by Cate Masters
Searching his face, her thumbs caressed his cheeks. The world inside her eyes held him captive. He’d do anything she asked. Until he knew what she wanted, he could do nothing. He knew she could divine his thoughts through her fingers. They swept along his lips, up his cheeks, over his ears and through his hair. Soft as a feather, her touch enslaved him. She alone held the key to his release, now and ever.
“Don’t torture me,” he begged.
Her whisper reached inside and tattooed her essence on his heart. With one word, she unlocked a torrent of desire. “Eric.” His name carried his own salvation.
Scooping behind her knees, he carried her to the bedroom. Pressing his lips to hers, he laid her on the bed and eased atop her. One taste, and he wanted to devour her. Her scent filled his nostrils and traveled along his bloodstream like a potent, indelible potion.
When she opened herself to him, he was both powerless and pure, powerful and redeemed. Her legs entangled with his, her touch erased any other reality. He knew only her hands guiding him inside her. Her fingers digging into his back, urging him on. Her murmurings like a prayer and a wish, one he wanted to fulfill again and again.
Her body was the universe, the curve of her hips were mountains he scaled to heights greater than he imagined. The hardened rosettes of her nipples sustained and increased his hunger. He ran his hand along the contour of her arched back and ass like a sacred rite, and the mingling of his sweat with hers consecrated and claimed him. Her kiss healed and restored his heart to function again. It belonged to her.
This night, he knew, would leave her fiery brand on his soul. No other woman could satisfy him now.
Where his heart was once cold and dark, her warmth cracked it open and filled it with the brilliance of the suns through eternity. The light exploded in his brain and rained down on them like shimmering shards. Like the fireflies. The sensation so real, he wondered as he lay in her arms, if he’d hallucinated.
Her body melded to his, her breaths came so soft he couldn’t tell if she’d fallen asleep.
“Joss?” he whispered.
She tilted her head on his arm, her eyes bright.
Good. He hadn’t woken her. He shifted to his side. She looked so lovely, her hair mussed, her cheeks rosy, her lips full and moist after many kisses.
“What’s wrong?”
If he spoke, it would come out wrong. He pulled her against him. “Nothing. I wanted to be sure I wasn’t dreaming.”
He wouldn’t resist happiness anymore. He hoped she wouldn’t either.
* * * *
Joss struggled against the emotions warring against each other. How she wanted nothing more than to hold him forever. How tortured he’d appeared in Plouton’s heavy shackles in The Underworld. A worse fate awaited him here if she allowed this relationship to continue. What about my fate? My happiness? Didn’t she deserve any?
Eric rubbed her back. “I know you’re afraid. I am too. But I want more than this. The question is, what do you want?”
Thoughts spun through her head. The one thing I can’t have.
“I want to spend every moment with you,” he said. “Get to know everything about each other.”
Oh, boy. “There’s so much you don’t know about me.”
“Exactly. I want to know everything.” Hope lightened his tone.
“No you don’t.” He deserved to. Sure, tell him everything. Her crazy family history would change his mind in a hurry.
Confusion knit his brow. “Of course I do. It’s what I’ve wanted for a long time.”
She’d feared his frustration. Instead, an approving calm emanated from him. He was right. He deserved to know. “You won’t when you hear the truth.”
“Nothing can turn me away from you, Joss. Tell me and I’ll show you.” The urgency in his soft voice flared inside her.
How could she explain? She didn’t know if she could be a soul mate to anyone. Only after months of processing did she come to grips with her true self. Her family heritage. And, treaty aside, the death sentence it could mean for him should Plouton find his own loophole.
She couldn’t explain this to Eric. Exasperated, she blurted, “You’re too young for me.”
He gave an incredulous laugh. “What?”
Embarrassment flushed through her. Remembering Iris, she took strength from the knowledge she was descended from a goddess. Even if she hadn’t been, Iris was right—every woman should be treated like one. And act like one.
