whisper as I was drifting off.
I tried to say, “Me too,” but I’m not sure anythin’ came out before I was fast asleep.
Chapter Eighteen
Basil
Waking up with Hiro’s strong arms wrapped around me made me wish I could stay in bed all day. I scooted as close as I could to him, tucking my face against his throat and breathing him in. He sorta smelled like smoky sandalwood, and I sorta really loved it. When I kissed his throat without thinking, he grumbled a little, but pulled me tighter to him, so I settled in, perfectly okay with lying here while he slept.
“I’m awake,” he whispered.
“You’re supposed to be sleeping in.” Did he read my mind?
“How am I supposed to sleep with you rubbin’ all over me?”
I snorted into his throat. “You call kissing your neck rubbing all over you?”
“Your whole body’s wigglin’ around to reach me, so yeah, I do.” His accent was even sexier when his voice was hoarse and sleepy-sounding.
I lightly nipped at his skin, and he groaned as he tilted his head to allow more access. “Seems like you like it to me.”
He grunted and reached down to grab my ass and haul me even closer. Putting my thigh between his legs and draping myself over him, I could feel his hardening cock. And I knew I couldn’t resist him anymore, I didn’t want to. I nibbled my way up his throat and across his jaw, then pulled his earlobe between my teeth.
The bedroom door flew open, slamming against the wall and scaring the shit out of me. I jumped, and Hiro yelped out an “Ow” as I turned to find my little sister storming into my room.
“Ever heard of knocking?” I asked her as I pulled the blanket over both my and Hiro’s laps.
“We’re hungry,” Niya said.
I rubbed my hand over my face. “You’re always hungry. Do you have a tapeworm or something?”
She wrinkled her nose. “What?”
I waved her away. “Never mind. I’ll be downstairs in a minute. Is Rasha okay?”
Niya nodded. “Yep! Now come feed us!” She ran out before I could tell her not to speak to me that way. She was such a brat sometimes, although she didn’t say shit like that to anyone but me.
Turning to Hiro, I winced when I saw him holding his ear. “I’m so sorry.”
He snorted and pulled his hand away. “Not your fault. No blood, we’re good.”
“First sex injury.”
“I don’t think it counts since we weren’t havin’ sex.”
“Yet.”
His amused expression met mine before he pushed my shoulder. “Go feed the starving children.”
“You coming down?”
“I’ll be right behind you.”
Nodding, I got out of bed, then changed my mind and leaned over to kiss Hiro’s cheek. The look he gave me was softer than usual, so of course, I ruined it by poking him in the side and making him laugh while swatting at me. Somehow, he got a slap to my ass that made me yelp as I ran away, laughing.
My chest was light and content now that he was here with Rasha, and the two of them were comfortable and seemed happy. Nothing could get rid of my smile.
After the kids ate breakfast, and Hiro was well-fed, we all walked down to the big house so the girls could keep working on their dollhouse. Ailin and Seb were inside, so I asked them to watch Rasha while I showed Hiro around the property.
“You sure she’s okay with them?” he asked me as we walked out.
“Yeah, she’s fine, dimples. They like having her there.”
I could see his reluctance, but he nodded and followed me anyway.
A minute into our walk, I asked, “You can feel the wards, right? So you’ll be able to find the edge of the property and not cross over?”
“Yeah.”
I glanced at him and said, “There’s a secluded spot I used to go to when I was a kid. Thayer knows where it is, but no one else would think to look for us there.”
His lips twitched. “Witch, are you tryin’ to get me alone?”
“Maybe.”
He chuckled, then pulled me into his arms and kissed me hard and deep before pulling away and saying, “Lead the way, love.”
It only took a couple of minutes to get to a small clearing near the edge of the property on the north side. No one usually came this close to the border, so whenever I wanted to be alone when I was a kid, this was where I’d hide out. There was really nothing special about it, to be honest,