He turned his face slightly to press a kiss to my palm, his eyes never leaving mine. “You are a remarkable woman, Clara Bellweather.”
“I’m a woman who knows what she wants,” I corrected him. “And it’s not Mark from 3A.”
A slow smile spread across his face, transforming his features with a warmth that made my heart swell. “I’m… glad to hear it.”
“You should be,” I teased, “since I’ve already made these brownies for you. It would be a shame to have to find another minotaur to share them with.”
He laughed then, a full, rich sound that filled my small kitchen. “I believe we’ve established that we’re rather rare.”
“One of a kind, as far as I’m concerned,” I said, rising on tiptoe to press another quick kiss to his lips.
The brownies cooled as we moved to my small living room, his large frame making my furniture look almost dollhouse-sized in comparison. But he’d grown more comfortable in my space over the weeks, finding ways to adapt without complaint.
We talked for hours, the earlier tension completely dissolved, replaced by the easy comfort that had been growing between us since that first text exchange. As evening fell, he reluctantly prepared to leave, helping me package the brownies for tomorrow’s dinner.
“I’ll bring these,” I promised, handing him the covered dish. “Seven o’clock, right?”
He nodded, donning his hat and coat for the journey back to his labyrinth. “I’ll be waiting.”
At the door, he paused, turning to me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. “Clara, I…” he began, then stopped, seeming to wrestle with himself.
“What is it?” I prompted gently.
He took a deep breath. “I want you to know that I understand if someday you decide that this—that I—am too complicated. Too difficult to integrate into your life.”
My heart clenched at the vulnerability in his voice. “Rion?—”
He held up a hand to stop me. “Please, let me finish. I just want you to know that I would understand. Your happiness matters to me, even if… even if it’s not with me.”
I stepped closer, placing my hand on his chest. “I appreciate that. I do. But I need you to understand something too.” I looked up into his dark eyes, willing him to believe me. “I’ve never felt more myself than I do with you. More alive. More seen. Whatever complications come with loving a minotaur, they’re worth it to me.”
His breath caught audibly at the word “loving,” his eyes widening slightly.
“Yes, I said it,” I continued, feeling suddenly bold. “I’m falling in love with you, Rion. Not in spite of what you are, but because of who you are. All of you.”
For a moment, he stood perfectly still, and I feared I’d gone too far, too fast. But then his arms were around me, lifting me effortlessly until we were face to face, his expression more open and vulnerable than I’d ever seen it.
“Clara,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.
“Too much?” I asked softly, suddenly uncertain.
He shook his head, a smile breaking across his face like sunrise. “Perfect,” he said simply. “You’re perfect.”
He kissed me then, a kiss that felt like a promise, like a beginning. When he finally set me down, we were both breathless.
“Tomorrow,” he said, his voice husky.
“Tomorrow,” I agreed, watching as he reluctantly stepped into the hallway.
I closed the door behind him, leaning against it with a smile I couldn’t have suppressed if I’d tried. The day had taken an unexpected turn—from brownies to jealousy to something that felt very much like a declaration of love.
And through it all, one thing had become crystal clear: my heart had chosen its path. It was a path that led through a labyrinth, guided by a minotaur whose gentle strength and quiet dignity had captured me completely.
Whatever challenges lay ahead—and I knew there would be many—I would face them with Rion by my side. Because easy wasn’t better. Normal wasn’t what I wanted.
What I wanted was him. All of him. Horns, fur, complications, and all.
Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.
