“Cesca.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know what’s going on with Triton. Why he came back or why all the cloak-and-dagger stuff. I do trust that he’s not playing an elaborate game, but, whether he’s here in town or not, you’re the only man I want to be with.”
“Even if we don’t know where we’re going in our relationship?”
“Even then.” I scooted into his arms and kissed his chin. “And I think your moving here is the best idea ever, Saber.”
He gave me a scowl and growled, “What happened to calling me Deke in the bedroom, woman?”
“Well,” I drawled, stroking a hand slowly down his chest, “moving is business, not pillow talk.”
“Princesca, we’re in bed, we’re naked, and the South is rising again. If that’s not pillow talk, what is?”
I moved over him and whispered against his lips. “This is, Deke, darling.”
The moon and stars were even more spectacular on our next trip, and I didn’t feel the least bit slighted when Saber—Deke—sank into sleep when the eagle landed. I was too blissful, spooned in the curve of his body, dozing and drifting in dreams of us sharing beds in both of our homes.
My sexually sated daze didn’t last long. I needed to get to my homework and run a few loads of laundry. Since the washer and dryer are super quiet, and since the laundry room is off the kitchen next to the half bath, the noise wouldn’t bother Saber. I pulled on my flamingo sleep shirt and blew out the candles as I moved through the room, folding Saber’s discarded clothes and gathering my own. The necklace and charm jingled in the pocket of my shorts, and Saber made a noise in his sleep as he turned over.
I gazed at his face in the moonlight, the angles softened in sleep. Suddenly, my chest tightened with a crashing wave of tenderness, stealing my breath.
I loved this man.
When the best I’d hoped for were some dates and, okay, semicasual sex just so I wouldn’t spend my afterlife as a virgin, I’d found love.
Sure, Saber pushed and prodded me to do things I didn’t want to do, like fly. He’d challenged my idea of a safe, secure, normal afterlife since we’d met, but he’d helped heal me in places I hadn’t acknowledged I hurt. No, we didn’t know where our relationship was going long-term, but it didn’t matter. He loved me, and I loved him. Nothing, not even Triton, would get in the way of me being with Saber for however long we might have. I slipped out of the bedroom with new determination. Not about the laundry, though I started the first load right away. Nope. This was about getting through to Triton. He might block me from his thoughts, but there was a chance he might hear mine. If nothing else, a good ole telepathic rant would make me feel better.
With the washer whooshing softly in the background, I settled on the sofa, the rich leather a warm caress on my partly bare legs. I laid the mermaid charm within reach, then went through the centering routine I’d learned from reading books on how to tap psychic energy. The reading was at Saber’s insistence, but, hey, I was woman enough to admit the focusing techniques worked. I was soon ready, and scooped the chain and charm into my left palm. The white noise buzz began as soon as I closed my hand around it, but the longer I held the charm, the more the radio-type static morphed into the sound of the ocean. I imagined diving beneath the waves, then pictured Triton until I saw him clearly. A few more deep breaths, and I knocked on his mind door. It opened a sliver, and I stuck my ethereal foot in. My little voice cautioned me against using Triton’s name, but, otherwise, I let ’er rip.
Of all the nerve! You show up after eons of silence—and just when I finally met a great guy, I might add—then vanish and appear again? I don’t think so, bub. I don’t know what’s going on, but getting that obscure message was annoying as hell. I sensed Triton raising a brow.
Yes, I said hell. I’m that ticked. And, okay, it was good to hear from you, but this popping in and out is not acceptable. I want to know where you are, why you’re back, and what this big evil is that has you in hiding. Very, very softly, I heard, Not safe.
Well, when will it be? Because I have a nice afterlife filled with friends and activities, and I don’t want anyone screwing it up.
Nothing.
You hear me? I will not be yanked around, not by you and not by anyone else. Again, nothing, but Triton’s mind door ever so slowly closed on my ethereal foot. Ouch.
I came back to myself, blinked at the room, and opened my fingers to find I’d squeezed the charm hard enough to make an impression in my hand. Damn.