Mustering her confidence, she steeled herself. “You’re too young for me.”
He smoothed away a wisp of hair. His soft voice took her aback. “I’m sorry. I thought you were joking. We’re practically the same age, aren’t we? I think of us as equals. In everything. Why does it bother you?”
“Because.” How could it not bother him? He could easily have any twenty-year-old. Yet hearing him say it aloud, she knew it to be true. Age meant nothing to him. And now Joss knew she’d live longer than most women to fulfill her role as guardian of the ley line. She’d very well outlive him. Lose yet another husband. It broke her heart already.
He cupped her face, tilted it up so she’d look at him. “Joss, you saved my life.”
Shock took away her breath. “You’re not supposed to remember.”
He knit his brow. “Of course I remember. You brought me back to life after grief numbed me to everything good in life. We both deserve happiness, and that means being together.”
Nothing would convince him. Except, perhaps, the truth. She could avoid it no longer. “I need to tell you something.”
A sparkle of eagerness lit his eyes. “All right.”
Oh, God. So unfair he should look even more handsome, his hair rumpled. His chest so inviting, she wanted to rest her head against it.
Instead, she gathered the sheet around her. “You won’t like it. You’ll think I’m crazy.”
He chuckled. “Try me.”
She took a fortifying breath. How to begin? “My family is…different.”
“Don’t remind me,” he teased.
This wouldn’t be easy. “Not like the usual quirks of most families. We have certain connections. Dangerous connections.”
Confusion filled his face. “The mafia?”
She wished. It would be easier to explain, at least. “No. I am a descendant of the goddess Iris.” There. The truth was out.
His brow furrowed. “Iris? I never heard of her. Is this some sort of sorority thing?”
She spoke in a stern voice. “You’re not listening. Because of this family connection, I have the potential for great power. You can think I’m crazy if you want, but I’m not a witch.”
“I never thought of you as crazy, or a witch. I never could.”
“Do you believe me when I say I’m related to a goddess?”
He shrugged. “I sure won’t argue. You’ve always been a goddess to me. And not because of your Halloween costume.”
“You have to take this seriously, Eric. It could put you in real danger. Mortal danger. I know you don’t remember, but it already has. In fact, I don’t know how you survived.”
When he pulled her tighter against him, she braced, waiting for the zap of energy. It didn’t come. In fact, the opposite—only good vibes pulsed from him. Strong vibes, enveloping her, igniting her pulse.
He smoothed her hair. “Life is full of risks. It wouldn’t be worth living if I can’t share my life with you.”
Her arguments melted away. The sincerity in his eyes, his gentle touch, stripped away the last of her defenses. “I agree, but—”
“Give me a chance. I deserve at least that much, don’t I? Don’t we?”
“I can’t risk putting you in such danger.”
“It’s not your choice to make. It’s mine, Joss. And I choose you. What I need to know is, do you want me?”
For a long moment, she gazed into his eyes, full of both hope and desperation.
She
had only one response. “Yes.” The single word released her from the past and unlocked the future.
* * * *
The next morning, as Eric finished the last of his goat cheese and tomato omelet, Annie tromped into the dining room. At seeing him, she halted, mouth agape. He lowered the newspaper and met her wide-eyed stare.
Finally, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
Carefully setting his cup on the saucer, he fought to maintain a straight face. “Second time today someone asked me. I hope it’s not the new slogan for your inn? Because it’s not very welcoming.”
Annie’s hands flew up. “No, I mean, yes, of course you’re welcome. Anytime. You just surprised me. Can I get you anything else?”
“Thank you, no.”
Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, Joss entered from the hallway. “Morning, Annie.”
Her smile told him everything he needed to know. No more doubts. They could overcome anything now. “I’m going to check on the horses. Excuse me. Have a good day, ladies.”
With Annie still gaping, he wouldn’t embarrass Joss by kissing her, so winked. The dog trailed behind him on the way out.
