“I thought…” Lee’s breathing was ragged. “I mean, we’d talked about this. We had a plan in place. We were supposed to take her to the Banfields, and then take the person to—”
“Paige,” Adam said. “Her name is Paige.”
Lee shook his head and dropped it into his hands. “And because of me, you’re going to have to tell her that every day for the rest of her life.”
Aaron opened his mouth to speak, but Paige’s voice rang out in the cavernous room.
“No, he won’t,” she said.
Lee and Miles both whipped their heads around to look at her with curious glares.
Adam dropped his arm as Paige stepped forward, coming to stand in front of the brothers.
“I know it doesn’t mean much, and I’m just a girl, but when I thought I was going to lose Adam—”
“You remember?” Lee sank to one knee on the floor in front of her. “How… How do you have your memories back?”
Adam watched Paige search for words and a warm feeling spread through him. It was still surreal to have her back. He’d had several hours to prepare never to see himself in Paige’s eyes again. The reverse being true overwhelmed him. His throat was dry and he cleared his throat.
“We don’t know, Lee,” he said.
“Like I said,” Paige continued, a tight smile on her lips. “When I thought I was going to lose Adam, I can’t explain what—”
“But you have your memories?” Miles sat forward in his chair. “I thought the spell couldn’t be reversed.”
“It can’t.” Adam said. “We don’t know what happened.”
Paige fisted her hands and he smiled at her. The quirky-cute woman he remembered was definitely back. He walked to her side and took one of her hands in his, squeezing it in reassurance.
She took a breath and leaned against him. “I need to tell you both,” she looked between Lee and Miles, “that there were times I knew what was happening. I thought you were going to take Adam away from me.”
Both brothers hung their heads and Miles nodded.
“We didn’t know.” Lee’s voice cracked. “If we had known…”
“It’s my own fault as much as yours.” Adam gripped Paige’s hand. “As soon as I realized there was magick in play, I should have gone to Aaron.”
She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. “It took me six years to say this. That’s what I’m trying to say. It’s my fault, too.”
Aaron threw up his arms. “It can’t be everyone’s fault, people.”
“It’s my fault,” Paige said. “From the first time I saw Adam, I knew that I was being pulled toward him and I was terrified…” she dragged in a breath, “absolutely terrified that something would happen to take him away. Even then.”
A weight settled on his chest and he pulled her into his embrace. He found her still-moving lips and stopped them with his kiss.
“It’s my fault,” he whispered against her mouth. “I should’ve known it wasn’t the pastries.”
“Wha—” Aaron began, but Lee interrupted.
“No, it’s my fault. I should have watched the whole tape.”
“I told you, it’s my fault,” Miles said. “I should’ve stopped when Lee came to me and gone to Aaron instead of just putting the plan in action.”
“I’m telling you, it can’t be everyone’s fault.” Aaron pounded the desk.
Adam finally looked up from Paige’s kiss. Something was fluttering deep inside her when he kissed her, and he needed to keep exploring it.
“It would appear that it can.” Tonya’s voice broke Aaron’s resolved glare. His features softened as his wife came to stand beside him.
“Don’t tell me you’re on their side.” The alpha circled an arm around her waist, a reluctant smile on his face.
“I’m on the side of the pack,” she said. “Just like you are.”
Aaron rolled his eyes and placed a kiss on Tonya’s head. “You are the voice of reason.”
Adam held Paige tight against him. “Whatever happened, the bond spell healed it. That’s all that matters. If I had bonded her earlier, or come to Aaron—”
“Or if Paige had said something six years ago, or if Miles had said no, or if Lee had waited…” Aaron waved a hand in the air. “If, if, if.”
“No.” Tonya shook her head and reached for Paige’s hand, taking hold of her over the big desk. “This happened exactly the way it was supposed to happen.”
The room was silent for a long moment. They all traded skeptical looks, but no one would call her a liar. Did they all believe it? Adam wasn’t sure. But on some level, he didn’t care.
“Life is messy,” Adam said. “The important part is, we found a way through the chaos. Is there some fault all around? Yes. It is important? No.”
“Well, that’s for me to decide,” Aaron interjected. “You can’t make my decision for me.”
Tonya put her hand on her husband’s chest and rubbed it back and forth. “You are a wise pack leader, honey. We trust you.”
Paige snuck her arm around Adam’s back and mimicked Tonya’s gesture.
Adam smiled and stood still for a moment, enjoying the touch of her hand and the fact that she knew he needed to feel her. The thoughts were flying through her at warp speed and it was going to take some time to deal with all the flooding.
If talking with Paige was occasionally rambly, listening to her thoughts was downright long-winded. But he loved it. If he knew anything about mate bonds, it wouldn’t be long before she’d learn how to control it, then it wouldn’t be quite so much, so he would make the memories while they lasted.
He touched the green flares on her skin and it warmed him to his core. His were the same, and they always would be. For the rest of their lives, he’d be able to find her and protect her and love her.
It didn’t matter anymore whose fault what had happened was. It only mattered that it was over.
