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She snorted, telling me exactly what she thought of that. “Hardly. You’ve still got the super strength, sonic hearing, x-ray vision, and a metabolism that means you can eat anything you want and not gain an ounce.”
“Something tells me it’s the metabolism that you’re the most jealous of?”
“Of course! What woman wouldn’t dream of being able to eat all the carbs she wanted without worrying.”
This time my curses were directed at her idiot of an ex-husband. How could she possibly think of herself as anything but perfect? “But, sweetheart, you don’t have to worry about a thing. You are the most delectable and exquisite woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. You have an amazing figure; what I wouldn’t give to kiss and lick every inch of your curves, to fill my hands and feast on you. I won’t have you lying about yourself like this,” I growled.
“But—”
“I have x-ray vision, remember?” I added with a wink. “And I’ve been watching you for days, believe me when I say I have memorized every inch of creamy skin you’ve exposed, and every dip and sway of your body that you’ve ruthlessly hidden away under your jeans and sexy skirts and blouses.”
“I think I have. I might.” Her words tumbled out. Her face turned a funny shade of red, her eyes squinting as if she wasn’t sure whether to keep them open, or close them tight.
It was my turn to look confused. “Have what?”
“Love,” she squeaked out past lips glued into a straight line.
“You…?” Holding her at arms length, I examined her face.
She squirmed under my assessment, chewing away at that damned lip again. “Yep. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t even think I had.”
“Then … how?” Wonder colored my words. How could she?
“Do I know?” At my mute nod, she continued, “I know you don’t want me to, you’ve made that pretty damn clear, and I definitely didn’t want to. Nope. No more men for me, not after my lousy, waste of a space ex-husband. But … there you were. You needed me, but you didn’t want me. You lied, but you didn’t do it to hurt me. You showed me you cared, while pushing me away with your words. So, I closed my ears and listened to what you were really saying. I—I can’t help my heart, Bastian.” Her voice, so strong through her speech, trembled at the last hurdle, giving away the utter terror she must be feeling bearing her soul like this.
Not knowing if I felt the same.
Not knowing if I would reject her, or ravage her.
Not even knowing that she was my true mate.
She accepted me for what I was—half the man I used to be. She didn’t expect anything more than for me to be the best version of myself that I possibly could be. Fuck that, she demanded it from me.
And it was enough for her.
Could it be enough for me?
Faye
I didn’t know what the hell had possessed me to blurt everything out, but it had felt right. Something deep down inside had calmly informed me that I had to trust my instincts, that if I didn’t take this leap of faith, I’d regret it forever. But it was the kind of blind faith that had my stomach churning and pulse racing as I hovered on the ledge I’d neatly deposited myself on, waiting for him to either drag me back to safety, or push me over to fall into an oblivion of loneliness and heartbreak.
I’d given him all the power. He had the power to break me with one single word.
But I’d needed him to know: that he was deserving of love, that he could be loved.
That he wasn’t lost and alone anymore, unless he wanted to be.
Words stuck in my throat, clinging to my tongue. I’d said enough, it was his turn, but he wasn’t saying anything either. He was just looking at me with a face wiped clean of any hint at what he was feeling. His fingers tightened around my shoulders, his mouth parted and his lips went soft. Silver flickered in his eyes, swirling and shining in the dark, glowing with an otherworldly light that mesmerized me.
The night air clung to me, the almost blindness it provided cushioning me from the real world around me.
The silence dragged on, taunting me.
Foolish! I lowered my eyes, unwilling to watch his face soften as he searched for the words to let me down gently. Because he would be gentle. Considerate. That was the kind of man he was, not this facade he showed the world.
“I shouldn’t—”
“Then don’t,” I forced out past the lump in my throat.
