Page 72 of Love the Way You Lion
“You’ll still be beautiful,” I respond without even thinking. I blush, realizing I said that out loud. “I think he’ll love it, I mean.”
She seems to realize what she heard, and a tiny smile curved her lips. “You think so? Even if I am big and swollen?”
I huff. “Well, yeah. I don’t bite just anyone, you know.” I roll over onto my stomach, looking up at her. “Is that okay?”
Pursing her lips, she looks at me. “Yes, it is.” I feel the purr kick in as I curl up with her, and it makes me smile. Her eyes dart around for a moment, and she whispers, “Can I tell you a secret? One I’ve kept tucked where no one can see?”
Uh-oh.
I’m hoping this is not whatever secret those two have been hiding because we’re having a good day, and I don’t think I’m ready for that right now. The guys are sleeping off their debauchery on the floor in the corner, so I can say that Taurus is not ready for that, either. “Sure. You know me; I’m mum’s the word girl.”
“I know. Keeping it mum takes massive concentration and skill with the bonds like they are.”
That would—along with her pregnancy—explain the sharp increase in her appetite and need to hunt. She’s holding some draining magic to keep whatever it is she’s keeping for them. I’d be interested to know what in the hell she’s doing to keep anything mum, given that Rafe feels my pain and Taurus feels her heart beating. It’s a little terrifying to wonder what she’s got going on inside. “I might tell Taurus, but that’s more than ‘I know so he knows’ thing.”
Her face flushes red, and she shakes her head.
“God, it’s not about Taurus, is it, because he’s fantastic at sifting through my mind and picking up things.”
“No, it’s about when I messed up.”
“Messed up?” I frown.
“When I had an accident?” She squirms, trying hard not to be vague but struggling with the topic.
“Which accident?”
“You know, when I disappeared, got strung out, and called Taurus pretty?”
“Oh!” I blink. “You mean the acid trip from hell. That was not one of the fun nights of my life. It was hard on Taurus. I remember I felt bad because it was my fault. I started it—or Rafe did.”
“Yeah,” she nods, the hair falling over her face again. “See, I, um, know how I got distracted.”
I didn’t think she could get any redder, but here it is. I run a finger over the blush and then tuck her hair behind her ear. “You mean how you let go of the drug ball? What is it, baby?”
“I kept trying to tell Taurus that it was my fault because I’d never screw up something that simple. I mean, its basic containment and all.” She talks faster as she picks up momentum. “But he wouldn’t hear of it, and it was so dumb that I was almost glad I said nothing.”
I feel her discomfort, so I lean in closer, arranging my head on her leg. I know touch helps her mate, and her, too.
“See, I asked if you’d rather me bleed or bite me, and everyone kind of stared at me like I was an idiot. I got distracted thinking about it—you biting me, I mean—and kind of covered it up by blustering through. At the end of the spell, I couldn’t focus because I was still all flustered because I said it and everyone looked at me funny. When I went to finish, my head wasn’t in the right hemisphere, so I let it go without remembering the ball because I got worried that you thought I was icky or something. I forgot and poof.”
I blink, gaping like an idiot for what feels like the hundredth time today.
She flops backward, burying her face in the sheets with a groan. “I can’t believe I admitted that. I am so stupid. Sometimes, I wonder if the disconnect between my brain and my mouth is broken.”
“I wanted to,” I murmur, feeling silly myself.
“You wanted to do what?”
I shrug. “I wanted to bite you.” She stops thumping her head on the mattress and looks up through a tumble of waves. “I was going to, but you pulled back and sliced a vein before I could answer anything.”
“Everyone peered at me like I was suggesting we run naked through the Met. I was sure I’d said something wrong. I moved before the silence could get any more awkward.”
“That moment is so clear in my head because I thought you didn’t want me to. It was the fangs—that’s why I hesitated. I looked at Rafe, if you remember, because I didn’t know if you knew about the fangs. Then I looked at Taurus, to make sure he didn’t have a—that he was alright with me...” I cut off, rubbing a hand over my face. What a bloody cock-up.
“I knew. I mean, Rafe had said. It’s not like...” she snorts, shaking her head. “Everyone kept staring at me, and I was sure I had fucked up royally by saying that. I got so distracted thinking about it, watching the blood drip.”
“Before I could say anything, you sliced. Then I was going to bite you a few nights later because I didn’t want you to assume I was saying something I wasn’t when it happened. But things happened, and we didn’t get to come to visit you two.”
