“I should be mad at you still,” I murmur into his skin, too boneless to move.
“You bit me, too, you know,” he murmurs, grinning like a fool as he rubs the spot where I nicked him.
“Lightly. You’ll survive.”
I sniff. But I’m so happy I can’t keep up the façade of aloofness.
“Barely.”
I huff a laugh, fingers tracing lazy circles over the center of his chest, right above where his heart lives.
“So, does this mean we’re claiming each other now?” I ask, even though I’m sure Witches or whatever the magic I’ve inherited makes me, don’t actually do that.
His chest rumbles.
“Oh, Honey. You’ve been mine since the moment I saw you standing inside The Cookie Hive under the glow of those fluorescent lights with powdered sugar on your cheek.”
Eb kisses the top of my head then and he leans in and whispers, “You’re not just my mate, Marigold. You’re my forever.”
And this time, I believe him.
Because the truth is, he’s my forever too.
Chapter 24
Eb
She’s draped over me like a warm blanket made of honey, cinnamon and sex.
Everything I never knew I needed.
My Badger is smug as hell right now. Purring like he’s just won the honey lottery.
Honestly? Same.
The tree glows beside us. Cookie ornaments—her cookie ornaments courtesy of a meddling matchmaking Witch—twinkle in the light like they’re blessing the union.
Outside, snow falls like we’re living in a Hallmark card.
Inside, I’ve got a naked goddess tangled in my limbs, my mark on her shoulder, and the taste of her still lingering on my tongue.
I stroke a hand down her back, memorizing every curve.
“Hey,” I say, voice still a little hoarse from the event we just lived through.
She hums, eyes closed.
“You should probably know something.”
“Mmm? What’s that Badger Boy?”
“Badger Boy?” I choke and she giggles.
A little tickling ensues, and I roll over on top of her, my hands pinning hers to the soft rug.
She grins, and then I feel it. Her thigh sliding against my hardening cock, teasing me until I forget she’s stronger than she looks.
Marigold flips our positions.
