Page 78 of Happily Ever Witch
“I don’t like this pillow wall between us.” His tone was disgruntled, now. “I want to be able to smell you.”
“You can smell me just fine from over there, I’m sure.”
“I want to be able to hold you, then. You’re my mate.”
“I’m not having sex with you. You were a jerk. It killed the mood.”
“That was Marrok’s fault, not mine.”
She ignored that lie.
Trevelyan sighed and tried again. “I told you I would wait for sex. But, the damn pillow wall means that you don’t trust me not to push for more, even though Itoldyou I wouldn’t.”
Realization dawned. When dragons gave their word to their mates, they meant it one thousand percent. That’s what he’d been insisting earlier. He clearly expected her to trust his promises and it upset him when she didn’t.
“Your feelings are hurt.” She translated.
“Dragons don’t get hurt feelings. Don’t think so virtuously. No. I just… don’t like the pillows.”
His feelings were definitely hurt. Crap. She detested him, at the moment, but she still couldn’t stand to see him unhappy. Damn True Love bond. Esmeralda reached behind her, grabbed some of the pillows and chucked them across the room. “Better?”
Instantly, big arms were dragging her backwards, through the remainder of the wall. She wound up against his tattooed chest. “Much better.” He breathed in the scent of her hair and she felt his whole body relax. “I need this. Do you believe me?”
“Yes.”
It was impossible not to believe him. He was holding her so close that not even a magical spell could have pried her loose. She wasn’t sure if all dragons were so physical, but hers needed constant touching to be content. If Trevelyan was awake, his hands were on her.
Grudgingly pleased with the situation, she let him wrap himself around her.
“Tell me something true, Ez.”
She decided to go big. “Alright. You’ve held me like this before.”
He hesitated, like he was trying to recall that moment.
“When I was younger. In the orphanage.” She explained. “Whenever it rained, I would get so scared. It wasn’t a very sturdy building. Sometimes it leaked.”
His grip got even tighter.
“In order to calm down, I would imagine my True Love holding me.” Protecting her.
“The guitar player?”
“No, dummy.You. Sometimes, when I was really,reallyscared, I could feel you. It was the only way I could sleep. At first, I thought it was my imagination, but once there was a terrible thunderstorm. I was so terrified that I think my powers must have reached for you. I think theyfoundyou, wherever you were. In your own bed, in your own house. I swear, I felt your arms around me and I heard your drowsy voice reassuring me. …And I was finally able to relax. After that, I heard you a lot. Always the same words.”
Silence.
“Do you believe me, Trev?”
“Yes.” He whispered. “What did I say?”
With me, you are always safe, my darling. I love you more than magic itself.
“Maybe it was your powers.” She speculated, instead of answering. “Maybe you felt me, someplace in your head, and you reached for me, too.”
“No. It was your energy conjuring an image of me. Sensing who your mate was and soothing you. A very rare phenomenon. …Especially, for a level one talent.”
She ignored that dry remark. His explanation didn’t sound quite right. “It was both of us,” she theorized, “on one long connection, with you on one end and me on the other.”
