“I could do that.”
“You say that now. Give it a few weeks.”
She wiggled out from under my arm and sat up on the bed. “So, we’re back at the Institute.”
I followed suit, leaning against the headboard. “Your father didn’t give us much of a choice.”
Her pretty lips frowned. “He is good at that.”
“Hey, at least this time I’m not in the dungeon,” I replied, rubbing our noses together.
“For the moment.”
“I hate to say it, but I think this time is different.”
“I wish I had your enthusiasm.”
I tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “How are you feeling?”
She nibbled on her lip, fidgeting with the ends of her hair. “Okay, considering. I’m just not sure being here is the right move. It makes me edgy.”
I exhaled slowly. “Me too,” I admitted. “But I promise you, I won’t let them separate us. And for the first time, we know why the Institute has been building a supernatural army. There are more of those things out there and it has them scared.”
She wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m scared.”
“It’s okay to be afraid. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t too.”
She rose onto her knees, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and placing a soft kiss on my lips.
I blinked. “What was that for?”
“For catching me when I fall.” Her eyes were like sherbet melting on a sultry summer night. How was I supposed to resist the temptation she offered? My willpower dissolved. Why should I?
Why indeed?
She rested her forehead against mine. “I can’t believe you agreed to come back to Diamond Towers. Most guys would have run for the hills considering who my family is.”
“It crossed my mind,” I teased, earning a playful punch in the arm. “I’m not like most guys. Haven’t you figured that out?”
“Oh, I already knew that. I’m just glad you’re stuck with me.”
I clasped my hands onto her hips and tugged her over so she sat in my lap. My lips touched hers in a soft, tentative kiss, brushing across them in a sweet test of wills. “Freckles,” I whispered.
“Dash.”
The low growl of my name sent a series of shivers through me. I pulled her roughly against me. “I’m looking forward to the day when I can stop worrying about you.”
She snorted. “Shut up and kiss me again.”
I complied, and she nipped my lower lip. “Did you just bite me?”
Her hands buried into my hair. “Maybe.”
She was like fire in my veins, pure ecstasy. “God, you drive me crazy.”
She laughed. “I know the feeling.”
I traced the line of her jaw. “I love the sound of your laugh. You’re beautiful, Freckles. So beautiful. I can’t believe you’re mine.” I brought my lips down to hers.
“I am. Always and forever,” she murmured between kisses. “Tell me,” she whispered, burying her head in the space between my neck and shoulder.
I wrapped my arms around the small of her back, breathing in the scent of her hair. “Tell you what?”
“Don’t play coy with me. You know.”
I did, but it was far too much fun to tease her. “Maybe you should give me a hint.”
She angled her head to the side, fire leaping into her eyes. “Here’s a hint for you, say it or I’ll—”
I laughed. “I love you,” I said gruffly against her soft lips.
She sighed, her body relaxing into mine. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that.”
My fingers brushed aside her mess of tangled curls. “Good, because I plan on telling you every day for the rest of my life.”
“If we have the rest of our lives, you mean.”
“I’m going to make sure we do. One day, when this place is safe, I promise you’ll have a real home, a family.”
“Family. Love. A home. I have all those things. I have them with you,” she said.
My lips curved into the stupidest grin known to man. “I love you, Freckles. Let’s show them what we can do. Together.”