“Stay, Taz,” she said.
He waited for the dog to totter off the porch. “Exercise is good for him, and I’m only going to the barn. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“If you’re sure…”
“I am.” Sure about everything now. He couldn’t repress a grin.
The dog’s turn of loyalty surprised him too, in a good way. Most animals took to him easily. Taz displayed a fierce loyalty for Joss, not uncommon in a border collie, he knew, yet the connection appeared deeper. The dog rarely let her out of his sight. When Taz followed him, it was as if the dog was keeping him under watch.
In the stable, he stopped by each stall and spoke to the horses one by one. “You should be outside on such a nice day.” Maybe the farrier was due. He’d ask Joss about it.
Whistling outside drew his attention. Taz glanced away, then back at him.
“We better go see.” Eric strode to the driveway, where Joss stood by her car. “Do you know why the horses are in on such a nice day?”
She tossed her purse in the car. “No. Why?”
He liked this. Her leaving, him staying. Talking about ordinary everyday details, rather than fighting.
Joss opened the passenger door of her car. “Come on Taz.”
“Where are you going?”
“Running some errands.” She whistled and pointed inside the vehicle.
Taz looked up at Eric. He patted the dog’s head. “He can stay with me. I have to go to the Millers’ sheep farm. He’ll like it there. Don’t worry, I’ll bring him home tonight, when I come back.”
Glancing from him to the dog in suspicion, as if they’d conspired ahead of time, she asked Taz, “Are you sure?”
His tail wagged, and his open-mouthed pant resembled a smile.
“Traitor dog,” she teased and drove off.
“Careful, or we’ll both be in the dog house.” Eric helped the dog into his truck.
Throughout the day, Taz shadowed him. Eric liked having the dog around, an inquisitive yet noninvasive presence. If he were to get his own dog, he’d want one like Taz. Smart and obedient, Taz only barked whenever necessary and rarely complained. By the time they returned to the inn, Taz lagged behind and flopped onto the floor once inside.
Bending to his side, Joss sighed. “He’s exhausted.”
“He had a rigorous day. He’s probably starved.”
“What about you?”
“Now that you mention it…” He whisked her into his embrace. “I’m starving too.” He took his fill of the kisses he’d hungered for since this morning.
The grandfather clock’s chime played, then struck seven. He glanced at his watch. Seven exactly. Time no longer seemed an endless prison. He wanted all the time the universe could spare. With her.
* * * *
In the morning, Joss was awash in happiness when she awoke in Eric’s warm embrace. Still asleep, he nuzzled into her as if they’d spent every night together. Much as she hated to disturb him, they both had work to do.
Kissing him, she whispered, “Morning.”
He opened his eyes, smiled lazily, and trailed kisses down her neck. “Good. I’m not dreaming.”
She knew exactly what he meant. As realistic as her dream of her soul mate had been, awakening in Eric’s arms was so much better. “I don’t want you to be late for your appointments.”
He whispered teasingly, “I don’t have any today.”
She eased away to look at him. “Why not?”
“I cleared my schedule so I could spend time with you.”
Unable to hide her smile, she asked, “How did you know you’d spend the night?”
Rolling her atop him, he shrugged. “I had faith.”
“Faith, huh?” More like determination. She wouldn’t argue. Since his return from The Underworld, she could read his emotions too clearly. He’d broken through some internal barrier. She would too.
And she couldn’t turn him down when he looked so sexy, biceps rippling as he held her tighter. She touched her lips to his.
“Why don’t you call Annie and give her the day off?” he asked between smooches.
After a moment of trepidation, she agreed. “Good idea.” If she was going to make this work, better if Annie not be in the middle of any accidental zappings.
She’d do her best to ensure there wouldn’t be many. Last night’s decision was the first step in taking charge of her life. Already, her existential equilibrium had evened out. Iris would be proud of the way Joss assumed the mantle of control.
