Page 52 of Love the Way You Lion
We watch each other, saying in unison, “Chosen.”
“The rings glow a bluish color, growing brighter and brighter, forcing our eyes away from the painful glare. My hand feels hot where the ring is touching my skin. The light ebbs and I look down with curiosity. She grabs my hand and examines it.
What had been a solid band of silver was now a carved, embedded ring. The strands of her hair are braided intricately, making up the center band of the ring, and anchored by exquisitely detailed silver catches that hold the hair in place. That muse does a hell of a job. “These are gorgeous, pet.”
“You like? You’re not saying that just so I’m not all girlish and crushed, are you? I had nothing to do with the style—it was Damien on that one. The initial request that I g—no, all his ideas, I mean. Anyway, all we gotta do is put them on each other. They’ll shrink to size, according to him.”
“You want to go first, or should I?”
“Me first.” I pull her hand forward, stroking her fingers before sliding the ring onto her ring finger. She smiles as the ring shrinks to fit securely on her finger.
Touching my left hand, she kisses each knuckle, and then slides my ring onto the same finger I’d used for hers. My eyes slip closed and I swallow hard, pulling her into my arms. Nestled together, I feel so in love that I marvel at the difference a month or two make in life.
Looking at her hand, she murmurs, “I wear this because I love you. You make me whole. Without you, I’m nothing but a shell of a life.”
I whisper in her ear. “I wear mine because I care for you. You’ve made me a new person. You discovered the person I had forgotten existed and never want to lose. Because of what we did and will do together.”
Wrinkling her nose, she nods. “Okay. Big emotional moment over and I’m feeling good, but I have one request from you.”
“I won’t tell anyone that you were all soft with me. I promise.” I wink, pinching her leg.
Shaking her head, she mutters. “Not that. Please don’t multitask. If the gnome comes to you and wants things? Or the idiot comes back and needs things? Don’t let me come over that day. Allow me to keep that separate. I can’t deal with feeling like second place.”
I blink. “Love, she and I haven’t been together in a while. Maybe since Beltane.”
“Baby, I haven’t been with anyone but Wilde. You know, I wasn’t seeing anyone after the exes. It’s been you.”
“I appreciate that, but I had to be sure. I love that you’re wearing my ring and that I’m wearing yours.”
I fiddle with it for a moment, the turn of the conversation making me nervous. “I’ve never worn a ring on this finger before.”
“Never? Is it okay? I’m still a little nervous about the implications, so hop in with a little more explicit definition. You look a little stunned.”
I shrug, not sure I can explain why it feels so big and how much it scares me to commit to her. I didn’t blink when she asked, but it puts me in such a vulnerable situation. She could destroy me—worse than anyone has. “People have given me rings before, but always with the explicit explanation of what they weren’t or what they didn’t mean. They put them on other fingers. I never expected anyone to do so. I’m stunned. I mean, not even the cat has, though that’s different. She puts rings elsewhere.” Her eyes cut to my piercings, and I shrug. “We’re unconventional markers. She’s got some, too.”
“I’m kind of awed and humbled that you’d want to wear mine there.” She grins a bit, eyes dancing. “You realize that if you tell anyone what a silly girl I am, I will kill you. This blows that whole ‘bad cop’ image all to hell and back.”
“It’s our secret, love.” I smile and kiss her nose.
She yawns and I smile. “You tired, baby?”
Grimacing, she nods. “I don’t want to be.”
“I know, but we’ll have tomorrow and plenty of other days.”
“Do you mind if I stay? You know, like, kind of permanently?”
I snort. “Kind of permanently? Is that akin to sort of pregnant?”
“Yeah, until you get sick of me or something.”
“I won’t. You can stay if you like, baby. Since the rest of the family filters in between houses doing this and that, you and yours arealways welcome. Hell, I thought that was what the suitcase was for. Hex made you a robe and Leo’s got a bunch of healthy food crap in the kitchen for your shakes and such.”
Her eyes widen, and she tilts her head. “Your housemates have already set up things for me? Like stuff, because they knew I’d be staying here?”
I chuckle. “Oh, love. Hex and the bitch have been making bank on you since you walked through the door. The book on when you’d do what has steep odds. I think the cat even won a grand on something.”
Growling, she mutters under her breath. “She did that big furry cheater. Just tell me the bird wasn’t involved.”