* * *
The short ride from the VonBrandt ranch to her driveway only took a few minutes. The overwhelming emotions and thoughts jumbling around in her brain and his brain were mixing together.
Paige was quite sure neither of them knew what to say next.
He parked beside her front steps and she climbed out and stared at her little house. The house she’d bought soon after moving to Somewhere with Meg and Berg. Soon after meeting Adam.
When the realtor had told her the address of this place—that it was adjacent to the VonBrandt property, she’d put an offer in on it before even seeing it. Paige smiled; even then there’d been something guiding her decisions, pushing her toward Adam.
His hand brushed hers and she laced her fingers into his. “You aren’t talking.”
“Isn’t that about par for me? I’m not a talker.”
“That is not true.” He chuckled. “You’re not a chatterbox, but words typically pour out of you when you get tense. I can feel your discomfort.”
He could feel her discomfort and Paige could feel Adam’s hesitancy and a sliver of fear. Why was he afraid of her house?
She was the one who should be terrified. Angry. Violated. But she never let things get to her. She was always the picture of emotional perfection, until now. No weeping at sad chick flicks, or screaming at scary movies. Paige solved problems. She hadn’t met a book or a movie she didn’t have figured out ten percent into the story.
Adam and his family and this…magickal…stuff. Her logical brain didn’t know how to wrap itself around any of it. It was there. She could feel it between them. Tangible. Illogical, but still…it was real.
She loved him so completely and they’d taken that away from her. Would they try again? Was there another mistake she might make that would doom her to the same fate? She’d already lived through losing him once. A tear rolled down her cheek and then another and another. The sobbing came next.
“Paige.” He folded her into his arms against his chest. “I’m so sorry.”
Dragging in a deep breath she pushed ou
t of his arms. “I’m fine. I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Paige started walking up the steps and stopped halfway.
He wasn’t following her. Was he not staying? He’d done the bond to take care of her because he felt responsible. She loved him…had loved him for so long it was second nature for her. But for Adam, it was new. And the spell that had returned her to him had been performed in…love…or guilt. She couldn’t remember. And now there were so many emotions flooding her mind, it was hard to wade through the chaos.
Only a moment passed before he bounded up the steps to her side. Adam walked just ahead of her and pushed open the front door for her to pass through.
The living room was untouched. A bowl of stale popcorn from her and Hillary’s movie night still sat on the coffee table. When she turned and moved to her right, she noticed the kitchen ahead of her was complete disaster. The overturned mixing bowl had rolled to the floor and shattered, spraying chocolate chip cookie dough bits everywhere. The air was tinged with the scent of burnt sugar and chocolate.
Tingles shot down her spine when her gaze fell on the refrigerator. Flashes of Lee and Miles’ faces would haunt her for a long while. The faces of the monsters under the bed come to steal her life right from beneath her feet.
“It’s over.” Adam rubbed her back and she sighed.
“That’s just it. It’s not over. I’m standing here in my kitchen remembering being kidnapped and pulled into a magickal mess that no one in the world even knows exists. Forty-eight hours ago I was happily stalking you, dreaming of the day I would have the guts to even speak with you past our banter about how to pronounce the name of your favorite pastry. And now…by all accounts we’re practically married.” Paige stepped away from him and picked up a towel from the counter. Cleaning would help clear the mess from her mind. Something had to.
He stooped and picked up the larger pieces of the broken bowl from the floor and set them gently on the table.
“I love you, Paige. I know this is a lot to process, believe me. If you’d told me two days ago I’d be here…picking up after a fight you had while I slept in the next room...” He gripped the round edge of the bowl, appearing lost in thought. “When I woke, it was like someone had ripped out my heart. Every second that passed, I knew I was losing you.”
She circled around the island in the kitchen and stood in front of him. His emotions were raw and on the surface. She reached up and touched his face. Everything had happened so fast, but he hadn’t made his choice out of pity. Paige could feel that now. The knowledge that he’d made that choice because he loved her, no matter what lifted a heavy weight from her chest. But years of self-doubt weren’t that easy to dispel.
“If I hadn’t started everything with my confession that morning about having bad mushrooms, would anything have changed between us?”
His shoulders drooped. “I don’t know. I think Fate was slowly pushing us closer, and maybe Fate was responsible for the mushroom outburst.” He took her hands in his and laced his fingers into hers. “But I can’t imagine not having you in my life.”
Paige took a deep breath. His words resonated deep in her heart and the emotions pouring into her body through their telepathic connection reinforced each and every word. He loved her—without any reservations. She might’ve loved him longer, but his feelings matched hers more than equally.
He leaned forward, slanting his lips over hers. The heady sensation of feeling the kiss through her own sense of touch and then again across their connection was enough to make her lightheaded.
She smiled against his lips and released his hands to wrap her arms around his waist. He cupped the back of her head with one of his now-free hands and delved deep into her mouth with his tongue. A soft moan rolled up from her throat.
Fast or not. She wanted this. Wanted Adam.
* * *
The mix of emotions that swirled between them made Adam’s whole body hum. He knew bonded mates would feel this, but it overwhelmed every sense. Not only could he feel the bright ping of his own desire, but hers mingled with it, and they almost fed on each other.
