Page 33 of Forever My Siren Luna (The Hidden Cove #2)

“You aren’t offended?” I asked her. She seemed to always be looking for a fight and I thought her stance on me wearing pants was something she was willing to fight about.

She doesn’t like being put into that weak female box that many men often want to put women into where they have to wear skirts and stay home.

We did that before and she is much happier now.

“He’s not saying not to wear them,” she huffed, “He just said that they make him want to touch you. Let him touch you. I think that’s a win-win. Unless you don’t want him touching you, then I understand. I can feel that you do, though...”

She’s right. I don’t like being belittled or underestimated, but if the issue is just with his attraction to me…..

I kind of like that.

“So,” I tried to keep the smile off my face and lift an eyebrow, “if I were to allow you to touch me would you be okay with me wearing these pants?”

“Yes,” he deadpanned. “I’m still an alpha and you are still my mate, Lira. Seeing you be so….alluring without the ability to declare you to be mine is a struggle.”

I can’t help it but to smile now. I like his honesty.

“Fine,” I turned my chin up, trying to remain a bit arrogant, though my smile betrays me. “If allowing you to touch me a bit eases your mind while I dress the way I want, so be it. Touch away.”

Lachlan growled deeply, a satisfied smirk on his face. He wastes no time pulling me into his arms and planting his nose into my nape, fanning his breath all over me.

Even though I was stubborn about rushing back into this, I can’t help myself. I melted into him, having missed his touch and the sparks it would bring. The bond between us is flickering in my chest, healing more and more with every second in his arms.

“See,” I whispered, “I’m not exasperating.”

“You are exasperating,” he huffed. “but, fuck, did I miss touching your exasperating self.”

I did too. I missed his touch and the soothing comfort it would bring me. His scent and his playful banter make me recall so many times when we were truly happy together, even when we were both being exasperating and stubborn towards one another.

We are standing out in the busy yard leading from the castle to the warrior’s grounds, and people are all around, watching us in our moment. They just fade into the background. This feels like a reunion of some kind, and we are both savoring it.

“What was the favor you wanted?” I asked softly when he brought his head to rest on mine.

“Favor?” he stared down at me, like he was lost in my eyes. His gaze is so intense that it makes pleasurable tingles travel down my spine. “Oh, yeah. Dinner. With me. In the garden like before.”

“Your mother’s gardens?” I asked. That isn’t that big of a favor at all. I thought he was going to ask me not to fight again, or demand that I change into a dress.

“It’s our garden now,” he states.

It really is our garden. We shared so many happy memories there. I have good and bad memories all over this castle, except for there. Only good memories can be found there, and all of them are with him.

“That’s all you want? That’s not much of a demand. I would have agreed to that anyway.”

“And I would have agreed to help you with Cedric anyway,” he laughed, “So, how about we just say that we are solving a problem together, as husband and wife, concerning your making up with Cedric, and then we can call tonight's dinner a date?”

Val is jumping and leaping in my head, urging me to agree. “ Do it and then let Killian brush my hair.”

“You and your hair brushing,” I tease her, though I know that it’s not exactly the hair brushing she wants. It’s the time with her mate.

“ It’s good hygiene,” she argued.

“ I could just get Mimi to brush our hair. She did it just this morning.” I tried to get ready myself, but Mimi wouldn’t have it. She demanded I sit still and let her do my hair.

“ That’s not the same,” Val huffed.

“ I know, I know.”

Lachlan and I are sleeping in different bedrooms for now, but I miss our time alone with him too. Killian deserves a date with his mate too.

I made a point to clear my throat. “Val has a favor she would like to be filled as well.”

“What’s that?” I can see Killian shining in Lachlan’s eyes now.

“She, uh, would like her bonding time with Killian afterward,” I told him shyly. “She wants her hair brushed.”

“YES!” Killian pushed forward and answered for Lachlan. “A thousand times yes!”

Val started giggling and purring in my head, sounding so much like her old self when she didn’t feel the need to always be so guarded and ready for a fight.

“It’s a date,” I smiled.

“It’s a date,” Lachlan agreed.

We walked hand-in-hand back to the training grounds, both with telling smiles on our faces.

It’s much different than the way we left. I was up in arms about Lachlan not wanting me to fight and he was frustrated with me too.

Now, it’s like we are in a bubble of bliss.

Communication. It’s what our relationship always lacked.

Westley and his friend, Riley, are sitting in the dirt, drawing pictures of circles, arguing over whose is roundest. I laugh softly when the newer little boy draws a rectangle around Westley’s circle to prove it’s an oval and not a circle at all.

Westley responds by wiping Riley's circle away all together.

Kids are great. Their problems are so much simpler it seems.

Since both these boys are orphans, their problems really aren’t that simple on the grander scale of things, but watching them getting carried away in arguing about such silly things like circles and ovals is comforting.

It shows they still have their innocence and can get lost in the simplicity of things.

Lachlan hugged me to his side, kissing the top of my head while murmuring “good luck”, before calling Meldec and Kent to join him.

Kent looks at Riley worriedly, but Riley doesn’t even seem bothered by being left with his friend. It makes my heart happy to see the trust Riley has in Westley. If Westley is fine staying with me and Cedric, he is too.

Cedric is watching me with apprehension, like he is expecting me to explode any moment.

I never should have blamed Cedric without hearing him out. Yes, I felt betrayed by one of my best friends, but I know he had his reasons now. He was trying to look out for me, and he has been punishing himself for something that was never his fault.

“Hi, Cedric,” I smiled gently. “Um, can we take the boys down to the beach for a bit so we can talk?”

He lets out a deep breath, nodding as a familiar, but slightly guarded smile lifts his face.

“Hi, Princess. Sure. I would like that.”