He noticed my retreat and growled. As I turned to flee, he snatched me around the waist, throwing me over his shoulder. I squealed, kicking my feet and half-heartedly pounding on his back. “Let me down, you beast!” He swatted at my ass.
“Never.” He slapped my ass again, harder this time. I flinched, but heat spread throughout my stomach at the action. I stopped resisting, instead squirming against his hold.
He tossed me onto the bed on my back, immediately laying his body over mine.
“I’m building us that new bed tomorrow.” He grumbled before pressing his lips to mine.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, arching into him. I mumbled against his mouth “We might as well wreck this one, then.”
“You wicked, wicked creature. I like the way you think.”
We didn’t speak any more after that.
Epilogue
Later: Fiella
A book fell from the shelf on the far wall with a heavythunk, startling me from my inventory notes. A small cloud of dust plumed in the air.
“Hey, knock it off, Pumpkin,” I shouted. The mischievous orange cat had been coming around the shop a lot lately. I liked to think of him as Sookie’s boyfriend, but I didn’t dare say that out loud in her presence.
Sookie was a strong, independent lady cat who didn’t need a man, and she made sure I remembered that.
As I glanced over my shoulder to glare at the troublemaking critter, I noticed that a piece of paper had fluttered to the floor and landed by my feet.
I smiled to myself.Another letter from my mate.
I snatched the paper off the rug and unfolded it, eagerly reading its contents before clutching it to my chest and letting out a deep, satisfied sigh. Redd sure had a way with words.
I gently tossed the letter onto the growing pile I kept in a basket under my worktable. Redd and I had continued our handwritten correspondence, and every time I found one of his letters, my entire body flushed with warmth and my soul glowedwith love. Nothing made me happier. Well… almost nothing. I supposed the letters could be topped by the vampire who wrote them.
I absentmindedly tucked my freshly colored blue hair behind my ear. I had grown fond of the color and had convinced Kizzi to brew me a bluebell tonic so I could keep the tint in my strands. This time, my nails had also turned blue, the color creeping up my fingertips. I wasn’t upset about it.
Redd strolled in the door, two steaming mugs and a pastry pouch in hand. The scent of herbs and sugar filled the air, followed by mint and sandalwood.
“Oh, thank the gods,” I called out, reaching toward the mug with both hands.
“Hello to you, too,” he answered, holding the bounty out of my reach while he dropped a kiss onto my forehead. I tilted my head back, catching his lips in a quick kiss.
“I mean–hello, mate. I am thrilled to see you, as always. Thank you.” I smiled.
“Much better,” he teased. He finally placed the tea in my hands and the pouch of pastries on the counter.
Pumpkin rubbed against Redd’s ankles, purring. Redd knelt down and scratched the cat’s chin. He noticed the book on the floor, his letter on top of my pile. “That’s a good boy, Pumpkin. Nicely done,” he cooed.
“Meowwww!”
Redd straightened to his full height, brushing his knees off. “We’ve been working on that one for days now.”
I rolled my eyes. “You trained the cat to deliver your letters for you? Unbelievable.”
He grinned. “You’re just mad that you didn’t think of it first.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Laughing to myself, I turned back to my inventory notes. I had been working relentlessly, traveling to other towns topurchase knick knacks and getting everything in order for the Fiella’s Finds grand re-opening. I needed it to beperfect.My parents had helped, as did Redd’s family. We were splitting time between organizing my shop and refurbishing Redd’s new warehouse.
The work never ended.
