re blogging about it, but I refuse to even look. I swore I wouldn’t get sucked into it and I won’t. Goddess only knows what they’re saying about me.”
His eyes narrow and he snarls, “About any of us, really. It’s best I leave that alone—you can’t have a party if I kill a lot of guests.”
“Rafe’s crazy about her. He’s not even been around much of anyone else, and with Wilde not being here, that’s been easy. I knew the minute he gave up a chance to prod at me in favor of flirting with her the night we drained.”
“I know you said it went fast with them. I hate to pick at a scab that I’ll wish I hadn’t, but can you clarify?”
“My primary started up with Sari in August that year, and they didn’t claim until November. Rhea and he were about two months. My experience was maybe a tad quicker, but it should be even.”
Sitting back in his chair, he runs his hands through his hair. “Holy fuck, woman. I didn’t know it was that much faster.”
“When you know, you know,” I shrug, leaning in to nip his jaw. “I knew.”
Taurus studies me for a moment and says, “I’m withdrawn, aren’t I?”
“Yeah. You get that way sometimes when you’re broody.”
“I do not brood!” Huffing and looking affronted, he yanks me closer. “Baby, being with you, having you curl up on me makes everything better inside of me. I realized a long time ago that the only place I’m calm, theonlyplace I feel right, is where you are. Not just the sex—which defies description in the best of ways—but you. Your heart, your mind, and your soul put me at peace. You said it right this morning; I can’t breathe when you’re not the air.”
My arms tighten around him, and I kiss all over his neck and shoulders. “You are my safety, baby. I can hide with you; I can be me without it being filtered into someone that other people want me to be. I trust you. You make me feel safe and warm and loved even in the hard spots, because I know you still love me.”
“In the tough spots, I love you even more. I'm so bloody proud of you.” He palms the back of my neck, rubbing the muscles there. “Even when you’ve gotten hurt, you let me in, and it humbles me.There isn’t one aspect of your personality that I’m not ass over brains for, baby.”
“Sometimes, I need to do stuff myself, but I’ve been trying to be honest and open and trust you. I want to give you as much as you’ve given me. Even when you want to rip and tear and slay my dragons, you let me do what I can to handle things myself. It means a lot to me that you respect that need, even when you’re livid.”
