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“But not your secrets.”
He flinched, as if he’d hoped to avoid this particular discussion. “The secrets aren’t just mine,” he told her.
“Agreed.” She held his gaze. “They’reoursecrets now.”
“True.”
With a smooth motion Ryshi sat upright, gathering his clothes to begin pulling them on. Sofie followed his lead, stretching out to collect her jeans and sweater. It wasn’t a rebuff. She could sense through their bond that Ryshi wasn’t angered by the question. He needed a few seconds to gather his thoughts.
Once they were both dressed, Ryshi tugged her back into his arms and leaned against the stone wall of the cavern.
“I told you about my sister.”
“You said that she disappeared.”
“Yes.” An echo of frustration pulsed through Sofie, as if she was the one who’d dedicated her life to locating the missing jinn. “I searched for what seemed to be forever with no indication if she was alive or dead.”
“Your mother couldn’t help you?”
His lips twisted as he recalled his meeting with the female who’d given birth to him.
“She wasn’t interested enough to try. She had already found a new mate and was pregnant with their child.”
Sofie tilted her head to study him with a narrowed gaze. Jinn were elusive, mystical creatures. There was going to be a steep learning curve to discover more about her extended family.
“How many mates can a jinn have?”
He shrugged. “As far as I know there is no limit. Many of them have large harems filled with mates and their offspring.”
Sofie made no effort to halt the layer of ice that crawled over the floor. This was something that needed to be clarified right quick and in a hurry.
“And you?”
He released a burst of magic. Expecting the delicious smoke that created erotic pleasure as it crawled over her skin, Sofie blinked in surprise when the ice shattered and a small green plant sprouted from a crack in the stone, swiftly growing until a tiny flower with white petals and a yellow center burst open.
Chamomile. The perfume brushed over her like a soft caress.
“I’m half fey,” he reminded her in husky tones. “Once they mate it’s for eternity. Besides, what I feel for you isn’t about fate or destiny.”
Tilting back her head, Sofie allowed herself to become lost in his eyes. “It’s not?”
He cupped her face in his hands. “They call me a thief, but you’re the one who stole my heart.”
Sofie wrinkled her nose at the cheesy compliment. “You’re straying back into that creep zone again.”
Ryshi laughed, the rich scent of amber washing over her. “Okay. I’ll say it in plain words. I love you.” He stroked his thumb over her lips, the gesture as tender as a kiss. “And it has nothing to do with the mating. I love your strength and intelligence and your unexpected humor.” His voice held a sincerity that was unmistakable. “I love spending time in your company and knowing you have my back in a fight.”
Sofie melted. Or at least that’s what it felt like as she gazed into the bottomless black eyes.
“I love you too.”
He studied her, as if waiting for her to say more. At last he clicked his tongue in chastisement.
“And?”
“And what?”
“What do you love about me?”
