Page 58 of Burn Bright
"The king granted me myfreedom."
"KingEuric?"
"Haven't you heard? KingEvaron," he emphasized. "First of hisname."
Neva's breath left her in a rush. "No, I hadn't heard. I haven't left the forest since Springtide." She rolled her eyes. "Strangely enough, we don't get much of the newshere."
He kissed her then, unable to contain himself any longer. Neva's breath left her mouth in a shocked gasp, and then her fists curled in his hair, and she crushed her mouth tohis.
It was a long time before he had the strength of will to drawback.
"What does this mean?" shewhispered.
"I'm free. And I thought you might like some help in guarding these woods from theDarkness."
"For howlong?"
His heart nestled in his throat. "Forever, if you'd haveme."
Neva's expression softened, but then her lips pressed together firmly, as if she didn't dare believe him. "What aboutEvaron?"
Cas set her down, cupping her face in both hands. "Apparently he's now immune to poison—and sharp knives. And he seems to think I'm cramping his style at court. Or making his dukeswary."
"He wouldn't send youaway."
"No." The thought had plagued him the entire ride. This choice shut one door in his life and opened another. "But he knew... he knew my heart lay elsewhere. And he said someone once took him to task over allowing me to wear that collar. He knew it wasn'tright."
"Someone wise by the sound ofit."
"Maybe." His smile softened, and his head bowed again, his lips brushing hers, lightly. Teasingly. "You didn't answer myquestion."
“Was thereone?"
"Mmmm." He kissed her slowly, teasing her with his tongue. Neva wilted against him, but he didn't intend to allow her to be distracted. "I said, 'if you'd haveme'."
"Of course I'd have you. Your fur will keep my feet warm on a cold winter night. Do you want to see my cave?" she whispered, her palm splaying across his broadchest.
A shudder ran through him. "Is that some sort of euphemism I should know? Or are you actually living in acave?"
"It's a nice cave. It has a tree growing inside it," she said, with a laugh. "Though I might have been hinting... I've missed you." Her expression sobered. "I didn't know if I'd ever see youagain."
Gentle fingers tugged him toward the gaping slit of darkness in the side of a rock, but Cas hesitated and pulled her back toward him. He wanted to do this right. Nervousness suddenly burned within him. Neva had never cared for his inhuman state, but what would her familythink?
"I might take you up on that offer. One day. But perhaps..." He cleared his throat. "Perhaps its time for me to meet your father. I don't think he'd approve of me staying in yourcave."
Neva grinned mischievously. "Are you offering to courtme?"
"Would you say yes if Iwere?"
"I would say... be careful for my father's quite recovered his spirits, and he's no more inclined to handsome young men eyeing off his daughters than he ever wasbefore."
"But I'm not a man." His stomach twisted. "And that's not ayes."
"Come on, you fool." Neva dragged him toward Densby. "Father won't give a damn about you being wolvren. Where do you think I get it from? And if you mind your manners, I might put in a good word foryou."
And Cas's scowl finally softened into a smile, his heart finally easing as he thought about forever. "It's adeal."
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