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After narrowing her eyes a moment, she wrote out a few lines. Then she looked back at him. "Now, explain what you mean by sleeping arrangements."
The flicker of uncertainty in her beautiful mismatched eyes made him choose his words carefully. "I think sharing the same bed from the get go will help. I promise not to touch you unless you want it. And I can even give you some sort of magically infused item that will knock me out cold with a mere touch, if you need it. But proximity breeds familiarity, and I think that might help you."
She bit her lip again, but this time River kept his gaze on her eyes. If she didn't give in to this, it could be fucking years before she was comfortable enough to share his bed after the claiming.
He didn't want to rush her, but he also didn't want her to retreat and put distance between them. It seemed to be her habit to avoid rather than confront, and River didn't want their marriage to start out that way.
She finally asked, "What sort of item are you talking about?"
Relieved she didn't outright deny it, he answered, "Certain types of fae witches can infuse objects with magic, sort of like how Yesenia has that ring that keeps her from getting pregnant. She told you about that, right?" Nora nodded and he continued, "Well, it can be done for more than merely birth control. I once heard of a fae witch infusing a cane with power so that anyone it touched, they instantly fell asleep for at least an hour. I'm sure I can ask around and find something similar. That way, if you ever feel threatened by me, you can use it to feel safe again."
Of course he'd have to beg money off his sister for it since everything he owned was in the twenty-first century. But once he established a doctor's office and had patients, he'd pay back every cent. Or penny, as it were.
Her brows came together. "You'd freely give me something that could put you at my mercy?"
He squeezed her hand in his. "Hell yeah. If it means we can try for at least an intimate marriage, I'm all for it." Her lips twitched, as if she was holding back a smile. "What?"
"My brother Laurie once told me males will do anything for intimate relations. Your extreme offer reminds me of that."
He snorted. "Mostly it's true. Guys tend to think with their dicks." As Nora's smile faded and fear flashed in her eyes, he quickly added, "Although the good ones know how the fuck to behave and restrain themselves when needed."
She glanced down and played with the edge of the paper stack. It fucking hurt that she didn't believe him. "Nora, listen to me: part of the reason I want the magical knockout item is so you know you have complete control over everything. Maybe one day you'll trust me enough to get rid of it. But until then? You deserve to have some fucking power in this relationship, especially since I get the impression you've never had any real power over your own life before."
After a few beats, she finally met his gaze again. "How are you real, River? No male I've ever met would offer such a thing."
He brought their clasped hands to his lips. "Well, if they had two sisters and lived in a time when females have more equal footing—not completely, but a hell of a lot better than in 1890—it might not seem so weird to them. You're a person, Nora, not property. And this is how you treat a person, by talking shit out and finding solutions."
She still stared at him like he had two heads. Males seemed like assholes here, or at least a good chunk of them. Yesenia would never put up with that shit herself, or even Meadow, for that matter.
However, River just needed to remember how different things were between his time and 1890, and work on convincing Nora of his damn sincerity.
And so he waited to see what she said before he made his next move.
* * *
Nora almost pinchedherself to see if she was still asleep.
River was offering her a way to always have control, if she needed it, with the offer of the magical item to render him unconscious.
The fact he'd trust her not to hurt him only softened her heart more toward the male.
Afraid she might do something silly, such as cry, Nora cleared her throat for the tenth time and nodded. "All right, I'll add a rule about having the item for me and we'll try sharing a bed. However, if I start having nightmares or the memories become too overwhelming, I want a clause added about maintaining separate rooms."
"If you have to." He grimaced. "But there's something you should know about me too, when it comes to nightmares."
She searched his gaze. "What is it?"
He sighed. "My mind and magic did a fantastic job at locking away memories of my torture. But they seem to come out at night sometimes." He looked at their linked hands. "So I guess that means you should add something about if my nightmares wake you up too much, you can sleep elsewhere."
Revealing such a perceived weakness, something she didn't think many males in her sphere would do, only made her like River all the more. "Listen, I can handle if you have some nightmares. I had to soothe Ambrose when he had them as a child. His were intense but never scared me away." She squeezed his hand in hers. "So I doubt yours will either."
He met her eyes again. "And what about you? When was the last time you had a nightmare?"
"Honestly?" She shrugged one shoulder. "It's been a long time; years, I think. That's one advantage I have over you, I guess you can say. It's been decades since my bloody awful experiences. However, let's make one thing clear—if we're being honest, then you need to tell me if your horrible memories start returning. My brothers like to keep things hidden deep inside and would rather cut off a limb than admit it. And even though I think Leo has changed a little when it comes to his wife, he hasn't with anyone else. I don't want you to hide from me, River. Ever."
It was quite a lot to ask for, but Nora hated surprises. And considering their marriage was more an agreement than anything else, she wanted to know what she was entering.
He tilted his head. "It goes both ways, baby. So if you agree to do the same, we'll have yet another deal."
