Page 51 of Bearly Yours
As our kiss deepened, my eyes closed gently, and all of the feelings I’d kept buried for so long became unburied. They came, not in riotous explosions like fireworks, but in deep cracks that broke through my very bedrock, expanding my soul, and enlarging and changing my foundation.
And the first time Roarke kissed me?
He cried.
His lips were warm on mine as he pulled me closer so I was resting more fully against his chest. My hands wandered to his hair, and I ran my fingers through the thick silkiness of it. His hands draped around my hips, and stayed there, not wondering an inch from where he’d put them, as if he were keeping them pinned in place with military precision.
Such a respectful mate I had. I loved him even more for his restraint.
The kiss became gentler, more tender, showing me that there was more than passion between us, there was also love. Roarke’s hands cupped the back of my head and neck, his hands were so big they nearly covered them entirely, and he tangled his fingers in my hair, gently massaging my neck and scalp. Apparently he could multi-task; I, sadly, could not. My entire focus was on our kiss.
When we finally broke apart, I searched his face and dabbed at his tear-streaked cheeks with my sleeve. I didn’t even think he realized he’d been crying. It was slightly alarming because in all the time I’d known him I’d only seen him cry the day he’d discovered we were mates.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded as he leaned in and tenderly kissed my forehead. “I’m perfect. Are you okay?”
“I’m perfect too.”
He pulled me more fully onto his lap, wrapped his massive arms around me, and held me for a really long time.
For the first time in my life, I felt completely at peace.
Chapter 13
Emrie
After speaking with Alpha Riggs, Mateo, Mathan and Alistair about what had happened, we determined that although we had another piece of the puzzle, we were really no closer to identifying the person who was trying to kill me. But we did know, now, that he was a shifter of probably massive power, and that he did, indeed, want to kill me.
I was not thrilled with this information. It brought up feelings that I thought I’d worked through in relation to my parents’ deaths. For a week or two, I mourned them all over again.
I was angry.
They hadn’t been killed in a senseless accident. No, this was worse. They’d been murdered by someone in a jealous rage who couldn’t leave my mother alone, and by extension her family. The fact that they were gone from this life because of a terrible shifter and his psycho issues both infuriated and saddened me. There was nothing to be done for my parents anymore. They were long gone. But I was determined to bring their murderer to justice.
And since we didn’t know who he was—he could literally be anyone—life continued as normal.
Before I knew it, the annual Valentine Fair & Ball came around again. The fair was from ten to eight tomorrow, and the fairgrounds and the surrounding streets were getting blocked off for it. The ball was going to be held at King Draven and Consort Mia’s home this year.
And this year, I had a Valentine.
Roarke and I were sharing a room since we’d been partially bonded. We hadn’t completed the bond yet, but both Roarke and his grumpy dragon had refused to let me sleep alone, so we were one-bedding it in cute romcom style.
I slept so much better with him beside me, and I think he did too, but it had made for some interesting dynamics at first. Being in each other’s space all the time, keeping the bathroom door locked when it was in use—found that one out the hard way—and a million other little things that new couples had to get used to.
Eventually, I knew, when our bonding was complete, I would grow comfortable with keeping the doors open while I was showering and getting ready. Those were things, from what I’d heard from other couples, that just came more naturally after you were intimate for a bit. I wasn’t so sure. I was shy by nature, and because my curvy body could make even normal clothes look really revealing, I was pretty modest as well. Roarke, not so much. Maybe it was just because of his age.
I had kept hoping the shyness would go away, but the last several nights I’d worn sweats to bed and woke up a sweating mess because my mate was a literal, fire breathing furnace. I’d beenmiserableat night, and my bear was really grumpy with me and didn’t understand what the big deal was with wearing my normal night time attire.
Which was the reason why I was standing in front of my bathroom mirror, looking at the cute tank and ruffled cotton shorts sleep-set I was wearing in horror.I’m showing too muchskin,I said, trying to pull the shorts down a little so they covered more thigh, but to no avail. They weren’t nearly long enough. Andallof my pajamas were like this, they only came to upper or mid thigh. I mean, I was a bear! It got hot at night!
My bear snorted at my thoughts.Lovely.Which I knew to mean she thought we looked lovely.
I sighed. Well, at least my bear wasn’t short of confidence. That was more an Emrie problem.
Go. Prove to be good mate.
I pulled my long hair over one shoulder and made a face at myself in the mirror before I straightened my shoulders and marched out of the bathroom like I was a soldier going to war.
