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“Then maybe you shouldn’t have acted like being my fated mate was on par with a cancer diagnosis,” she shoots back as Annie retreats toward the kitchen with her arms raised, whispering, “I’ll just give you two some space.”
“I don’t need space,” Blaire shouts, her narrow gaze fixed on my face though it’s allegedly Annie she’s responding to. “I need someone to tell this stupid man that being a fated mate isn’t any different than falling in love some other way. No one knows why we love some people and not others, Darcy. It’s one of the biggest mysteries there is. But most people know if they’re lucky enough to find someone who feels like home, they should hold on tight to that person, not push them away.”
“Precisely.” I set the empty mug down on the coffee table in front of us with a firm thunk. “That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking!”
“So why are you shouting about it?” she shouts back.
“Because I’m bloody tired of pretending my life is worth living without you in it,” I boom back. “I fucking love you and need you and crave you, Blaire. I dream about you and wake to hallucinations of your voice telling me it’s not too late. And Punky hates me so much for driving you away that she’s moved into the big house to sleep in Colin’s bed and runs to hide in the cellar every time our paths cross. Even the cat knows I’m worthless without you.”
Blaire sits up straighter, blinking her bright eyes in the quiet following my rant. Finally, she covers the hand I’m still resting on her thigh with her cool fingers and says, “It’s not too late, dumbass.”
My throat goes tight. “It’s not?”
She shakes her head slowly, a cautious smile lifting the edges of her mouth, that beautiful, perfect mouth that has a starring role in all my sexiest dreams. “No. I love you, Darcy, and a Wonderfully’s love is forever. Even when I hated you, I still loved you and…I don’t hate you anymore.”
My fingers spasm around her thigh, making her flinch and a soft giggle bubble from her chest. “Sorry,” I say, forcing my grip to relax.
“It’s okay. It just tickled a little.”
“I want to tickle you a little,” I hear myself murmuring as my face drifts closer to hers. “I also want to love you and support you and make you laugh and be there when you cry and help all your dreams come true.”
Tears shining in her eyes, she cups my face gently in her hand. “I want all those things, too. But only with you.”
“Only with you,” I echo, tears rising in my own eyes. “Thank you, little goblin. For a second chance. I promise you won’t regret it.”
“I know I won’t,” she says, brushing her lips gently over mine. “And neither will you.”
“Never,” I promise, overflowing with joy as she lets me pull her into my lap and deepen the kiss. Almost instantly, the chafed, endlessly itchy places on my skin are soothed in the wake of the connection pulsing between us.
Blaire’s relieved groan vibrates my lips. “Damn. That’s good. The itching was driving me crazy. That ‘rejected by your fated mate’ rash is no joke.”
I pull back, arching a wry brow. “Try having it all over your balls.”
Her head falls back as she laughs so hard, she would tumble off my lap if I weren’t holding her firmly in place. “Oh my God,” she finally gasps, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. “I was hoping that’s where it was. I confess the peevish part of me wanted you to suffer, at least a little bit.”
“I’ve been in hell,” I answer honestly. “But that’s all right. I’m in heaven now, and I intend to stay for a while, if that’s all right. Forever sounds about long enough.”
Her smile softens. “It does. Take me downstairs to the basement and do bad things to me in my new witchy room? It has a fireplace and loads of books and candles. And best of all…a soundproof door.”
By the time Annie calls out, “Where are you two going?” I’m already down the basement stairs with a giggling Blaire in my arms, clinging to my shoulders.
“We’ll be right back,” she calls out. “Just need to treat Darcy’s wound.”
“Is that what they’re calling it these days?” a voice that sounds like Sophie from the library replies. “If so, please tell Darcy I would love it if his brother Ferris could come ‘treat my wound’ the next time he’s in town. He’s the best kisser.”
“Not the best,” Blaire whispers for my ears only as I carry her toward the smell of cinnamon and herbs wafting from the new room built into the corner of the open space. “You’re the best, but I’m not going to tell anyone because I don’t intend to share you, Blackmore.”
“Good because I refuse to be shared.” I step into the cozy room, lit only by the warm glow of a lamp in the corner. “And your pussy is mine, goblin. I am officially staking my claim.”
“Oh, please do.” She flicks her wrist toward the far side of the room, causing a fire to erupt in the fireplace before she flicks it again, slamming the door shut and locking it behind us. “I would like to be thoroughly staked. It feels like I’ve been waiting for you for ages.”
I lie her down on a plush couch beside the fire and lengthen myself on top of her, the sense of being exactly where I’m supposed to be so intense it’s painfully sweet. “I’ll never keep you waiting again, love. I promise.”
“Love,” she echoes with a sigh. “Nearly as good a nickname as goblin.”
“Nearly,” I say, smiling against her lips as I kiss her again.
And again.
