Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
I shrugged again.
“It’s nice to be looked after, you know?” I said. “It’s nice to have Mr. Tom fawning over me or Niamh saving me a seat at the bar. It’s nice that Edgar goes out of his way to ask about meals, even though he can’t relate. It’s nice to have everyone hanging around that big house, doing their own thing but always up for a chat. And when no one is home, if that ever happens, I still have Ivy House to keep me company. I’m not alone anymore.”
I paused and took a deep breath before going on.
“Then there’s you. I’m guessing I must have been a saint in a past life, burned at the stake, and karma is finally kicking in. You cook for me, and you refuse to let me help because you know I don’t like it. You value me and go out of your way to show it…” I tried to blink away the tears. “I’ve never had that. Even when he was courting me, Matt was never like that. No one else ever was. I’ve never had a man make it his personal duty to ensure my happiness. Like it was his job. Like it was his favorite job.”
He wiped the tears away from my cheeks with his thumb, looking at me intently.
I finished voicing my thoughts, wanting him to hear it. Wanting him to know that his treatment wasn’t taken for granted.
“If I ever pissed you off enough that you stormed out, I know you wouldn’t go far. You’d sit outside somewhere, in the rain if you had to, mad as hell but still concerned about my safety. Just like you would’ve left here a moment ago because I asked it of you…but stayed close by in case I needed you.” I wiped another tear. “I feel more than valued with you. I feel cherished. And no matter how crappy things get, I thank my lucky stars that I’ve ended up in this life with you. With all of you. I feel like this is where I’ve always been meant to be, weird crew and sulky house and all. It took me getting to midlife to finally follow my stars, and I’m so glad I did.”
I wiped away more streaks of wetness on my cheeks, smiling at him. “You probably didn’t expect to have to unpack quite so much baggage with that answer, huh?”
He was watching me, his elbows braced on the bar again. “It is my favorite job, Jess. One I covet. As far as the other… You’re worth it. All of it. You give me a reason to be my best, and it feels good to do that…for you.”
“Stop being sappy.” I wiped my cheek with the back of my hand and then leaned into him. “I love you.”
“I love you too. I want you to know…the mating was chosen for us, essentially. We gave in to it, but not until we were half pushed in the right direction. But if I were a Dick, and you were a Jane, I would still choose you. I’d choose you as a man chooses a woman. If I weren’t so daft, with so much baggage of my own, I would’ve known it the first time I met you. I would’ve asked you out on a date right then.”
“It would’ve been too soon.”
“Okay, well…then I would’ve gotten shot down.” He leaned his cheek against my head. “But it wouldn’t have changed how I felt about you. I wish it didn’t take me so long to realize it so you could’ve known it was me wanting this, not the attraction of our beasts.”
“I do know that,” I whispered. “I feel it.”
A pulse of magic flowed over my skin and along my scalp before seeping in. Once there, it pulsed a second time. Then a third. And settled into an unmistakable, horrible hum.
The implications were clear.
War. War. War.
“Crap,” I said softly, my heart starting to hammer.
Ivy House’s expectation rose. My gargoyle thumped solidly within me, calling the darkness. Throbbing with magic.
They were coming. I could feel it. I could feel the danger rising. My first instinct was to get to my people, to prepare. But we weren’t in a defensible place yet, and there was no point in hurrying. The basajaun was expecting us tomorrow, no sooner. I didn’t dare go when not protected by the invitation, especially when I couldn’t explain why we were in a rush.
“What’s the matter?” Austin asked, suddenly tense.
I shook my head, getting a hold of myself. “The countdown has begun.” I straightened up. My hand shook as I reached for my beer. “Apparently, I’ll be a living clock when it comes to this challenge. When Ivy House wants to make a point, she really makes it.” After a swallow, I set the bottle down carefully and smoothed back my hair, clutching on to logic. “We have some time. This is just the beginning. The magic announcing that they’ve gotten our message and will rise to the challenge. They’ll have to organize, travel…”