Page 40

SKYE

I had been working on the chair for just under a week.

It was slow going and I made a lot of beginner mistakes, but my experience with sewing, mending, and altering high end fashion was an asset, and so I wasn’t entirely clueless.

But it was tough, physical work. It was good therapy though, fixing something broken and abandoned.

The under the balcony car port became my workshop, with wood, tools and foam everywhere. Now, the chair was resprung and the foam cushioning was fresh and cozy with great bounceback. All that was left was to find the perfect fabric to cover it with.

“Need a break?” Severen came into my little cave with a tray stocked with a pitcher of lemonade, two glasses, and a bowl of trail mix.

A ribbon of hair had escaped my braid, I blew it out of my eyes.

“I guess I’m basically done for the time being.

Can’t do anything else until I go fabric shopping and pick out the new design.

” I peeled off my gardener gloves and took the offered glass of lemonade, downing it.

I didn’t realize I was so thirsty. “Thanks,” I sighed.

“Looks like it’s gonna be a good chair,” he said.

“Better than the one in your office.” I sent him a cool, secretive smile.

“What’s wrong with my chair?” he asked in mock offense.

“This one is going to be bigger. More… accommodating.”

He chuckled, and I stretched out the kinks in my back.

“Turn around,” Severen said and I did as I was told. His strong, dexterous fingers came down on my shoulders and massaged through the aches. My eyes drifted closed and I leaned into the touch.

“I’m very impressed,” he said, speaking softly. “I didn’t know you had all this in you.”

“Mmm. Me neither.” I let my body ease into his comfort.

Ever since the stolen moments in his office, we’ve been agreeable mates, but still slightly dancing around our hurts, on our respective guards.

Or, at least I had been. Things felt almost back to normal except for a small lingering feeling of caution.

Severen took the connection away before, he could do it again, and I couldn’t let my guard down.

Not completely. No matter how much I wanted to.

The love was there, but the trust was fragile and frail, like a baby bird.

It needed to be protected and nourished.

I needed him to see that before I gave him all my forgiveness.

“I want to show you something,” Severen whispered, his fingers banishing the aches from my shoulders. “Just us.”

“Okay.” My nod was lazy, almost heavy. “What is it?”

“Come with me.”

I let out a small whine as his fingers abandoned the massage. He offered his hand and helped me to my feet, then, still holding my hand, led me into the house and up the steps toward my nestroom.

He escorted me in and on my big bed was a bolt of fabric.

I walked closer to investigate. It was white, with veins of gold thread filtering all the way through it in rivulets, like the fabric had undergone the Japanese mending art of kintsugi.

The patches varied in shape, size and pattern but were always white, black, gray or blue. Then, I did a double take.

Some of the patches had the distinct print of my favorite bone china sundress. The one I wore when Severen bit me. The one I wore when I…

“Sev–” I blinked through the tears, my fingertips tracing the gold. The fabric itself was a very soft micro-suede that sent my inner omega purring.

“It’s exclusive. One of a kind Charisma pattern.” Severen kissed my shoulder, the top of my head. “I saved the dress, I couldn’t bring myself to throw it out.”

“I thought it was in some incinerator somewhere.” A tear dripped onto the bolt and immediately beaded and slid off, not leaving one little hint of dampness.

“It’s slick-resistant, too,” Severen’s breath tickled my ear and I giggled.

“Thank you.” I turned in his arms. “It’s perfect. It’s beyond perfect. It’s…”

“Made for you,” Severen finished. “I know it can’t completely make up for what a complete jackass I’ve been lately but–”

He never got a chance to finish that line of thinking, because I silenced him with a kiss.

Through the bond I felt… relief. Severen was soothed by my acceptance of his apology.

Forgiveness might have been a strong word.

Or rather, maybe I just would never fully allow myself to forget what he had done.

What was important was that he knew he was in the wrong and was actively trying to make amends.

I broke the kiss and looked up at him, my pack lead alpha. I drew back, toward the bed.

“Not yet,” Severen said. “I don’t want to rush.” He cupped my cheek in his hand. “I still have a lot to make up for.”

A small whimper of disappointment escaped me but I nodded. “I understand. You’re right, we shouldn’t rush.” I let go of his arms and hoped that the scent of my slick hadn’t been noticeable. I’d just go clean myself up in the bathroom then get back to work on the chair.

“Maybe we could steal a quick moment.” Severen grabbed the front of my overalls and pulled me to him so suddenly that the brass buttons snapped off and fell into the plush carpet. I could easily sew them back on later, or maybe leave these overalls as forever undone.

I went for his jeans but he gathered both my wrists in just one of his hands and held them above my head as his other hand buried its way past my overalls and between my legs. I was already so wet with slick that Severen had no difficulty sliding his fingers into me.

I gasped as his two strong middle fingers entered me, while his index and pinky rubbed against my mound. The heel of his palm ground against my clit and he moved with the speed of a hummingbird wing.

Within thirty seconds, Severen commanded a full-body orgasm from me, my slick pooling in his hand unabashedly.

I went limp, suspended upright only by my wrists in his grasp.

As I panted, with my pulse marching in my ears, I watched through half-lidded eyes as Severen sucked my slick off his fingers.

He picked me up, and lay with me on my bed.

“Thank you,” Severen said. “For waiting for me to come out of my… self-righteous attack of ego, or whatever that was.”

I gathered enough strength to pillow my head on his chest. “I knew you were in there somewhere. But I would have waited the rest of our lives for you to come back to me.”