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"Exactly. Your aunt is gone, your other family members are...well, I don't want to speak ill but--"
"They're assholes who are pissed at me and think I'm crazier than my aunt."
"Well, there you go then. Don't let fear keep you from something that could be your happy ending. Trust me, I almost missed it with Fraser. It takes courage to grab hold of this kind of thing, but it's worth it."
I scrubbed my hand over my eyes and sniffled.
"You were supposed to talk me out of this," I said with tearful laugh.
She chuckled.
"Sorry sweetie, but that would make me a bad friend," she chomped down on something else, then said around her chewing, "Why don't you take the night, see how things go? You've got a little bit of time."
"Yeah, that's true. Thanks, Daph."
"Of course! Now I gotta go pee, one of the twins is using my bladder for a soccer ball."
I laughed and hung up. For a long while, I sat on the bed, my mind spinning out all kinds of logical, very down to earth reasons why this as crazy, why I should simply say 'no'.
And every one of them was refuted by the sensation in my gut that screamed at me "Go! Run toward this!"
Daphne was right; every risk I ever took had paid off in my life, even if not in the way I had expected. Still, I hesitated, and let fear hold me in place about this.
I laid down and cried quiet tears as my soul was torn in two by the war waged inside of me. Though I hadn't planned on it, I dozed off and woke to the room bathed in twilight, with the scent of wood smoke punctuating the brine of the sea. A light blanket was tossed over me with a glass of water on the night stand. I hadn't done either, so it had to have been Garrick.
Such simple, small gestures but they spoke volumes. He cared about me. Not just getting in my pants, not just getting me to go with him for his sake and the sake of his kingdom. He cared about me.
My throat clogged and tears choked me as I clutched the blanket. Every hour that passed was making it impossible to tell him no and that also scared me.
I took a few gulps of the cool water and saw the note next to it, written in gorgeous, curving letters.
"When you awaken from your slumber, please join me for a feast near the water, your servant Garrick."
It was so flowery, and so sweet.
My stomach growled and I realized all I'd eaten today was one pastry and some coffee. No wonder I had drained the water glass. Tossing the throw blanket around my shoulders, I went downstairs to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water and guzzled some of that too. The wood smoke was more pungent down here and I looked out the large bay windows toward the ocean to see a quaint fire on the beach, and Garrick standing there in his human form. A sliver of light remained on the horizon from the sunset, casting his back in a red hue, while the fire set his skin aflame with gold. He was mystical, beautiful and I was tempted to give into thoughts of how there was no way a being like this could love me.
But his actions proved otherwise.
I was drawn to him in a way I couldn't explain and was starting to wonder if I could defy him. I drifted onto the back deck and stared at his broad back. He wasn't looking at me, but I knew he was waiting for me.
What if I just let go, just for tonight? Let myself indulge in being with him, not censoring myself or guarding my heart, what would I discover?
It was risky. Perhaps the riskiest thing I'd ever done.
And if experience was any indication, it would have the most reward.
I left my sandals in the house and stepped off onto the cool, soft bed of sand. The closer I got to him, the more my heart sped up with anticipation. He didn't turn around, but continued staring out at the quickly dwindling bright pink light just beyond the sea. I stepped up beside him and slipped my hand onto his arm. It was natural, wonderful. His huge hand eclipsed mine and he tugged me closer until I was standing in front of him, his arms around me as I leaned against his solid frame.
"When I was younger," his deep, purring whisper sent shivers down my spine, "I would breach the surface of the water at sunset and find a place to sit and watch as the sky was set on fire. I'd drink in the changing colors, so bright, so violent as they faded to bruising purples. And when there was no more light to behold, I would wait to find the moon, and wish for someone that I could share it all with."
I hugged his arms tight to me. His loneliness called to mine, deep and painful. But now, we weren't alone, and the two wounds kissed as if to heal one another. I didn't need to tell him that I felt the same, that the yawning emptiness I'd learned to live with and accept was shrinking the longer I was with him. I could feel that he understood. It was wonderful and terrifying all at once.
"Are you hungry?" his lips brushed my ear with a wicked implication his words.
I turned to look up at him, my lips curled into a smirk.
"Yes."
