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A wet snout nudges my hand, pulling me out of my thoughts. The sight of Trigger, happily wagging his tail, body swaying from the effort, coaxes a smile to my face.

“You think begging will work now that your daddy’s not here to reprimand you?”

Trigger’s tail-wagging accelerates, and he licks his chops as if to say,Yes. Yes, I do.

“Well, then you thought right.”

Heaving a sigh, I pick out a couple of pieces of meat for the two of us, popping one in my mouth before I toss Trigger the other.

Savory flavor bursts across my tongue. There’s no doubt this man’s cooking is nothing short of perfection, but I’m too overwhelmed from the day’s events to stomach anything more. Within a few bites, I feel my tears renewing. Forcing down a few more bites, I set the bowl on the ground for Trigger to finish as I take a seat on the floor beside him and say a small prayer that he doesn’t get the squirts from Gideon’s rich stew.

Affection blossoms in my heart as Trigger seems to sense my distress and juts his furry face into my neck and chest, all but climbing into my lap. Wrapping my arms around his thick, furry neck,I attempt to sniffle away my tears.

Trigger cautiously begins to paw at me, whining, until his forelegs rest on my shoulders. We topple over, and I can’t help but cry-laugh when he returns to shoving his snout into my neck and face, lapping away like he can kiss away my heartache.

Heavy footsteps pound through the hallway until Gideon is standing over us and dragging Trigger away. “What the hell has gotten into?—

Gideon’s eyes widen at the sight of my splotchy, beet-red face swollen from crying as I sit back up. “Aw shit, girl…”

My eyes drag over the sight of Gideon’s shirtless body and open trousers. His body appears battle-hardened, marked with scars and heavily muscled, with a scattering of tattoos. “He’s fine—I’m fine… It’s just been a long day, and he was comforting me.”

Gideon posts himself on one knee, scrubbing a hand over his short beard as he releases Trigger’s collar and scoops me up off the floor.

My mind and body dutifully ignore the fact that I’ve known this male for all of a few hours as my eyes slip shut in a melange of relief, comfort, and sheer-fucking-euphoria at the sensation of Gideon’s bare chest pressing against my cheek as he holds me in his arms. He strides over to the couch and sets me down before dropping to one knee.

Gods, when was the last time I was held?

Not fucked—held.

Nurtured.

As fun as a fanciful fuck with a skilled lover may be, it does nothing to nourish my soul. My heart.

Gideon’s brow knits together as he observes me.

“Maybe it would be a good idea if you just told me what was going on… Help me, help you, darlin’. Especially since we’re sharing a roof for the time being, building a little trust can only be a good thing, right?”

This big, strong man speaks to me so softly that it makes my chest hurt. More tears spring to my eyes, and he watches each one fall with a burning intensity. Swiping at my cheeks, I try to decide on some form of truth that he’ll actually believe.

If he doesn’t believe I can dry my hair with magic, he’ll think I’m absolutely insane if I try to tell him I was duped and drugged by a Syrith with a grudge who shoved me through a portal from another realm.

“I have a lot of responsibility back home. I have spent most of my life working in… my family’s business out of obligation. On an impulse, this was supposed to be my first-ever vacation, but it’s proven to be a disaster. As you can see.”

Gideon stares at me as though maybe if he does it hard enough, it’ll expose all my truths.

“And where’s home?”

“Caerwynath.”

“Where’s that? Europe or somethin’?”

I huff a small laugh, heart still squeezing at the concern in his eyes, even if there is a palpable wariness edging it.

“Or something.”

Because what the shit is Europe?

Gideon studies me for a moment. “You don’t seem eager to go back.”