His arms went around my back, pulling me closer. Tighter.
Something within me ached so fiercely at the thought of all the time I'd lost with this man. All the stress and sadness and pain I'd gone through, when I could've just been with him.
There was no way to go back, but he was here now, and I didn'thaveto let him go. Not now. Not ever.
"You don't believe that."
"I do." My voice was soft, at first. Then louder. "I do, okay? I want you. I want this messy, wild,funthing that we have together. Threatening werewolves and fucking in bathrooms included. If fate disagrees... then screw fate. Let's make the vows. Let's seal a mate bond, here and now. Let's do it. All of it."
His lips met mine, the kiss slow and sweet and soft until he pulled away. "You're running on two hours of sleep and enough electrolytes to power an army. I want this too, but I want it the right way. With a big party. With you wearing a silver dress that I want to kill everyone else for seeing you in. With Larson beaming and Callum threatening me. With you having no doubts."
"I don't have doubts."
His lips curved slightly. "You do."
"Maybe tiny ones."
"I'd be surprised if you didn't."
"For the record, it'snotyour fault that everything nearly went wrong that night. Larson knew better than to do what he did. I knew better than to throw all of my energy into an unknown spell that was tethered to someone else. You were the one who knew my magic well enough to keep all of us alive. It's your fault that we're all still living and breathing."
"I could've been wrong. I think about that all the time. Maybe I wasn't feeling your magic at all. Maybe I was just fucking desperate. Maybe I did risk your life."
"There are always going to be maybes.Maybeit's time to accept that everyone in that room did the best we could at the moment, and move on."
"Maybe it is."
I kissed him, lightly, before pulling away. "And maybe it's time to fix the rain for good."
"Maybe." Niall's answer was more hesitant, that time.
"And maybe it's time for you to let me fuck you, because my magic is driving me insane for sitting here on the floor."
He lifted an eyebrow. "Since when do Iletyoudo anything?"
"Good point," I said against his lips, and kissed him again.
twenty-one
LIV
Niall peeledhis shirt over my head and dropped it on the floor. His hands skimmed my bare chest, gliding slowly over my nipples with something akin to worship in his eyes.
"You're so fucking distracting, Livvy," he said in a gravelly voice. "It's a miracle anyone gets anything done with these perfect tits around."
I laughed, and he gave me a grin that was all beast as he lowered me to the tile, placing my head against the t-shirt to cushion it.
"God, I love you," I said with a smile.
"No gods. Just us." He positioned himself over me, still wearing that grin and a pair of shorts as his gaze swept over my face like he wanted to remember this. The way I looked beneath him. The way we weretogether. "Did you see the new painting in our room?"
"No. I was too busy panicking when I woke up alone. What is it?"
His grin widened. "You'll see."
"Don't tease me."
"Someone has to." He lowered his mouth to my breasts and slowly dragged his tongue around one of my nipples. I arched, trying to get closer to him as I buried my fingers in his hair. He pinned my back to the ground with a hand to my ribcage.
