Page 24 of Moonlight and Mischief
Twisting, she peeks over her shoulder at me. “I’m really sorry I said you were ick the other day, that was so messed up, I was put on the spot and felt flustered, and it was such a dumb thing to say.”
“So I’m not like a brother?” I ask, a sly smile creeping in.
She rolls those luminous eyes. The last few inches of the braid unravel and I reach for the hairbrush left on the desk.
“I can brush my own hair,” she says, snagging it out from under my fingers.
I hold my hand out. “I want to. It’s time someone took care ofyoufor once.” She blinks at me but lays the brush in my outstretched palm. “I see how hard you work for everyone else, all the time.”
The first drag of the brush through her hair causes her to let out a soft hum of pleasure.
“Your hair is gorgeous,” I murmur. She tightens her shoulders and then lets out a sigh. “You okay? Did I actually upset you?”
“I feel so stupid.”
“You’re not,” I say.
“I’ve literally spent the last ten years crushing on Cedar and he feels nothing toward me. And everyone knows, and I’m so embarrassed. How could I be this idiotic?”
“I’m sorry, Marigold,” I say. “It was horrible of me to ask that and put you guys on the spot in front of everyone.”
“I think I’m glad you did. I’d rather know, and I’m not sure I would have listened otherwise. I’m not mad at you, just humiliated.”
“Don’t be. Everyone adores you, and you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I was a jackass. I was irritated.”
“What was bugging you?”
Silence stretches between us. But after what she shared, she deserves an honest answer. “I was jealous.” My ears burn and I can’t look at her, but I take a deep breath and keep speaking the truth. “There’re times when we’re talking and he walks in and suddenly he has all of your interest.”
Her lips part in surprise. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
“I know I don’t have any sort of claim to your attention. But you’re not second to anyone else for me. And I guess I wanted to be your first choice too.”
She’s quiet, her expression thoughtful.
Section by section, I brush out her hair into gleaming waves. Her nails dig into the fabric of her dress across her thighs, wrinkling it.
“Better?” I ask. She gives me a mhmm noise of approval.
“Jasper?” she asks. I set the brush aside and run my fingers through her hair, smoothing it back into a sheet of rose gold down her back. She tips her face upwards and closes her eyes. “I think you are my number one. I’d rather be here with you than with anyone else.”
I can’t resist grabbing her around the waist and hauling her closer in a tight hug. Her hair falls across my face like a silk curtain that tosses back as she squeals and laughs. Every noise is like music and my heart races.
Her shoulders rise and a flush turns her skin from freckled gold to pinkish bronze. We both sink down until we’re settled comfortably across her twin bed, her head against the dip of my waist below my ribs.
“I don’t know why I didn’t flat out ask him years ago or simply get over it and move on,” she muses. Reaching out, she tugs my foot closer, running her fingertips over the scar from the crossbow, though she doesn’t say a word about it.
“I get it,” I reassure her. “It’s nice to have someone to fantasize about, and he’s a decent guy.” I should stop talking, but I can’t help myself. “But he isn’t what you need. You deserve someone who is crazy about you. Someone who sees you as a partner and cares about your goals.”
She turns her face against my shirt. “Don’t say I need Onyx.”
My laughter bursts out of me and she joins in. “Onyx doesn’t deserve you. You’re perfect.” The moment tightens around us, her doe eyes widening.
She turns on her side and it breaks the tension. “You never told me about that meeting yesterday.”
I describe Zephyr's dramatic apology, and the way he evaded responsibility and subtly snubbed Heath. Marigold curls her lip at the worst parts. When I finish, she rolls to her stomach and props her head on her hands, elbows on the mattress.
“I agree. His wolves wouldn’t randomly go off and work for another pack. He ordered them to do it, and he’s trying to make us believe otherwise.”
