Page 61 of Soaring in Flames (Reborn 2)
Chapter 16
Maya
Iwasn’t positive whatwoke me up, but I opened my eyes and snuggled against Marco’s chest, his breathing a bit too even for him to be sleeping. I looked up and found him offering me an affectionate, but concerned, look.
“Why are you still awake?” I mumbled quietly, feeling a bit put out. Sleepy Marco was far more cuddly and frankly that was exactly what I needed right now. Although to be fair, we were essentially wrapped around one another right now already.
He took a deep breath. his eyes darkened before he pulled me even closer to him so that I was almost nose to nose with the large man. “I feel guilty.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “About what?”
“About how hard I took you,” he mumbled softly, looking at my neck before looking back up. “For possibly marking your neck bad enough that even the guys might get upset. And because I was a total irresponsible dumbass.”
“Marco,” I sat up rubbing the sleep from my eyes and not even paying mind that I was naked. Although he for sure noticed as a low rumble came from his chest, his eyes flickering across my bare form before I continued to talk, drawing his eyes upward. I couldn’t deny how happy I was that he seemed so attracted to me. “Stop talking bad about yourself. You’re not a dumbass. I loved what we did and I love when you bite me, whatever it is that’s going on, we can handle it.”
His eyes searched mine as he kissed the top of my hand in a soft brush of the lips, “I love that.”
“Love what?” I whispered blushing at the sweet gesture that contrasted everything else we had been doing.
“Well, you,” he flashed a charming smile but continued, “but that you said ‘we’ can handle it.”
“Well of course,” I snuggled closer peering up at him, “I may be new to all this, but I want to always be there for you, Marco. Just like you’ve been there for me.”
He breathed out, examining my face for a moment before talking, “This is hard as hell, Maya. Because I love what you are saying but I also want to wrap you up in fucking bubble wrap and never let anything negative touch you. I handle everything for the flight and I just worry that I’m going to fuck it up, especially now that you are here. And you are so damn important to us—”
I straightened up slightly and gripped his face, his honesty and slight vulnerability lending me strength. “Marco, I meant what I said earlier. I love when you take care of me and I can see how much the others appreciate how much you do for the flight. But you need someone to take care of you and I want to do that. I’ve survived this long and in much worse circumstances. I don’t want you to put all that pressure on yourself. How about we just focus on taking care of each other?”
I thought it was a good compromise. Sure. I couldn’t be as scary as the boys could, but I felt like I was good at taking care of them in other ways. For one, I could bake. Who didn’t love baking?! Plus, I was starting to realize there were certain things that each of the boys needed. I loved being able to be part of that.
For example, I knew Anani liked collecting my things so I left them out for him. I knew that Ledger, despite not bringing it up to him, had terrible nightmares. So I always made sure to hold him extra tight when we slept. Sai, despite sometimes being grumpy, was a total sweetheart and loved when we spent one on one time together. I think that was important to all the guys but it seemed extra important to him.
Atlas was just...flippin’ perfect. He was like a massive teddy bear that everyone was scared of, except for me. I wasn’t positive if he needed anything but if he did I would give it. One hundred percent. Even Henry, who was beyond competent, sometimes needed help dealing with his dragon. He didn’t realize it but they were extremely intertwined and sometimes pushing him a bit, even though he became growly, made them communicate more than they usually did.
My thoughts strayed to Croy because in some ways he and I were very similar. We had both been very alone. Mind you, it was a different type of alone, but I loved being the one to make his two hundred something years not feel as lonely. I loved being his mate. I loved beingtheirmate...I think I just loved all of them. A lot. I felt my ears heat because I wasn’t positive how to show them just how much I cared.
His eyes lightened as he nodded, pulling on my bottom lip in a hot kiss. “I love you.”
I blushed, “You keep saying that.”
“I keep meaning it,” he mumbled.
“What were you saying before,” I tried to bring it back, feeling sleepy, “about being irresponsible?”
He grunted his eyes darkening again, “Yeah. I blame myself because I was so fucking caught up in the moment. When you said you loved me, I just sort of lost it. We didn’t even talk about protection.”
I blinked and it took a moment for me to realize what he was saying.Oh.
“Well,” I nibbled my lip in thought, “how does that work with shifters?”
His eyes examined mine thoughtfully before speaking, “Like humans. But with phoenixes, Croy mentioned that in order to mate fully they have to be in heat and fully bonded to their mates.”
Oh.
“So then we are good?” I arched a brow and then the rambling hit me, “I mean, obviously we are good. This wouldn’t make us not good, just would change things. I know...well, I hope one day that we might have kids. I want to be a much better mother than mine—”
“You will be,” he confirmed softly as his eyes warmed.
“Wait, when did you ask Croy?” I tilted my head.
