She actually admitted that she liked talking to me.
And thank God she didn't have the ability to read my mind because then she would know that I was essentially in the midst of an adolescent train of thought.
"Unless you want me to leave," she said.
"No, I don't want you to leave."
"Okay." She picked up her fork and cut a bite from the omelet. She put it in her mouth, chewing for a few seconds before cutting her eyes to Callum. After she swallowed, she asked, "What exactly did you put in this?"
"Onions, cheese, and ham."
"Anything else?"
"A pinch of salt, pepper, and dill. Why?"
"Because it's delicious and you said you couldn't cook."
He grinned. "Compared to Marcus, I don't cook. And I'm kinda lazy, so I prefer for him to do the cooking. I don't mind dropping the dishes in the dishwasher after. It takes less time and effort."
Merry grinned and continued to eat the omelet.
"Want one?" Callum asked.
I shook my head. "Can I speak to you for a moment? Privately?"
With a sigh, he turned off the stovetop and followed me out the back door.
When I faced him, he spoke before I could, "I give you my solemn vow that I didn't subvert Merry's free will."
Callum might joke and make smart-assed remarks but when he gave a vow or a promise, he meant it. And he kept it.
"Okay. Then what in the hell did you tell her to make her decide to stay?"
"I told her what you should have told her."
"She wouldn't have listened to me last night, no matter what I said."
"That's probably true," he agreed. He stared at me for a moment and took a big step back. "I told her about Tomas. And how you can't control the connection when your guard is down."
I understood the step back now. Because I wanted to punch him in the face. Badly enough that I clenched my fists.
"It kept her from leaving," he pointed out.
"Why?"
He groaned and clutched his head in a dramatic fashion. "Are you really that dense?"
"I don't understand."
"Okay, so you are that dense," he said, dropping his hands to his sides. "She likes you, Marcus. She thinks you're hot and, as she said, she likes to talk to you."
"But I violated her privacy."
"She was looking for a reason to stay and I gave her one. Yes, she felt like you didn't have a right to look into her mind, as anyone sane would, but she also understood that it wasn't by choice. You weren't trying to be sneaky or force your way into her dreams, it just happened."
"And that's it? She's just going to let it go? Forget it ever happened?"
"Meh," Callum replied, twisting his hand side-to-side. "Don't forget that we're going to ask Ava to make her an amulet to protect her mind while she sleeps. It should be enough to keep even you out of her head. Now, go call Ava, take a shower, and try not to make things weirder than they already are. I know that's difficult for you, but try your best."