And she’d never felt more like a goddess than when in Eric’s embrace.
Still, she must make sure of his safety. Gram could provide her with some insights.
She waited until after breakfast, when Eric had taken Taz out for a walk.
On the first ring, Gram answered Joss’s call. “Jocelyn? Is everything all right?”
Joss heaved a ragged breath. “That’s why I’m calling. I have to make sure it will be.”
“You’re being a bit cryptic, dear. Can you be more specific?”
“I’m in love with Eric, Gram.”
“Sweetheart, tell me something I don’t already know.”
How could her grandmother possibly have known? No matter, not why she called. “How can I protect him? I can’t let any harm come to him.” Losing him now, either by breaking up or by more sinister means, might kill her too.
Silence on the other end of the phone frightened Joss. “Gram?” Please don’t say it’s not possible!
“Calm down, sweetheart. Everything will be fine.”
Not the time for empty platitudes. She needed proof. “How do you know?”
“Plouton and his ilk are bound by treaty. Plus, your mother and I have taken extra precautions.”
Joss didn’t like the sound of this. “Such as what?” She couldn’t let her family place themselves in danger for her.
“After some rather intense negotiations, your mother’s struck a peace treaty with the family who held a grievance against us.”
“That’s amazing. Will she visit soon?” Joss couldn’t wait to hear all about it, and to thank her.
“I believe she will, dear.”
“Good. Then I guess I’m the one who has to make our relationship work.” A fact she had to face—she bore the responsibility.
“What’s wrong?”
Joss gulped. “I’m afraid I’ll screw it all up and lose Eric anyway.” She watched him out the window, tossing a stick to Taz. Her life had finally blossomed into everything she’d hoped. She wanted to keep it that way.
“No one can ever know for certain, dear, but if you treasure him, you’ll find happiness. Of course, not without some hard work and compromise. But as you well know, no success comes without those investments. Your inn is
proof positive.”
“You’re right, Gram. Thank you.” Joss would invest her energy in Eric, in their relationship. She couldn’t wait to reap the rewards.
Chapter 26
If Eric ever looked forward to Thanksgiving, it was this year. Joss hadn’t so much invited him to dinner as expected him. When she talked of plans, they always included him. A weight seemed to have lifted from her. She no longer guarded her words, and more importantly, no longer shut herself away from him. He’d never been so happy in his life.
Nervousness took root on the holiday anyway. As she bustled out of the kitchen, he asked, “Do I need to play it cool around your family?”
Her easy laugh reassured him too. “I think they knew before I did.”
“What about Kyle?” He hoped Joss’s son would accept him.
Arranging the silver on the table, her hand hesitated. “Kyle’s an adult, and I expect him to act like one.”
Expectations were sometimes a setup for failure. No reason to discourage her. “Anything you need me to do, you only need to ask.”
She paused again, glancing up with a grin. “I may take you up on it. Later.”
His apprehension and anxiety dissolved, as if she’d waved a magic wand to erase them. An airiness expanded his heart, sweeping away the weight he’d carried for years, replacing it with warmth.
“It’s only fair.” These past few weeks, they’d kept each other up late many times. He’d grown used to waking up in her bed, her nakedness against his, so warm and cozy. Almost too used to it. He didn’t want to think what it would be like if they were to split up.
Footsteps on the porch dismissed his thoughts. Guests arrived one after another: her grandmother and aunt, the handymen Jim Turner and Charlie Fulton. A couple checked in, and soon after, the wife’s parents joined them for dinner.
Mrs. Avery arrived with her dog. “Mrs. Gibson said I shouldn’t be home alone today. When Mr. Tibbles was sick and stayed with Doc Hendricks,” the matronly woman shot him a glare, “her dog fell in love with mine. But who wouldn’t? Go play with your friend.” She set the bichon frise on the floor. Its tiny nails tapped the floor on its way to touch noses with Taz. “They’re adorable together.”
