Page 21 of Hand-Fasting and Other Hazards
She was curled against his naked chest, his hand stroking her hair, laughing low in a way that made her stomach flutter.
Her cheeks burned as the memory slipped away like smoke, leaving only the heat of embarrassment and the faintest ache of longing. Fairy wine had done this: left her with gaps filled only by phantom sensations, a horny haunting that refused to leave her alone.
Lochlan shifted awkwardly and nodded toward the motorcycle parked nearby. “Yours?”
Nia followed his gaze to the bike she’d bought at eighteen—the only thing she could afford at the time. She’d built it up, cared for it, kept it running ever since. “Yeah.”
“Is it safe?” He sounded curious, but there was an edge of concern beneath it.
She blinked, expecting to bristle at the question, but instead felt… almost touched. Without answering, she grabbed her helmet. “I’ll follow you.”
The streets of Stella Rune were alive and full of charm. The sun hung low over the ocean, casting warm light that danced across the cobblestones. People wandered in and out of shops and restaurants, chatting and laughing. Glamours hung thick in the air, cloaking the more supernatural sights—fairies dancing in the trees and wolven moving through town in their true forms—from mundane eyes.
As they rode through the historic part of town, the scenery shifted. The cobblestones grew older and more uneven, and the trees lining the streets became denser, their branches intertwining above to create a canopy that filtered the warm orange of the sky. A canal ran alongside them, its dark water catching glints of light from the lanterns posted along its banks. The hum of the motorcycle and Lochlan’s truck engine filled the air as they turned onto a quiet street.
Lochlan pulled into a spot at the end, his truck coming to a smooth stop in front of a quaint townhome. The deep red bricks glowed warmly in the sunset, and its green door evoked both the comfort and vibrancy of growing things. It was charming, disarmingly so, and as Nia parked her bike behind his truck, she felt an unexpected calm settle over her.
She swung off the motorcycle, watching as Lochlan grabbed her suitcase from the truck and carried it toward the door without a word. She followed close behind, her boots clicking softly on the pavement.
Before he unlocked the door, Lochlan turned to her. “Just a warning,” he said, his tone cautious, “Jade can be a handful.”
Nia’s eyebrows lifted. “She’s here?”
Lochlan frowned. “Of course.” He turned the key, pushed the door open, and stepped aside to let her enter. “Jade, I’m home.”
He dropped his keys into a tray by the door, and the eager tap of claws on hardwood approached, building to a frantic rhythm with each step.
Nia braced herself as a blur of white fur and floppy ears launched itself at Lochlan with unrestrained joy. Lochlan laughed, catching the massive creature in his arms like it weighed nothing.
“I’ve been gone less than an hour.” He hugged the dog like it was his favorite person in the world.
Nia blinked, caught off guard by the scene. The affection between them was so natural and sincere, it felt like she was intruding on something private. Her heart twisted in a way she couldn’t quite name.
The dog turned its head, locking light green eyes on her from over Lochlan’s shoulder. The animal began wiggling uncontrollably, and Lochlan barely had time to brace himself before he had to let go or risk getting knocked over.
“Jade, wait?—”
Too late. The dog launched toward Nia, large paws landing on her hips as a cold, wet nose pressed into her stomach, sniffing her like she was smuggling contraband.
“Whoa! Okay, hi!” Nia laughed, stumbling back under the eager inspection. “Is this normal?”
She expected a quick answer, maybe a dry remark, but instead, Lochlan was silent for a beat too long. She glanced up and caught him watching—not just Jade, but her. His expression shifted too fast for her to pin it down. Hesitation, maybe?
“Not to this extent,” he said.
A strange satisfaction curled in her stomach, but before she could think too much about it, Lochlan cleared his throat and straightened.
“Jade, this is Nia. Nia, this is Jade.”
Nia tilted her head, scratching behind the dog’s floppy ears. “Jade is a dog?”
“What else would she be?” Lochlan’s brow furrowed in genuine confusion.
“I don’t know, a girlfriend?”
His laughter came suddenly, warming in the space around them. It caught her off guard, and to her surprise, she found herself smiling.
“You thought I brought you home to my girlfriend?” he asked, chuckling as he shook his head.
