*****
“Kari, I swear if you sigh one more time I’m going to throw my shoe at your damn head. Just get them together in one room and tell them they’re being idiots and to stop screwing around. If you want them, tell them. Rom, back me up here.”
“And that’s our cue to leave.” Rom shot out of the chair he’d been sitting in at the table in the cabin he and his cousin shared with Amity, grabbed Remy by the arm, and drew him to his feet as well. “Let’s get the hell out of here before they start yelling and want us to take sides.”
“Right behind you.”
“No fair,” Amity called out, though she was laughing as she did it. “Cowards!”
As they passed Amity, sitting in a chair close to the front door, they kissed her soundly before disappearing.
Kari couldn’t blame them. She’d been miserable for the past three days. No wonder no one wanted to be around her.
So she sighed again and barely caught the pillow Amity threw at her. “Stop already. I get it, I get it. I’m an idiot.”
“I didn’t say that. But I will if it will make you stop moaning and do something.”
“I honestly don’t know what to do. I don’t want them to think I’m pressuring them into staying. How will I be able to tell if they really want to stay or if they just feel they have to stay because I want them to and I’m a goddess?”
“How will you know if you don’t ask?”
“I was waiting for them to say something.”
“And if they don’t?”
Her nose wrinkled and actual tears filled her eyes. Gah, how pathetic could she actually be?
Apparently, pretty damn pathetic.
It was Amity’s turn to sigh. “Then you’ll survive.”
“Maybe...”
“Maybe what?” Amity’s gaze narrowed. “Kari, what are you thinking?”
“Maybe they’re not meant to be mine. Maybe...my time’s passed.”
Amity sat there silently for several seconds before she started to shake her head. “Were you knocked on the head recently? This isn’t like you. You’re not a quitter. You’re the one who’s always smiling. You’re starting to worry me, Kari. And I don’t like it?”
“Maybe I need to let them go. Maybe I don’t—”
“Don’t even go there.” Amity had used her Goddess voice, the one that said she wasn’t kidding around. Of course, Amity very rarely kidded.
Kari was the one who never took anything seriously. Maybe now that attitude was coming back to bite her in the ass.
Maybe Den and Jacoby would be better off without her. Who knew what they were going to do know that they were free of the Mal? It wasn’t like they’d talked to her about it.
Hell, they’d barely talked to her at all.
“You need to snap out of this mood right now. And then you need to find a way to make those men want to stay. No one can resist you when you put your mind to something. You’re a goddess. Remember that.”
Kari smiled and nodded. “You’re right. Of course, you’re right.”
She knew her sister didn’t believe her, but it was all she could offer right now, and she left soon after that, wanting to be alone.
Which was also completely unlike her.
Walking back to the tiny cabin she’d taken on the outskirts of the lucani village, she tried not to feel sorry for herself. She hadn’t wanted to leave the men alone at the den, but she hadn’t wanted to crowd them, either. Guess that had been the wrong decision.
Apparently, she’d been making a lot of wrong decisions lately. But she honestly didn’t know which decisions were the right ones any more. Pushing open the door to her cabin, still wondering what her next step would be, she stepped inside—to find her men in the front room. Den leaned against the front wall, where he must have been watching out the front window. Jacoby sat on the chair facing the door, gaze trained on her with laser precision. She had to suppress a little squeal of joy, she was so happy to see them. But she bit her tongue and put all those happy thoughts on check for the moment. She still didn’t know why they were here. So instead of throwing herself at them, she kept her hands to herself. But she did do a thorough check of Jacoby with her powers. He seemed healed from the gunshot wound, body and mind. But his expression told her nothing about what she wanted to know. And her curiosity got the better of her. “Are you here to tell me you’re leaving?” Ugh, how needy could she be? No wonder they’d been keeping their distance. She wanted to take back the words as soon as they were out of her mouth. But it was honestly the only thing she wanted to know. The men exchanged a look before training their gazes on her again. And now, she felt a shimmer of heat spread through her. “We’re here to tell you we’re not leaving.” Jacoby rose to his feet and began to close the distance between them. “And to tell you we plan to stay as close to you as possible. Whether you want to admit it or not, you need us. You need us to watch your back. You get into way too much trouble on your own. We’re going to make sure you have someone to pull you back when you need it.” “But we don’t want to box you in.” Den pushed away from the wall and stalked toward her, effectively boxing her between him and Jacoby. Which was exactly where she wanted to be. But it was almost too good to be true, to have them show up here like this. Maybe she was dreaming. She reached out to touch them, both of them, and felt warm skin against hers. “But we need to know if this is what you want, Kari.” Jacoby took another step closer. “You’ve got to say yes.” Her smile spread and she wanted to dance around the room in joy. Of course, that might send them running the other way. Then again, they hadn’t run yet. “If I say yes, will you shut up and kiss me?” “Only if that yes means you realize this is a permanent situation.” Jacoby put his hand over hers and brought her even closer, until she had to tip her head back to look him in the eyes. Her lips curved in a smile that made heat flare in Jacoby’s eyes, a heat that slid through her body faster than wildfire. Den must have been able to read Jacoby’s expression because he stepped up behind her and molded her body to his much larger one. Leaning down, he put his lips against her ear, making her shiver as he nipped at her lobe. “Say the word, Kari.” Her breath hitched and her eyes closed as Jacoby leaned forward and pressed his lips to her neck. “Yes.”
The End
STEPHANIE JULIAN
Stephanie Julian has been a daily news reporter, a freelance feature writer and a movie, theater and music critic but what she loves most is writing heat with heart. She’s happily married to a Springsteen fanatic and is the mother of two sons.
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Where a Goddess Belongs Page 14
