“Home,” she whispered, feeling so full of happiness she was probably glowing like a bug light.
“But not yet,” he said, pushing a strand of her hair out of her face. “First we have to get you in control of your Changes and in control of your animal when you are shifted. She’s a biter, and you can Turn people. We have work to do while we’re here in the woods your animal is comfortable in, but I know you can do this. And when you do, we’ll go find a place of our own.”
“Okay,” she said, feeling more confident than she had in…well…ever. Now she had motivation. She had incentive to work hard and fix the broken parts of herself because, if she was strong enough, she would be rewarded with a life she never could’ve imagined.
Tobias was a freaking man-genius!
Not only that, but he hadn’t made her pay her side of the bargain before he’d chosen her completely. He had no idea if her medicine would work on him, yet here he was tethering them together forever. For the rest of her life, she would never have to question if he’d only done this for the cure. Tobias Silver, her fiancé, was the best man she’d ever met, and he was hers.
She really wasn’t alone in all this. Twisting her ring, she smiled up at him. “I like you.”
Tobias lifted his chin slowly. “Say what you mean. You’re too bold for half-truths.”
“I think I love you.”
A slow smile took his face, but still, he waited.
“I know love you,” she whispered, heat fanning through her cheeks.
Tobias waited for a long time, eyes on her, looking satisfied. At last, he pulled the thick blankets off the small cot and spread them out on the floor. “Come here,” he said low, holding out his hand, palm up. “I want to feel your skin.”
And she understood because, right now, it felt necessary to her, too. Their time apart could’ve been damaging. It could’ve put cracks in their foundation and shifted them away from each other like tectonic plates. Instead, Tobias had made sure she came back to this world secure and safe. He made sure she knew she was adored and important, despite her brokenness.
Slowly, she pulled off her nightgown and kicked out of her warm socks, then slid her palm against his and allowed him to tug her to the pallet he’d made. Tobias pulled his shirt off, but left his jeans on, then lay beside her and wrapped her up in his strong embrace. He let off a happy-sounding growl when she nestled closer and kissed his chest.
“I imagined this,” he murmured. “Imagined you here, human again, touching me. I hated it when you were away.”
She had to try harder. It wasn’t just her who was hurt by the lost time. Tobias had waited for her every day to turn back into the woman he cared for.
He swallowed audibly and kissed the top of her head, then murmured, “It’s like this for Elyse, and it’ll be like this for Lena this winter. I waited two weeks, feeling like the best part of me was missing, but they will wait six months.”
“They won’t,” she promised. “I’ll take care of them. I won’t let their mates go to sleep on them.”
“Your confidence almost makes me believe it.”
With a frown, she eased back and captured his gaze. “Do you trust me?”
Tobias dipped his chin once.
“Good. Then hear me, Tobias Silver. I swear on the ring that you gave me I won’t let you or your family down. None of you will hibernate this winter.”
Tobias leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, gently at first, then harder when she let off a soft moan. He liked her noisy. She could tell because his control slipped any time she made a sound of pleasure. He pushed his tongue past her lips, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him in closer. She could never get enough of this connection with him. He nipped her lip and trailed biting kisses down her jaw and to her neck, and when he rolled on top of her and looked down at her, she could see it. He wouldn’t give up the word “love” easily, but damn, that man could make her feel it. His hair was shorter on the sides. He must have gotten a haircut while she was Changed. It was still longer on top, though, falling forward in front of his eyes. The green there had darkened to caramel brown. Hello, bear.
Up on locked, flexed arms, he offered her a small, sexy smile before he lowered himself and kissed her again. Vera ran her hands over the taut curves of his shoulders and triceps, then ran her nails down his back and gasped when he rolled his hips against hers in response.
“Pants in the way,” she panted, trying to shove them down his hips.
“Woman, stop,” he murmured through a smile. “I’m trying to take this slow with you.”
“Don’t want slow.” A growl rippled through her, and she clapped her hands over her mouth.