Page 5 of Love the Way You Lion (Rise of the Resistance #3)

He reaches out, his fingers brushing over the soft yarn as he examines my handiwork. For a moment, the shared silence between us as Beethoven’s notes filled the spaces words cannot reach. I’m not any good yet, but I’m determined to learn, even if it’s just to spite the universe .

The former gifted kid in me simply refuses to let yarn and pointy sticks win.

Taurus’s expression morphs into one of comic disbelief, his mouth opening and closing in rapid succession, a silent stammer as realization dawns in the depths of his warm eyes. He shakes his head, chastising himself with an exasperated chuckle that rumbles from deep within his chest.

“Oh, bloody buggering hell! You were pining and here I am whining about my hurt delicates.” His voice is thick with mock horror, yet beneath it lays a genuine note of self-reproach.

A light laugh bubbles up from my throat—I’m always amused by his dramatics. Holding up one square, I shrug nonchalantly. “They’re blanket pieces,” I explain, hoping this minor revelation will help him connect the dots.

The colors of each square pop even more vividly against the backdrop of the dimly lit room, their purpose yet to be fully understood by the man kneeling before me. With a tilt of my head, I watch, waiting for the significance to register.

His brow furrows in concern as he scans the room, landing on the little squares of fabric scattered around me.

“Did the furry princess lose that raggedy thing she carries, and I missed it?” His voice is tinged with urgency.

“I’ll send a sodding cleaner team everywhere she’s been until they find it. I know how she loves that?—”

I shake my head, cutting him off mid-sentence, and hold up one of the knitted squares between my fingertips. “No, no. Aradia did not lose her blanket. It’s smaller. See?” The tiny stitches and the soft threads gleam under the flicker of candlelight.

He’s normally not this dense, but the date thing shook his confidence, I know.

Taurus leans closer, squinting at the square, the gears visibly turning behind his puzzled gaze. A light of recognition finally ignites in his eyes, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Oh! That’s for the wee one.”

My heart swells and my lips curl into a broad smile. I let the needles clink softly together as I set them aside, the half-formed mess left waiting on the chair. Unfurling from my cozy nest, I push to my feet, the blanket pooling around my ankles.

“Exactly,” I say, reaching out a hand to him. “Come here, you grumpy old man. I have a yen to be close to you. I’ve been itching all day.”

He rises, the corners of his mouth twitching with a suppressed chuckle, any remnants of irritation melting away as he steps closer.

The space between us closes as I melt into his embrace, the air charged with a current that only ever sparks when we’re together.

Taurus’s hands settle on my waist, and I sigh softly.

This is what I’ve been missing since he left for his mission.

“I know how that is, heart of mine,” he murmurs. “I’ve been feeling off and missing you like a hole in the chest for the past few days.”

The raw honesty in his words stirs something deep within me. I lay my hands on his broad shoulders, the strength beneath them reassuring, and shut out everything else in the world for a moment.

“Stay close,” I whisper. A soft breath escapes my lips as I visualize our destination, the familiar contours of our bed inviting and safe. The world shifts, a sensation of falling upwards enveloping us, and then it steadies.

My eyes flutter open at the sight of our bedroom from a different position in the room. We are now beside the bed, perfectly positioned as if we had always been there. A triumphant grin spreads across my face, mirroring the wonder in Taurus’s eyes.

“Look at that. I did it!” I beam, the success igniting a spark of pride that dances in my chest.

Taurus’s expression, a mix of shock and awe, is the kind of reaction that could fuel me for days. His lips part in disbelief, then curl into an approving smile, that spreads warmth through my veins like a sip of fine whiskey.

His praise makes some of the ugly goo inside me from earlier dissipate like mist.

“You did. Bloody hell, two people…” His voice trails off, tinged with admiration. “I’m so proud of you. You’re getting better every day.”

“I can get one person anywhere, I think. Aradia isn’t small, but she’s like another big person, and I can get her around with me.

” A playful smirk draws up the corners of my mouth, as I recall past attempts.

The mishaps are now just humorous memories.

“At least I didn’t drop us on our asses midway there.

It’s happened a couple of times when I attempted both of us together. ”

The grin on Taurus’s face matches mine, his pride in my progress a palpable thing that fills the room.

Even the candles seem to flicker in time with our shared laughter, their light dancing across our faces as we revel in this simple yet magical moment.

I settle astride his lap, looking down into his face proudly.

“Good form, love,” he murmurs, his hands finding their way to my hips to steady me. “You could have gotten us naked, but points for the ‘not dropping’ thing.” His eyes gleam with a respect for my burgeoning power. “I enjoy seeing you get stronger. It’ll help when they send you on a test run. ”

“Test run?” The words slip from my lips before I catch them. “Holy hell, when? Why didn’t I hear about it?”

I’m going to be a fucking super spy and he buried that lede?

His gaze holds mine amidst my sudden tempest of questions.

The warmth of his lips lingers on my forehead as Taurus’s chuckle diffuses the tension that momentarily gripped me.

“Not for a while, heart of mine,” he reassures.

“I just found out myself, but we have a big class coming through. They’d like to get them settled before they bring in any wildcards. ”

A slow grin tugs at my lips at the thrilling prospect. With a playful motion, I kick off the silk boxers I slipped into earlier—the fabric fluttering to the floor in a whisper. My head tilts, challenging the notion of readiness with a daring sparkle in my eyes. “I’ll be ready.”

Taurus’s eyes sparkle with an amused yet quizzical expression.

“Those are the mysterious boxers,” he says, the corners of his lips twitching with suppressed mirth.

His gaze locks onto mine, and I feel the cogs turning behind those thoughtful eyes.

“Talia mentioned you and Sampson had visitors earlier, and you both put on clothes.” A pause hangs in the air as his forehead creases ever so slightly.

“Is that something we should talk about?” The question hovers between us, tinged with a sense of unease.

“It makes me itch when anything involves her and Rafe. Talia’s…

” He falters for a half heartbeat before shrugging off the words unsaid.

How do I answer this without making him worry about me and Talia simultaneously?

“You should see the huge ass stack of drawings Rafe’s done,” I offer, my voice laced with fondness. “I went in there today and it was like he’d been on an art bender. He got up early and got ready just in case she came over. It. Is. So. Weird. ”

My mate’s gaze softens despite the fierce protective streak in him with those he cares for.

Shadows danced across his face, illuminated by the flickering candlelight, as he ponders his next words.

“I’m being prickish and protective,” he admits with a reluctant sigh.

“But I don’t want her to get hurt.” His fingers trace an idle pattern on my skin.

“She likes him a lot—an unusual amount.”

I feel the weight of his concern, knowing it mirrors my own. Leaning closer, I whisper, my voice barely more than a breath,. “I haven’t seen him like this in forever. I don’t know—maybe never. He’s ador?—”

The end of my sentence is cut short by a sudden jolt of surprise. “Ow.” I yelp at the playful pinch from Rafe zapping through our bond. With a pout, I rub my bum where the phantom sensation still tingles. That was a way of reminding me that some things are better left unsaid by outsiders.

Jackass.

I shift on Taurus’s lap, feeling the remnants of the pinch fade into a warm tingle. My new mate chuckles, a sound that is both comforting and conspiratorial in the quiet of our bedroom.

“She’s in my head, too,” he says, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth. “It’s been more stereo since you and I drained.”

“Let me just...” I mutter, rolling my eyes upward as if I can physically see the space where Rafe is. With a mental shove, I push against the familiar presence, trying to dislodge him from his perch. My brow furrows in concentration. “It’s harder to kick him out for me now.”

Taurus’s grin widens, a devilish twinkle lighting his eyes. “They can watch along with the home game then, heart of mine,” he teases, leaning closer, “because I feel like experimenting with the other things that came from our draining right now. ”

The prospect sparks a thrill in me, and my response is immediate. I let out a low chuckle. “Is that an invitation I hear?” The air between us crackles with the promise of discovery, and in that moment, I relish the closeness we share, a connection deepened by secrets only we can explore.

“Christ, neither of you are good with subtlety,” he observes with mock exasperation.

The heat from our bodies creates an atmosphere of its own and my heart thrums in my chest like the wings of a bird eager for flight.

I feel his heartbeat, strong and steady, against my chest. “Oh, I’m not so terrible at taking a hint.

” Winking at him, I push until he’s reclining on the bed, my body draped over his like a silk scarf. “Despite what you think.”

“Keep wiggling and I’ll not be doing any thinking at all,” Taurus murmurs, his voice a husky vibration against my skin. His hands move with purpose, tracing patterns of affection that send shivers down my spine.

“Bonus,” I breathe, the word barely more than a sigh as I lean closer, allowing the magnetic pull between us to guide my actions.

I’ll teach our nosy mates to peek in on our thoughts uninvited—Skinemax, here we come.