But how?
I could propose to her. Dig out Suzanna’s ring from my drawer and offer it to Cora instead. Perhaps that might do the deed. He almost laughed out loud at the idea, ruining the whole moment. No, he had gone to one knee at Harrow Faire once before, and it had gone terribly for him. Besides, she would see right through his selfish ploy.
As charming a notion as it might be.
As much as it made his heart itch.
“I know you’re awake,” she murmured.
He tried to keep a straight face. Gods below, he tried. His lips twitched too much. He gave in, smiled, then let it fade. “But I like this. Pretty girl, naked in my bed, stroking my hair. Keep going.”
“You’re such an ass,” she complained, but she didn’t stop. She scooted up to lie beside him, resuming her attentions once her arm was free. “I talked to the Faire again last night.”
“Hm? And?”
“It wants a family. All of this is about us…being near us. It misses its…other parts. I don’t know. It went on some speech about being part of a cosmic whole. The short of it is, it claims it’s just lonely.”
“How tragic. Do you believe it?”
“I’m not sure. It could be just pulling at my heartstrings.”
“Did it work?”
“Yeah. That’s not the only reason I’m upset.”
“What else?”
“You.”
That made him open his eyes. He turned his head to look at her. He raised an eyebrow. “What did I do now? Last night you were fully willing and culpable in our little fight-fuck-fest. If you want to whimper about it now, I—”
“No, no.” She chuckled. “That’s not it.”
“Good. Because I, for one, fully endorse these fight-fuck-fests, and would be willing to schedule them bi-weekly, if—ow!” He broke off as she slapped his chest, bare palm to bare skin, and whined as he rubbed at the abused area. “What was that for?”
“Shut up, Puppeteer.” She snuggled into him and wrapped her arm over him. “I’m trying to have a moment.”
“Shutting up.” He smiled as he pressed her forehead to his temple and snuggled in closer. There really was something to be said for human affection. He never would have thought he’d change his mind after so many years, but it really was quite nice.
“I need time. I’m not ready to commit to just killing Ringmaster. And I don’t even know how we’d go about doing that. It’ll start a war I don’t know if I want to fight. But at the same time, I don’t know how to not fight it. I love you, Simon. Both halves of you. I care about the people here…and I don’t want to die, either.” She paused. “That’s before you work in the fact that I’m a hypocrite for liking steak and not wanting to kill the cow. I know I have to do it. I know I do. But murder…I…” She sighed.
Progress! What wonderful news. Her moral conflict would resolve itself in time. He scooped up her hand and placed a kiss against her fingers, before placing her palm over his heart and pressing it there with his own. “Cora. Do you know in a hundred and thirty-five years here at the Faire, I think I was never once happy? I thought I had lost the ability along with all of my pain and rage that I threw into that simpering puppy of a shadow of mine. But you have proven me wrong. With you, like this…I think this is what happiness is. You can understand why I do not wish to let it go.”
She was silent for a long time. For a moment, he retraced his words carefully, trying to discover what it was he said that could have offended her. Clearly, there was something in there somewhere. Or else, she’d—
Then she was kissing him. Then she was on top of him, straddling his hips, her beautiful body fitting so perfectly with his. This was a long stretch from what they had done the night prior. This was not violent. This was tenderness. This was pure affection. What he felt from her was nothing but…love. She was a thing of pure radiant glory. Her gray eyes were dark like stormy skies as their bodies moved in unison.
He no longer doubted her feelings.
He almost wished he could return the gesture.
Almost.
But he could do this dance with her, hold her hand as they found this happiness together. This was not lust. This was something that ran deeper. They met their mutual ends in the