She shifts onto her knees, and I pull her over me. We groan together as she slowly sinks down on me.
“That’s it.” I cup her breasts as she rocks herself up and down. “Touch yourself for me.”
She slips one hand between her legs and rubs as she grinds herself on me. “Having you here in the flesh is so much better than doing it on my own,” she whispers.
“You touch yourself thinking about me?” I slide my hands to her waist and help her move faster.
“God, yes,” she moans, resting one hand on my chest and shifting her weight, grinding down on me from a different angle.
Her admission and the new angle flip my switch. “Em?—”
“Come with me,” she begs.
Thank God.My entire body jerks and shudders as release explodes through me.
“Yes, yes, yes,” she chants as if she’s enjoying my orgasm as much as her own.
Breathing hard, I pull her down on top of me, wrapping my arms around her tight. “Don’t ever disappear on me again,” I whisper against her hair. “Please.”
She pulls back and stares at me with shiny eyes. And somehow, I know she’s still scared.
She settles next to me, and I turn to face her. “I love you. It’s not the curse—or lack of one. It’syou.”
“Dec—”
“No.” I cut her off before she can offer any excuses. “I want to travel to all the haunted, spooky places you want to investigate. I want?—”
“What about your shop?”
I shrug. “Lucy can handle it. I’ll hire another artist. I can book spots at other shops when you and I are on the road. It’ll just take a bit of coordination.”
“You’d do that?” She frowns. “For me?”
“Well, someone needs to keep you out of cemeteries at night and help you carry all those heavy bags you lug around,” I tease, retreating into a lighter mode before I spook her. One thing at a time.
I sit up, searching for my jeans and grab a small box out of my pocket. As I fall back against the pillows next to her, she gasps and frowns at the box.
“Wh…what is that?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Emery
My breath stallsand my eyes widen until it hurts as I stare at the box in Declan’s hands.
Declan rolls over and passes the small white box to me.
I pry the lid off and breathe out a sigh of relief. It’s a white gold necklace. I pinch the chain between my fingers and slowly pull it up, revealing a solid skeleton key pendant suspended sideways on the gleaming chain. Complete with a sturdy clasp.
“This one’s solid gold. You don’t need the protection of iron anymore.” He picks up the delicate key between his big fingers and lets out a dry laugh. “Not that it worked.”
“It worked for a little while,” I whisper. “Did you make this?”
“Yes. I won’t need to work with iron or surround myself with it now. I want to make more high-end, lasting pieces. This is my first one.” He lifts the key and it seems to sparkle in the low light as it swings back and forth. “You unlocked the chains of my family’s past. Freed me.” He closes his eyes and shakes his head like he can’t come up with the right words. “You’re the key to my happiness.”
“You really mean that?” I ask, hating the pitiful note in my voice.
“Yes,” he says automatically without hesitation.
