if he found something better because he’s also defended our mating. He’s saved me from fairies, defended me from insults and now against a male who would have stolen me and realigned our bonds.
Eliph defended our mating and protected it.
Because of that and who I now know he is, it’s hard to see him—or any of this—the way I did when this began. He’s affirmed many times that I’m exactly who he wants in all ways—forever—and the more time we spend together, I think he’s exactly who I want. Someone sweet, giving, and protective, who makes me laugh when I get stuck in my head and with my worries. Someone who is there for me no matter what.
I think I might be falling in love with him.
I suck in a breath at the silent admission, waiting to see if it causes the usual wave of blind panic that comes with the idea of trusting someone with my heart. It doesn’t come. I just feel warm and at peace lying there, and the tingle of an ember of desire that’s been smoldering in my belly since our moment in the pool that draws me in closer. I’m so comfortable that I settle in to go back to sleep when his tail flicks over the back of my legs, making me smile against his chest.
His nose nuzzles the top of my head, and he breathes deep. I groan because despite all our waterplay yesterday, I desperately need to bathe. I consider slapping his nose away, but he makes a deeply contented sound in his chest as if not the least put off. It still kind of grosses me out, but I’m not about to complain.
“You are awake early,” he murmurs, his voice slightly raspy from sleep.
“Might be the iron bar wedged against me,” I murmur.
“Are you sure?” he teases. “Fae don’t care for things of iron. It could not be an iron bar unless you are planning to murder me.”
I roll my eyes and laugh into his pectoral. Eventually, I lift my head, my lips still twitching with amusement, and meet his eyes.
They seem an even richer shade of purple than before as he gazes at me with humor and something else that looks a bit like what could be devotion.
“Not unless you have in mind the ‘little death,’ as some like to call it,” I retort, loving the way his eyes soften and dance with humor.
I like this. We might be in no sex land with the way things are between us, but I like this easy comfort that’s developing and having someone to share laughter with. All the hot and heavy sex in the world can’t replace that. I guess that should have tipped me off before with Darrel because sex was incredible but there was always something that felt like it was missing… and with Eliph, I think I’ve found it. It’s this. This connection and just being able to enjoy being together.
I lean my head against him again and sigh.
“We should probably get up so we can head out before anything else decides to jump us here,” I say reluctantly.
Eliph nods. “Yes, I agree. We had some protection while the naga’s scent was still thick here, but it is fading. It’s a good idea to keep going until we cross into the Lorandral kingdom.”
Groaning, my body protesting giving up its comfortable bed, I push myself off Eliph. I get an eyeful of the erection straining against his leggings, but he doesn’t make any comment about it nor attempt to put distance between us. Instead, he pushes to his feet so he can reach down and pull me up. Chivalry isn’t dead with unicorns.
He then ruins every appearance of gallantry by turning and kicking the foot of our snoring companion. The goblin snorts and jerks up into a seated position, his hair standing on end in the front as his head whips around. At last realizing there’s no direct threat near him, Grimsal focuses on us, blinking sleepy eyes. He gives his belly a scratch and wrinkles his nose as he looks up at the sky.
“A bit early isn’t it?” he observes.
“Not if we want to be well within the safety of the Lorandral borders before sunset,” Eliph corrects.
Grimsal grunts and stumbles to his feet. He immediately hands me a large leaf wrapped around what I know is fish from last night. It’s amusing to think that this would have disgusted me just a few days ago, but I