He carried the candle to the right side of the bed and set it on the table. Before getting in, he pulled down the covers to the foot of the bed and tucked her legs beneath them. A recent HALO case was on his mind, but he pushed the thought aside to lie next to his woman. No interruptions, no appointments, no talking about work.
He nestled on his right side, resting his hand on her stomach. He missed the feel and look of her swollen belly from when she had carried his child—how womanly she’d looked, how stunning. She’d glowed with a light that shone from within. The chain he’d kept which allowed him to be intimate with Page without his energy hurting her hadn’t done anything in the way of bringing more children. Not that it mattered. Rose was enough.
“Can’t sleep?” she murmured, eyes still closed.
“I’m displeased about the tree.”
She smiled, tiny lines appearing at the corners of her mouth. “I’m sure it’s beautiful, and I can’t wait to see it.”
“I’m not good at such things. There were too many choices. Simon became a distraction.”
The sheets rustled when she turned on her side. “Did you take the presents down?”
“Yes.”
“Just for Rose,” she said firmly. “We promised not to get anything for each other. This is just for the kids.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Oui, mon ange.”
“So… I’m thinking this is the year.”
He raised his head and propped it in the palm of his hand. “For?”
“You know.”
He knew, and his heart leapt at her revelation that she was ready to become a Mage. He would no longer have to worry about simple things like infections, disease, or even a slip on the ice taking the woman he loved. Novis had agreed to make her a Mage, but they hadn’t ironed out the details. Normally Learners had to live with their Creators, who oversaw their training and education, but Justus had spent the past few years making sure that Page received the same kind of training and education he’d given Silver in hopes that it would sway Novis to relinquish his role and allow her to live independently.
“Can you speak to him?” she asked. “See if there’s some kind of test I have to go through to meet his requirements. I don’t want to live with Novis if that’s the deal. I realize that’s the Mage way, but this is my home, and I can’t leave my family behind. Especially Rose. Every day watching her grow is precious to me.”
“And you are certain you are ready? Is this what you want?”
He couldn’t bear the thought of outliving the only woman he cherished, but ultimately the choice was hers.
“You are my forever home, Justus. Of course it’s what I want. I just wasn’t ready until… well, after the car accident. It reminded me how unpredictable life is. One minute you’re here, and the next…”
He brushed a swath of her honey-brown hair away from her face and got lost in her dark eyes. They stood out, so wide and expressive. The same eyes he saw in their daughter. He was glad Rose had only inherited his blond hair. A little girl had no business resembling a brutish man like Justus.
“Plus I’m going into my thirties,” she continued. “I’m getting older than you.”
Justus smirked. He’d stopped aging at twenty-seven, but life was hard in those days, so he didn’t look as youthful as most modern men. He liked what a few years had done to Page, adding some character lines here and there.
“I will speak with him,” he finally said. “We’ll work something out. I will not allow you to move in with him; that is not an acceptable compromise. Novis is a fair man; he will understand. You’ve also made progress with your education and training. The only thing that will change is learning how to use your gifts.”
Page touched her finger to his lips. “I’m a good student, Mr. De Gradi. If I can endure five hours with you as my coach, I can doanything.”
He pulled her close, kissing her soft lips, which tasted of sweet fruit. “Anything?”
Page coaxed Justus onto his back and straddled him, her delicate fingers splayed across his bare chest. “Let me show you just how firm these thighs are,coach.”
Chapter 10
Simon and Ella
Simon stretchedout on the leather sofa, the warm firelight cocooning his body. He stared vacantly at the colorfully wrapped presents beneath the tree. Simon had grown up in England in a century when poverty was rampant. As a boy, he’d visit upscale neighborhoods at Christmastime and listen to the sounds of merriment inside as families gathered to celebrate, sing carols, or play the piano. Then he would return to his own home to find his father passed out drunk. A stranger had once taken pity and given him a sixpence as a charitable gesture, but Simon hadn’t used the money to buy himself candy or a good knife. He’d bought food.
When he grew older, he worked for aristocrats and experienced firsthand how the elite upper class celebrated their holidays. Yet the lavish production had never appealed to him. Even after becoming a Mage and earning a good living, he never saw the point. Christmas had turned into a marketing machine where children were spoiled with gifts and people stressed over the cost of things.
A decent bottle of wine and good company were all a man needed.
