“Damn, you scored.”
She nodded. “Totally. Anyway, he’s got brownish-blond hair. Just touches his collar. It’s all thick and soft. He’s even got one of those locks that falls forward and makes him look rakish. He’s a menace. Dark lashes against these eyes. Unbelievable this color. Pale green. Dapper dresser, even his casual clothes.”
She sat back and brushed the crumbs from her hands. “He’s got a tattoo on his back. Giant unfurled wings in black and gray but there’s a tiny bit of color here and there on the feathers. He’s also got a nipple ring and around the other nipple, on his chest above his heart there are protective runes. He’s actually got those in a few places. But they’re not tats. It’s as if they’re worked into his skin and muscle. Someone wanted him protected. Probably a good thing too because he’s had a broken nose on more than one occasion and he’s got some scars on his side and belly that look a lot like knife wounds.”
“Oh, a bad boy with a heart of gold. Those are like unicorns right? Imaginary?”
Meriel laughed. “He does appear to be of the bad-boy-with-a-possible-heart-of-gold variety. He touches me like I’m precious.”
Nell’s smile softened. “Yeah. That’s something else, isn’t it? Especially when they’re all reluctant. I am sorry about that last part. Makes it all the more sweet when he finally accepts it though. I don’t have a bond-mate like you do, but fate brought William to me. He was meant to be with me. I had to believe in that and do my best to make it happen. You’ll do the same.”
“He does admit to the bond. But he’s dubious of it. Untrusting. Even without the bond he and I would have something electric. He’s sexy, successful, gorgeous, funny and really, really inventive in bed.” She fanned herself. “I like him. I like being around him. I want more and I can’t have it because he’s at a different place than I am. He’s got a learning curve and while I know that — while my brain tells me this is totally normal—I want more. But I feel hesitant about asking for it.”
She sighed.
“I’d tell you to be patient, but you already are so that’s of no help at all. When do I get to meet him? And I take it you haven’t told your mother about this.”
“God, no! Can you imagine? She’d send you out to kidnap Dominic and then glare at him until he agreed to do the ascension. I don’t want that. I want it to be his choice, totally. It’s not that I think he hates me. We’re good together. It’s still new, but he’s far more comfortable with what we have now than he was even just on Thursday.”
“She wouldn’t understand. Not because she doesn’t love you in her own way. But because she never had to face what you’re facing right now. Ron grew up knowing what he was. She grew up knowing what she was and what she’d be. She’s never had to face this sort of uncertainty before. I get it. But she’s going to notice. Even she can’t miss that you’re practically humming with magick.” Nell tipped her head. “And love. I like that.”
“I don’t know about love. I love being with him. I love that he’s my bond-mate. But love will come. As for the difference in my magick? I know. That’s why I was at work. I wanted to clear some stuff off my desk so I could work from home and stay out of the office this week. That and well because I spent last night through this morning with Dominic. I don’t want to get so used to him yet. He’s got to go to New York for most of the week. Maybe we can get together, all four of us at the weekend?”
“When’s he going?”
“He’s already on his way.” He’d woken her up at four and kept her up until nearly seven when he had to jump in the shower to get to the airport. “His plane left at nine.”
“Stay here tonight. We’ll get pizza and watch movies.”
“That’s a fine offer, ma’am.”
ACROSS the country, Dominic had a jones for the lovely, redheaded Ms. Owen. Definitely found himself missing the warm weight of her next to him in his bed.
Funny to be used to something after only having it once. But there he was, sitting in a crowded restaurant as his financial advisor and longtime friend Trey told the table a story about a recent trip to Chicago.
All the while he thought of her.
Wondered what she was up to. The morning before he’d tried to let her sleep but failed. Every moment he’d lain there in the predawn darkness, giving himself a lecture about how she needed her rest, had been agony. Until he’d given in and touched her.
She’d come awake quickly, into his arms without hesitation. She’d even offered to drive him to the airport and reminded him to check the warding on his hotel room.
And now he’d be there in New York until Thursday night while she was back in Seattle. His bed would be empty. Damn it.
Simon had cornered him in his office on Saturday night as she’d been at the bar, conning his bartenders to show her new recipes. In a cocktail dress.
“So what’s the story?”
Dominic had looked up from the papers he was signing. “Story?”
“Don’t be coy, dumbass. What’s the status between you and the lovely Ms. Owen?”
“You know the story.”
“So you accept the bond then?”
“You’re like a dog with a bone.” He snorted and Simon flipped him off. “I like her. She likes me. There’s a bond, I admit that too.”
“Are you going to screw this up? Yes, yes, I know you’d rather I just stop bugging you over it. But though I’d deny it if asked, I’ve watched you searching around for something real for years now. Meriel is something real. What you have, no matter how fantastical, is real.”
“I can’t even think with her around. I need some distance and some perspective. I’ll be in New York until Thursday. Maybe I’ll come back clearer.”
“What’s she say about that?”
“I don’t have to check all my business dealings through her. Anyway, she’s got her own job; I can’t imagine why she’d be upset.”
“About your continued hemming and hawing.”
“Look, I don’t like the idea of not being in charge of my own destiny. Okay? I didn’t grow up in an alternate dimension at the right hand of my dad the king or whatever. You and Meriel both had that experience.” He pushed to stand. “She’s not like anyone I’ve ever met before. I want more. That has to be enough right now until I figure out the rest. She’s giving me the space I need. Every time I push her to finally have sex with me, she reminds me about how it’ll only make our mutual attraction deeper.”
Simon had laughed then. And laughed some more, the sound of it echoing all the way down the hall in his wake after he’d left the room.
He’d told Simon that he’d hoped the trip would give him some distance and perspective. And it had, only not in the way he’d imagined.
Yes, she was on his mind. Yes, he wanted to be with her. But he wasn’t debilitated to be so far away. It didn’t affect him physically to be apart from her. He was getting work done.
What he did miss, in addition to all the sexy stuff, was her laugh. The way she indulged him and let him be bossy most of the time but pushed back when he got out of hand.
He missed the way she smelled. Hell, he even missed the way she so effortlessly used her magick. He’d learned a lot from her just by watching.
He’d come to really like her. As he sat there pushing his dinner around on his plate, he found himself making notes to tell her about this or that thing he’d seen during the day.
His pocket buzzed and he looked down at his phone to see who it was.