Trusted Bond

looked back at me, and once again I was swallowed in his gold-
    flecked amber eyes.
    I smiled at him, just looking at the man giving me pleasure. ―I
    promise I can take––‖
    ―Look at you,‖ he said, his head dipping to examine my side, my hip.
    40

    Mary Calmes

    ―I‘m so glad you‘re home.‖ I swallowed hard, watching him, the
    way his hair fell forward, a few golden strands tangling in his golden
    lashes.
    ―I know,‖ he said, sounding nonchalant even as the smile betrayed
    him. He was very pleased. ―You try and retain you independence from me,
    but we both know the truth.‖
    ―What truth?‖
    ―That you can barely breathe when I‘m not around.‖
    It was true but not how he thought.
    ―You need me.‖
    He was not asking for confirmation, it was simply him making a
    statement.
    ―You know you‘re mine, right?‖
    I had to concentrate on breathing as his eyes flicked up to mine,
    locking there.
    ―And only those who have my permission may even see you.‖
    I stared up into his eyes, and one gorgeous, thick, perfectly shaped
    gold eyebrow rose daringly. He was waiting to see what brilliant thing I
    was going to say next.
    ―I don‘t know why you….‖ I trailed off, trying to roll over away
    from him.
    His hand was on my chin as he tenderly but firmly returned my eyes
    to his amber ones. The man was so much bigger and stronger than me, and
    even though he wasn‘t one of those huge body-builder types, he was
    covered all over in hard, rippling muscle. If he didn‘t want me to move, I
    wasn‘t going anywhere.
    ―You don‘t know why I what? Love you?‖
    ―No, I know why you love me.‖ I deflated, my eyes locked on his.
    ―You have to.‖
    ―I‘m sorry?‖
    ―I‘m your reah, so you have to love me even though it‘s crap.‖
    ―What are you talking about?‖
    ―Please,‖ I went on, ignoring him. ―A semel finds a reah, and they‘re
    just magically compatible, everything‘s perfect from the get-go? You
    Tarzan, me Jane––it‘s bullshit, and you know it, and I know it. We could
    Trusted Bond

    41

    not be more different, and now that things have settled down, we‘re really
    seeing it.‖
    He just stared at me, and after a few long minutes of silence, I got off
    the bed to stand by the window.
    ―I wish I smoked,‖ I muttered.
    ―You don‘t think we‘re compatible?‖
    I turned around to face him, my back against the window glass. ―No,
    I don‘t.‖
    He sat up in bed, stretching his big, beautiful body before settling
    with a pillow behind his back.
    ―I think that––‖
    ―You‘re being ridiculous,‖ he said flatly.
    ―I‘m sorry?‖ I asked, irritated.
    He shrugged. ―You love me, but even scarier for you is that you like
    me. You never had anybody in your life that was your friend as well as
    your lover, and it‘s seriously twisting you up inside. You have no idea
    how to process what‘s going on in your mind.‖
    ―Aww, that‘s crap and makes me sound like a fuckin‘ head case,‖ I
    groused at him.
    ―It‘s the truth as far as I can tell, and I think normally as soon as you
    start to feel yourself getting attached to someone else besides Crane that
    you force yourself to let go even when you don‘t want to so you won‘t feel
    any pain when you lose what you love.‖
    ―That‘s just stupid.‖
    The grunt let me know what he thought of my words.
    ―Logan––‖
    ―You think Crane Adams is your safety net. You‘re afraid if he
    leaves and for some reason I tire of you and throw you out that you‘ll be
    all alone with no one.‖
    The man knew me really well. It was scary how well.
    ―That‘s why you‘re pushing Delphine so hard to accept Crane‘s suit
    even though you know that Markel, for all his flaws, is who her heart
    wants.‖
    ―No.‖
    ―Yes,‖ he assured me. ―My sister doesn‘t want your friend, and
    you‘re terrified that he‘s going to leave.‖
    42

    Mary Calmes

    I was. I was so scared.
    ―You need to understand that I‘m your touchstone now. I‘m the one
    who reminds you who you are, because the most important thing you are
    is my mate.‖
    ―No, I won‘t be just your mate––that can‘t be all I am.‖
    ―I didn‘t say all that you are. I said––‖
    ―Being your mate is just….‖ I trailed off, looking at him, deep into
    the golden eyes. ―Logan, if I wasn‘t your mate, you would have never
    even looked at me.‖
    He threw up his hands and rolled up off the bed, crossing his arms,
    staring