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“That’s your fault, you know.”

He grinned down at her. “Are you mad?”

Pink dusted her cheeks. “No.” The generous curve of her rosy lips fluttered with a shy smile. The sight of it weakened his knees and made his heart freak out in a way only Loren Elizabeth Calla could make it freak out.

He put her down on the bed and laid down beside her, pulling the quilt and sheets up. Loren shifted closer and nestled her head into the crook of his shoulder. Once she was comfortable, she placed her hand over his heart and closed her eyes.

In the minutes afterward, the only sound to break the silence was their breathing. His heart had that slow, steady beat that followed climax, and so did hers. He listened to it like it was a lullaby written just for him, one he had the honor of falling asleep to every night.

Eyes shut, Darien murmured, “You’re a terrible influence, you know that?” He opened one eye to peek at her.

“Me?” Loren tsked, scrunching her nose up at him. As soon as her eyes opened, they closed again. She yawned widely, the stud in her tongue winking in the enchanted candlelight. “You’re the one doing all the corrupting, Mister Darkslayer.”

“Think you’ll be able to walk tomorrow?”

“I highly doubt it.”

“Good. That means I did my job right.” He kissed her on the top of her head, a tender brushing of his lips that had the outer corners of her eyes tipping up with a smile, even as she yawned again.

“Are you still angry?” She was so tired, the words melded into a garbled murmur.

“Of course not. I’m over it. Especially after that.”

A moment of quiet, and then she said, “Darn.”

He peered down at her, but her eyes were still shut. “Why?”

“Because if this is what you being angry looks like,” she slurred, “then I’m going to want more of it.”

Darien chuckled. “You are the cutest thing.” By the time he had finished speaking, she had drifted off, her breathing quiet.

In the silence of their suite, Darien watched Loren sleep. A weight pulled on his heart, and there was a burning sensation behind his eyes that he barely recognized, he’d felt it so seldomly.

He threaded his fingers through hers, the heat from her hand seeping into his.

Until she’d come along, he hadn’t dared to dream, and had rarely ever prayed. And until she’d come along, and he’d fallen hopelessly in love with her, he hadn’t realized she was not only a dream come true, but a desperate prayer he hadn’t realized he’d made being answered.

As he drifted off beside her, his hand still grasping hers, he said one last prayer, a quiet and short one. He prayed that this right here—this girl, this blessing—would last forever. He knew he would never deserve her, not in a million years. But he was selfish enough to want her forever.

Always and forever. No matter what.

—

Something was tickling her skin. The area just below her right ear, to be precise. The feeling drew her out of a soundless sleep, and as it continued, she began to dream of spiders. Thousands of spiders crawling all over her, climbing up through her hair to nestle deep inside her ears—

With a wild gasp, she jolted up, hand poised to slap her neck.

A different hand—warm and firm and larger than hers—closed gently around her wrist.

“Shh,” Darien whispered. “Hold still, or you’ll wreck it.”

Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she lowered herself back onto the bed and rested her head on the pillow. Utterly confused, she waited for Darien to finish what he was doing, resisting the urge to flinch or laugh or kick her feet as his fingers tickled her skin. The more awake she felt, the more aware she became, and she realized there was something stuck to her neck. It was stiff like cardboard and slightly damp.

“Did you lick me?” she whispered, the question thick with sleep. The light from the enchanted candles played on the walls, making shadows dance across the vaulted ceiling.

Darien chuckled. “No. But I can if you want me to.” He carefully peeled something off her neck and sat back. The big smile that spread across his face deepened the dimple in his cheek and made his steel eyes sparkle with joy, a look that was so innocent, it made her insides go all fuzzy. “There. Have a look.”

Still groggy with sleep, she slowly pushed herself up onto her knees and looked in the giant mirror beside the bed.