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I pulled the band free that was holding back his hair. “When I get done showing ya my witchy ways, ya won’t even be tempted. Our sex will be naturally exclusive because ya’re the only man I want. I’ve been waiting for ya to figure that out.”

Rasmus said nothing else as he let me slide down his body to the floor. When I stumbled away from him on wobbly legs, we both laughed.

The Dagda was right, of course. Falling in love and expressing it physically was one of the true joys of being human. Since my guardian had gone through all that trouble to become human for me, the least I could do was make being one worth his while.

Or at least that was the story I was going with until I’d had my way with him a few dozen times.

Smiling, I reached out and took his hand as we walked to the kitchen together.

Rasmus cleared his throat. “Conn said Ben had another job for us. I have a very clear memory of him saying that. Other things about my new life are fuzzy, but Ben’s enthusiasm is hard to forget.”

I sighed as I squeezed his fingers. “There will always be another job, Rasmus. That’s part of doing this sort of magickal work. We’ll have to take some of the jobs because I signed Ben’s bloody contract. Fiona wanted to stay here, and Conn doesn’t want to leave Mulan. I had no choice.”

“Did you sign it for me as well?”

I chuckled at the plea in his voice. Of course, he was one of my reasons. But as a flying creature in his natural form, it wasn’t like he was geographically limited. Maybe it was arrogant of me, but I’d assumed he’d follow me wherever I went on the planet, which sort of frightened me to realize. My mind was determined not to use the ‘L’ word yet, but my heart wasn’t far from making my tongue speak it anyway.

“Let’s talk about work tomorrow. We have time now. Zara won’t be coming back for a while.”

“Okay. Tomorrow,” he agreed, squeezing my fingers.

I smiled at his concession and shoved every worry I had aside to enjoy the happiest night I’d had with a man in years. My happiness wouldn’t last because nothing wonderful ever did.

Still... a woman had to grab hold of every opportunity life gave her to smile and hang on to that contentment for as long as she could.

Age and experience had taught me that. And I was a better, smarter woman after learning it.

I was also a woman who knew what she wanted and I’d finally grabbed hold of my biggest desire. Tonight, I was going to give my guardian as many reasons to stay human with me as I could.

— THE END —