by Brea Viragh
“None of your business. But yes. Or at least the first time it mattered.”
He considered her response and smiled. “Over easy, if you please. I find I have a weakness for those crispy edges and runny yolks.”
Astix moved the spatula across the pan, shifting the eggs in circular patterns. She’d never made a perfect egg before but something told her there would be ample opportunity to practice. “I never thought I would be in this kind of position.”
“What? Pitted against an invisible foe with the future hanging in the balance?” Leo asked smugly. “Unleashing your full potential and being brought back from the brink?”
The brink. That’s exactly how it had felt. “I meant the eggs,” she joked. “Funny man.”
“Only when I’m around you.” Leo pushed to his feet. He softly padded over to stand behind her, breathing in the aroma of butter. Without waiting for an invitation, he grabbed a pinch of salt and pepper, adding those as Astix cooked.
“Are you making a silent comment on my cooking skills?” she asked easily.
“Not at all.”
She leaned into his body, feeling how they fit together. It was a perfect match. His size enveloped her with an immediate sense of sanctuary. A safe haven. No matter where they went from here on out, if Leo was there, she would be okay.
Safe.
In all her years, she’d guarded her heart zealously. No one had been close to her, no one worthy. Yet now, against her will and with a reluctance born of self-preservation, she’d handed her heart to Leo. She wondered if he realized the precious gift she’d given him. Probably not—he was a man, after all. But she knew.
She removed the pan from the heat and swiveled around, eggs forgotten. Her chin rose until she met his eyes, that odd amber color of an autumn leaf, of afternoon sun on water.
Oh, how she loved him.
He was everything to her, as much a part of her heart as her magic. When had it happened? The last time she saw him had been in the middle of an argument. Somehow, after all they’d been through, none of those things from before mattered now.
This time, Astix drew him forward. “Dance with me,” she told him simply. Her fingers twined through his, her arm looping to drape around his neck.
“Who am I to say no to such a beautiful lady? Especially when she’s brought out her Sunday best.”
“Be quiet and do as I say.”
Leo let her guide him into a dance, their bodies coming together naturally to music only they could hear. He would remember it always, the fading sunlight on her skin turning it to gypsy gold. Twilight fell as they continued to dance, blanketing the world in shades of grey and blue. It was there they moved, caught between the light and the dark, two souls entwined before they’d even realized it.
Her voice was soft as spring rain when she said, “I hope you know you can’t leave. Not anymore.”
“I hope you know I’m not going anywhere.” Leo smiled as they moved, flowing seamlessly in a dance as old as time. “I will love being loved by you.”
Savoring the romantic moment, he dipped his head to meet hers, their lips coming together in bliss. She settled deeper into his embrace, despite the sudden terrible urge to look over her shoulder.
Something was out there. She could feel an abnormal presence lurking at the edges of the property, stealing through the gloom where dark things flourished. Like a snake slithering silently through the grass.
Astix shuddered and clung to Leo, her safe harbor in a tempestuous world. And as she did, she remembered the words spoken in a final threat.
A storm is coming…
THE END
AFTERWORD
Thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned to learn about upcoming releases, available titles, teasers, and more. Be sure to check out my other steamy romances on Amazon.
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ALSO BY BREA VIRAGH
Contemporary Romance
The Promise Me series
Hold Me
Touch Me
Kiss Me
Love Me
Heartwood Novels
Sugar and Gold
Your Hand in Mine (coming 2018)
Paranormal Romance
Pike
The Cavaldi Birthright series
Fate Walks (Book One)
Morning’s Light (Book Two)
In the Dark (Book Three)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to everyone who wants a little bit of magic in his or her life, for inspiring me to write this romance! Deb, as usual, you are the best. Period. Full stop!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BREA VIRAGH is a contemporary and paranormal romance writer based in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is a proud Gryffindor, a graduate of Brakebills, and a member of Fairy Tail. When she isn’t writing and daydreaming about her newest project, her hobbies include binge-watching HGTV, scouring thrift shops for goodies, and maintaining her alpha status among her boyfriend, puppy, and three cats.
Feel free to stalk her online on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads
