Page 105 of Marked By Shadows

“Absolutely not.”

“Good.”

I sighed and relaxed into him, resting my head on his shoulder. “Move in with me,” I said. It was fast. Everything about our relationship was a whirlwind of events, but I needed him close. He made me want to be a better person for him, not as afraid, and willing to stand up for myself.

“I’m half living with you already, you sure you want that?”

“Yes. You’re mine.” Until the yokai returned and called in their marks. I’d hold tight to him until then.

He kissed the top of my head. “Okay. Finish your first cup of coffee and if you’re still saying the same stuff once the caffeine is flowing through your brain, we’ll make it permanent.”

I gripped the collar of his shirt, looked up at him, and kissed him. “You are mine,” I said. “I’m a possessive bastard. I’m crazy about you. Love you. Sorry I’m not more vocal about it.”

Alex’s smile was like sunshine. “I’m okay with that. You be you. You don’t need to change anything for me. Ready to go home?”

“Fuck yes.”

The drive home was filled with Alex singing to the radio and hand stitching the binding to the quilt we’d almost finished. I’d been a bit surprised, but apparently he’d been watching videos while I slept. His stitches were pretty solid, and I wondered if it was something else the lady from the sewing shop had given him.

By the time we arrived back in New Orleans I couldn’t wait to get home and curl up in my bed with him. Of course, as we pulled up in front of my house, Lukas’s car was already there, and I groaned.

“You knew he’d be here,” Alex reminded gently. “We’ll make him carry shit in.”

I sighed. “I just want to lay on the futon with you, or in bed, and sleep for a week.” My whole body ached, from sex and the run/fight with MaryAnn. “I probably need to work out more. Fighting takes more muscles than I use while hosting tours.”

“I’d rather you not be fighting for your life.”

“Same,” I said to him, repeating what he’d given me before, with a little cheek.

He laughed. “Boring life filled with crafts ahead, got it.”

I gaped at him. “Boring? What about crafting is boring?”

He got out of the car. Lukas and Sky were headed our way down the walk from the house. “I’m not sure I like the binding thing.” He’d finished the entire thing during the drive, which was impressive since it was his first time. It also looked pretty damn perfect.

“Um, binding is part of quilting,” I reminded him as I got out and hit the button to open the back.

“Yeah, maybe I can just do the machine quilting part?”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Just like I do all the seam stitching and cutting? The boring parts?”

“Yes, the boring parts,” he agreed.

“I thought you wanted to be part of the magic?”

“I am!” He said. Lukas arrived and wrapped Alex in a hug tight enough to make him huff out a breath. “Unf. Not so tight, Lukas. I’m fine. And I am part of the magic,” he told me. “I make pretty designs on the pieces you put together.” He rubbed his hands together. “Can’t wait to get the new machine set up. Do you have any quilt tops that need quilting?”

I actually had an entire bin of them. At least it would keep him busy for a while.

“You guys bought a ton,” Sky said as she came around the back of the car to hug me too. “Glad you’re okay. Though your face is still a little purple.”

“Don’t run into cars,” I said. “Lesson learned.”

She laughed. “So um, Lukas has something to tell you guys.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Just Lukas?”

She nodded, her eyes huge as she gathered up a few bags of fabric supplies. Lukas came around the back of the car with Alex.