He had to pull away and catch his breath. Paige’s lips were red and plump from his near-assault, and they looked too tempting. Even more so than oxygen.
When he bent to kiss her again, he put his hand on the refrigerator and drew her around against it for leverage and something inside her balled up. Adam froze. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head and kept leaning toward him, mouth open. “Nothing.”
“You forget, I can feel what you feel.” His eyes moved between her lips and every feature in his sight. He tried to calm his desire and focus in on the swirling ball of emotions inside her.
“You want this, but you don’t.”
“No, it’s fine.” She slid her hand to his face. “It was just a memory. It passed.” Paige pulled his lips down on hers, but Adam stepped back.
“It’s not fine.” He glanced at the refrigerator and the fear expanded inside her. “What happened?”
“I had a memory, Adam. I’m going to have memories.”
“What happened here?” He let perhaps a touch too much growl into his tone.
Paige bit her lip and bowed her head, shaking it. “This is where I was when they took me.”
He slipped a finger under her chin and raised her head. “Oh, my girl.”
When she looked up at him, she was so calm, it almost took his breath away. A resolve grew inside her that spread into him.
“It will pass. I’ll make new memories, and my house will feel like mine again.” A smile crept across her lips. “I know a thing or two about memories now.”
Adam took her face in his hands and pressed her back against the refrigerator as he dropped his mouth to hers. Between breaths, he said, “Let’s make a new one right now.”
He kept kissing her until neither of them could get a good, solid breath, and he slid his hands up her stomach to cup both her breasts under her tank top. The slice of emotion zinged through her and the sensation of her need was so palpable, it nearly made his dick jump to attention.
The skin on his chest buzzed under her touch. His lack of clothing after shifting came in handy when he unzipped Miles’ pants and was naked in two seconds. He made quick work of pulling down her shorts and she jumped on his hips, wrapping her legs around his back.
His erection pressed against her sex and he put one arm around her back to support her against the refrigerator.
She gasped against him and scrabbled at her tank top, pulling her breasts free and pressing them into his chest as she kissed him.
Adam guided his throbbing cock inside her and plunged home with one quick thrust. That was where he was, at last.
Home.
Chapter Thirteen
Adam was so exhausted, he wasn’t surprised to wake up in the dark in Paige’s bed. But this time, he could feel her near, just by reaching out.
She wasn’t next to him, but he could smell her in the kitchen, and he could sense her contentedness. He wasn’t certain he’d ever get tired of making her feel that way.
He rolled out of the purple sheets and padded out to the kitchen. Paige had cleaned up the rest of the mess from the cookies and there was some magical, sweet thing in the oven already.
For a long breath, he just watched her. She’d put on a different tank top and another pair of shorts, and when she bent over a tray of something on the counter, he could see that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath either item.
Naked himself, he couldn’t hide that the thought made him begin to harden. He’d never stop wanting her.
“What are you making?” he asked in a low voice.
The shudder that coursed through her made him harden quicker. And when her eyes dropped to his erection, another tremble of desire took her.
“I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “I forgot the question.”
Adam chuckled and crossed the kitchen. He slid his arms around her and took her mo
uth in a long, slow kiss. He took his time, tasting every part of her. She had been eating something sweet, and it drove him to deepen his explorations.
“I asked what you were making,” he said with a laugh when they finally pulled apart. “It smells great.”
“It’s not exactly pain au chocolat, but it’ll satisfy your sweet tooth for the day.”
He rubbed his hands up and down her shoulders. He still couldn’t believe the events of the last day, and yet, the smell of her baking gave him a peace he couldn’t explain. Adam should’ve seen it for what it was all along. Fate. “You don’t have to bake,” he said, tracing a line down the side of her face. “I could have called Berg to deliver.”
Paige’s laugh was music to his ears, and he leaned her back against the counter for another long kiss. He was getting hard again.
“Berg’s delivery-person is standing in your kitchen right now.”
“Your kitchen,” Adam teased. “And I think Berg would bring it himself. He’s an old friend.”
Paige giggled and the sharp buzz of the egg timer on top of the stove made them both jump. “My cookies!”
Adam followed her to the oven. “Wouldn’t want them to burn again.”
“Oh no. They’re not the same cookies.” She grabbed a big red oven mitt from the drawer next to the oven and pulled the steel door open. The smell that wafted out almost knocked him to the ground.
It was magic. Or magick. Either way, it was enchanting.
“Why not?” Adam hovered over the steaming tray. “Even burned, they smelled great.”
“Because these are better.” Paige set the tray on the counter and danced over to pick up the other tray from near the sink. She slipped it into the oven, closed the door, and whirled the egg timer, all in one magic movement.
“Why are these better?” Adam touched one of the golden rounds. “I mean, you’re the baker, but they all smell great to me.”
“These are a special recipe I’ve been working on.” She smacked his hand away. “Let them cool first.”
He slid the offending hand down her side and across her ass, grabbing one of the globes.
To Find a Mate: Somewhere, TX Saga (VonBrandt Family Book 4) Page 11
