Mari's Mistake - Ruby Dixon Page 0,55

the same. "Is it better now? Or the same?"

"I don't know," I admit honestly. "Sometimes it's hard to tell."

"But you have been sad this day," he points out. "And that is an emotion. And earlier, you were very angry at I'rec for cutting me." His mouth twitches, as if fighting a smile. "Those are not the actions of a female that has entirely muffled emotions."

Huh. I've been so down on myself that I didn't stop to think about that. He's right, though, I've been emotional all day long. "Maybe you're right? Maybe some things are coming back with time?"

His smile is soft, encouraging. "Perhaps we can entice your khui into recognizing mine once more."

Oh god, I hope so. I love his smile, and I would love nothing more than to kiss it off his face and not feel as if I'm going to throw up when we touch. "That would be everything I'd hoped for." I smile at him, and for the first time in a long time, I feel hope. "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?"

"Because I've been so stuck in my own head that I didn't stop to realize."

"This is why you must talk to me, my mate. This is why we are partners. Because we are better together than separately."

I put my hand over his gloved one on my cheek. "Then you'll go with me to Croatoan and talk to the healer there? I don't think it'll be a fun journey, but if they're taking Tia, I won't feel like a jerk for asking to go with them."

"We should have asked to go before," he admits. "I am willing to brave a little cold if it means solving this and bringing a smile back to your face."

"I'm not sure it means just a little cold," I say, and I feel lighter than I have in forever. Almost…happy. "I should have talked to you," I agree. "Instead I've been wandering around like La Llorona, weeping and wailing over what I've lost."

"La Llorona?" He tries to say it with a slight roll in his R's like I do, but it ends up sounding like Scooby-Doo mangling words. At my giggle, his face breaks into a wide grin. "What is it?"

"It's an old legend where I'm from."

"Tell me about the story." He pats his thigh. "But come and sit in my lap as you do."

Sit in his lap?

It feels incredibly dumb to get shy after what we've been through together, but his request makes me feel so…uncertain. My cheeks flush, but I close the distance between us and slide onto his thigh. I put my arms around his neck, and he rubs my back. It's not sexual…but good lord, I'm feeling it anyhow. I shift on his leg, aware of my bottom resting on the thick muscles of his thigh, and when he pulls me closer, his glove skims over the front of my tunic, and I'm filled with longing for more touches.

God, I've missed touching so much.

"Tell me about this 'la-lona.'"

I chuckle at his mangled pronunciation. "La Llorona is an old legend where I am from." I pause as he reaches around me and grabs his other glove, then works it onto his other hand. It's hard for him to do it one-handed (his other on my back) so he bites the edge of it to hold it as he pushes his hand into the glove, and I'm fascinated by the flash of teeth.

"Go on," he encourages me, and then holds the wrist of the glove out in a silent request for me to tie it.

Right. We were talking before I got distracted by his mouth. I tie the second glove for him as he rubs my back with the other, and as I do, I try to remember the details of the story. Of how La Llorona was a beautiful Mexican woman who married an uncaring husband, and when he put her aside for a younger woman, she went into a rage and killed her children. How she was immediately stricken with remorse and killed herself, too, and now spends all eternity wandering as a ghost, weeping over her lost children.

T'chai frowns at me as I tell the tale. "That is a terrible story."

I laugh at his expression. "It's not meant to be happy."

"But you compare yourself to that? Just because you weep?" His gloved hand moves up my arm in a slow, soothing motion. "It is not the same at all."

"Well, no, it's not," I agree, somewhat