Page 43 of Tail, Dark and Handsome: Celestial Mates
“It’s a job,” she said casually, with a shrug, like the kiss hadn’t happened. Like he hadn’t asked her to be his mate. “Four weeks to Corra, then I’ll catch a flight back.”
Valerian hummed noncommittally. Mari knew that hum. It was her judging-you-and-found-you-wanting hum.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Valerian said. She rose to her feet and stretched, moving her arms behind her, then above her head. “Don’t just sit there like a lump. Come and greet the day with me. Our bodies were made to move.”
Mari struggled to her feet, tripping over the sheet before fighting her way free of the tangle. She fell into the easy rhythm of a sun salutation, a set of exercises from the ancient Earth practice of yoga. It might have eased the tight muscles in her thigh and hips. Valerian touted the spiritual benefits of yoga, but Mari enjoyed it for the gentle stretching and the quiet.
“Only—” Valerian started. “No. Never mind. You’re an adult.”
The usual quiet, at least.
“What? Just say it,” Mari said.
“His aura is murky, that’s all I’m saying. And I don’t get a sense of calm from him. He’s troubled, but I won’t say more. Only you shouldn’t trust him, and do you want to be alone on a ship with him for four weeks? Anything could happen, but—”
“You won’t say more.”
“Don’t mock me. I’m worried. There are rumors about that man,” Valerian said, irritation breaking through her normally placid demeanor.
Funny, Valerian liked him plenty when she thought he was simply a rich single dad.
“I know about the rumors,” Mari said.
“Do you?”
“I know how to search on the network, Mom.”
“Oh, well, then you’re an expert,” Valerian said in a curt tone.
“And you are?” Mari finished her sun salutation, feeling more feisty than usual. “I’ve spent the last few days with him. He’s been nothing but kind to me.” Comforting her when she was a panicky mess on the sailboat and offering her shelter in his home during a storm. She had a hard time reconciling the man portrayed in the media reports with the same man who laughed and joked with his son, with the man who begrudgingly let a stranger intrude on his father-son time.
“You liked him well enough before,” Mari added, keeping quiet on the part that Valerian only liked Winter when she thought he was wealthy and had no other complications.
“He murdered his wife.” Valeria’s words interrupted Mari’s thoughts.
“We don’t know that.”
“Everyoneknows that. There’s the fighting to consider, too. He has anger issues, Marigold. He’s not a safe man.”
She disagreed. She had never felt safer than when he held her in his arms. Plus, he was a giant cinnamon roll when it came to his kid.
“I know men like that,” Valerian said. “Very well. They wear a mask. They can be charming on the outside, but in private, it’s a different matter. The masks come off. Then you aren’t good enough. They wear you down, little insult by little quibble, also pick and picking, until you’re at the point when you think they are all you deserve. That you should be grateful for them.” Valerian took a breath to steady her voice. “You deserve better than a man like him.”
Mari looked away, watching the waves rather than her mother’s face. Valerian hardly ever spoke of Mari’s father, for good reason. Mari had been too young to remember the man when Valerian left him. She remembered Joseph’s father, a kind man with a scratchy beard and a big laugh, and considered that man her true father.
“Winter’s not like that. When has he been charming in public? He’s rude. All the time.” But not in private. When they were alone, when Winter invited her into his home, into the place he felt comfortable, the grumpy mask came off. “You are right about the mask. He’s a grouch in public. It’s…armor, I think. A defense. When he’s with his son, he’s sweet. Patient.”
“I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did.”
“Mom, the universe is giving me this opportunity and I’m taking it. Maybe the mess with Tomas needed to happen to get me here.” She only half-believed the nonsense that came out of her mouth.
Valerian hummed, this one her I-know-you’re-right-and-I-don’t-like-it hum. So many hums.
“I just can’t go back right now. I can’t,” Mari added.
The words seemed to soften Valerian. “I don’t like this. Be careful. He’s a dangerous man.”
