Page 118 of Claim the Twilight
I grinned. “Or you could come yourself.”
“I’d brave the sun for you, Orina. You know that.” His tone softened with aching vulnerability.
I turned in his arms and offered him my lips. “I know.” I wished more than anything that Encantor could have stuck around to bless him with the ability to withstand the sun too.
He kissed me softly. “Don’t stay away too long. These halls are empty without you.”
“Empty?” Daisy appeared behind him. “Do you not see all the dead?” She huffed, hands on hips. “They won’t bloody leave.”
Ezekiel rolled his eyes. “I swear, Daisy, if you weren’t already dead…”
“Daisy!” Ingrid bustled up to us. “I asked you to bring Orina a packed lunch.”
Daisy looked down at her hands as if expecting my lunch to appear there.
Ingrid shook her head and handed me a large wicker basket. “There’s enough there for the two of you.” She smiled warmly. “I made some of those cinnamon buns Lorenzo likes too.”
“He’ll adore you for it.”
She shrugged, blushing. “He’s such a gentleman.”
“And what am I?” Ezekiel growled.
“You’re the master of the house, of course,” Ingrid said, all serious, but the twinkle in her eye gave her away.
The clatter of hooves signaled the arrival of my ride, and Ezekiel groaned. “Now he gets to have you all to himself for a whole week.”
I pushed up on my toes and kissed his jaw. “I’ll make it up to you when I get back.” I grabbed my holdall and hurried across the courtyard where Hemlock and Ordell were herding the triplets out of the way to make room for Lorenzo’s carriage—a huge mahogany affair with gilded emblems on the roof and a liveried driver. It came to a smooth halt, the door swung open, and Lorenzo climbed out.
The triplets stared at him with curious wariness, but as soon as Ordell shook hands with him, they relaxed.
Hemlock ambled over to take the basket from me. “You sure you have to go?”
I pecked him on the cheek. “I’m sure.”
Lorenzo broke away from Ordell, his gaze tracking to me, and heat unfurled in my belly. I hadn’t seen him for two weeks due to mageri commitments, and I’d missed him like crazy.
He held out his arms, and I bridged the distance between us for a hug.
“Missed you.” He kissed the top of my head.
“Missed you more.”
“I highly doubt that.”
Ordell took my holdall and stowed it in the carriage before returning for a goodbye hug.
“One week,” he growled in my ear.
I smiled against his shoulder, warm and secure in the knowledge that I was wanted.
The drivefrom New Town to Hawthorne Cove was made in Lorenzo’s mobile home van, but Lorenzo drove. We stopped to eat, to make love, and to take in the scenery, parking for the night to enjoy each other before we got to our destination.
Afterward, we stepped outside to watch the stars. It was chilly, but Lorenzo wrapped me in a blanket and a hug.
“Faerie doors are opening,” he said. “We’ve detected several.”
“You think Merry’s gone?”
