“Stop apologizing,” I say.
Like he has said to me many times before. I was sorry the first time we were bonded. He is sorry now. But he has no need to be. This is everything that I want.
He smiles. And then shivers. His earlier color is fading. His lips are turning blue. I lean forward and kiss him. He is cold. But he soon heats. His body presses against mine. He kisses me back with passion and love. It is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.
I break away and he gives a little whimper that I tuck away in my heart to keep forever. I watch his beautiful face as my power swirls through him and the cold leaves his body. That’s better. Now he can breathe like me and the ocean’s coldness won’t suck his life force away. Sammy is truly safe now.
He stares into my eyes and flashes me a cheeky grin. “We have to stop meeting like this.”
I smile back at him because it is impossible not to. I haven’t the heart to tell him what he has done. He doesn’t need to know the truth right now. There is plenty of time for him to learn that our bond can now never be broken.
Three times I have saved him from the water. Once when he first fell into my pool. Twice when Lello pushed him in. Thrice, just now, when he threw himself into the ocean so he could tell me that he loves me.
Three is a sacred number. There is nothing on earth strong enough to unweave our mating now. I am his, and he is mine. Mates. Forever.
“Can we talk, please? I love you and you love me, so can we please try to work it out?” says Sammy.
I hate that he feels the need to beg. It should never be that way between us. I loathe that he still thinks I don’t want him.
“I want to fix things more than anything in the world,” I say as my voice comes rushing back to me.
Sammy’s face lights up. Brighter than the sun, the moon and all the stars.
Mal is standing on the pebbled shore, under the pier, so I take Sammy over to him. He staggers as he climbs out of the water, so I keep my arms around him. His sopping wet clothes look very uncomfortable, but he doesn’t seem to care.
Mal’s dark eyes rake over us. “You pair of idiots alright?”
Sammy chuckles. “Yeah. Sorry for scaring you.”
Mal shakes his head in what looks like weary resignation. “I’ll leave you two to it then.”
He puts his hands in his pockets and strolls a short way up the beach. Just far enough to give us privacy. I guess he is still worried about Sammy. Maybe even me as well. Even though this close to the sea, nobody is going to catch me.
I turn my attention to Sammy. He is staring at me as if I’m the most amazing thing in the world.
“I’m sorry I said such shitty things to you,” I say.
I hope he can see how much I mean it. I can only pray that my eyes are reflecting a fraction of what I am feeling.
“I’m sorry I did such shitty things,” he replies.
He grins, but I can sense so much more from him. Our mate bond has reignited with vigor. Snapped back into place stronger than before. It has found the paths it had etched in our hearts and souls last time, and has flooded them with sparkling light.
“I want to be with you,” I say.
The bravest and most precious six words I have ever spoken.
A tidal wave of joy and elation rushes down the bond. Sammy’s eyes are shining.
“I want to be with you too,” he says.
We stare at each other for several heartbeats. Then Sammy chuckles joyously again.
“Oh my god, is it really as easy as that?”
I smile. “I guess so.”
Sammy shakes his head, but he is laughing. “We’ve been such idiots.”
