“Attachments form subtly, Rune. Perhaps this should be about meaningless sex.”
“We both know that ship has sailed. Meaningless isn't going to happen.”
I leaned forward. “What was that last night? I mean, don't get me wrong. I enjoyed it. But you were not yourself.”
“I was upset by the situation we're dealing with.” His jaw clenched. “I shouldn't have gone to you like that, but I couldn't stay away.”
“You were upset? Rune, you couldn't speak. Or if you could, you didn't. Not until after you came the first time.”
“My hound was rising. It wanted to act, but our target was out of reach.”
“So you focused on a new target?”
“In a way.” Rune shrugged.
“It was sexy,” I said.
“It was?”
“You look surprised.”
“I didn't think you'd be into aggressive men.”
“I'm into you, Rune. Aggressive, tender, whatever you are in the moment.”
His expression rippled through emotions, then settled on soft. “I'm into you too. All you are, Lora.”
“Good.”
“Thank you for accepting me as I was last night.”
“We all need someone to see us as we are and accept us anyway.”
“Yeah, we do.”
“Bananas foster french toast,” the waitress said as she deposited my breakfast before me. “And the chicken fried steak and eggs for you, sir. Enjoy.”
We eyed each other's plates, then said simultaneously, “Can I have a bite?”
Laughing, we shoved the plates into the middle of the table and feasted on them both.
Chapter Eleven
I only have now, I thought to myself as I stared at the towering wall of glass before me.There is only this moment. Now, this moment. And this moment. On and on it will go. A series of moments. But now is all they are. There is no sense in worrying about the future.
Holding Rune's hand while we watched deep sea marine life float by, I felt the now sharply. Like a knife in the gut. Or maybe a two-sided sword would be more accurate. One edge was sweet, so blissfully sweet. And the other stung like a bitch. Why did Rune have to be so perfect for me?
I had to remind myself that he was perfect for the now me. Rune might lose his shine after a few decades. I could change. He could change. What am I talking about? There was no “could” about it. We had to change to survive eternity. Like the shark swimming past us, if we stopped moving, we'd be dead in the water.
I knew from experience that such changes could destroy relationships.
So, I had to embrace the now and be happy with it. Even if there were no Hermes, my relationship with Rune would most likely have been temporary. I should just pretend that was the case. That Hermes wasn't an issue.
Rune leaned down to whisper in my ear, “Is it wrong that I want to shove you into one of these dark nooks, lift your skirt, and slide into you?”
A shiver ran through me. The man knew how to make a woman want him.
“With all the children around, yes, it's wrong,” I whispered back. “But a quick kiss wouldn't be.”
