Monqilcolnen ran his fingers through my hair, staring at me, before he palmed the back of my head. “I want you to myself. I don’t wish to share.”
I swallowed. “You don’t need to. Not with anyone.”
He nipped my nose. “I’m glad of that.”
“Can we just sleep?”
“Of course, Peace. We don’t need to do anything else. I need to hold you, though, after earlier.”
“I want you to hold me.”
We lay down together, and only after a moment, I shucked my shirt, with his help. Monqilcolnen and I stripped the rest of ourclothes off and slid beneath the sheets, cuddling close. I ran my finger down the center of his face. When I brushed his lips, he kissed my fingertip.
“I like this,” I confessed.
“As do I.”
“I liked speaking with your parents.”
“That I wasn’t as fond of.”
I swallowed. “Did you not want me to meet them?”
“Of course I did.” Monqilcolnen hooked his leg over my hip to keep me close. “I only wished they didn’t embarrass me.”
“I liked that,” I said with a soft smile. “It lets me see more of you. A different side.”
“You liked that?”
“I did.” I kissed him softly. “I need all of it.”
“All of what?”
“You. Every little piece, every fragment, every facet, every smile.”
A huge smile spread over his face. He pulled me closer and settled my head against his chest. “You can have it all, Wyn. All of me. Every cell of me belongs to you and only you.”
Chapter 35
A ping in the dark.
“No, he didn’t,” Wyn exclaimed, followed by peals of laughter.
I froze at the entrance of my quarters. Wyn was sitting on the couch, half bent over as he laughed hysterically. Cincin was glaring at him, ears flicking. Probably the noise was annoying her, but it was hard to know with the small house goddess.
“Yes, he thought he could tame a gon. The massive amphibian was less pleased by his efforts and attempted to eat him. Thankfully, he was too large,” Xapher said, chuckling. “He wasn’t the most intelligent when he was younger, but he is better now. I promise.”
“Xapher,” I snapped.
This scene had been repeated more than once. I had come back to my quarters to find Wyn speaking to one or both of my parents. They both loved to regale him with tales of my youth, almost as if they were both desperate to share everything about me with Wyn. Through the conversations, he was growing more and more comfortable with them. It soothed something deep within me. I was exceedingly close with them, and I wanted Wyn to love them as much as I did. However, they didn’t need to tell himeveryhorrible story of my youth.
“And the ender of fun is here,” they said.
I moved toward the couch and glared at Xapher. “I’m not ruining the fun. I merely dislike you telling embarrassing stories.” The one about the gon wasn’t the worst, but it was bad enough. As a kit, I’d thought every animal wished to be my friend or become my pet. Or more accurately, every wild animal. I’d had to be stopped on a great many occasions.
“Stories of your childhood are how your Wyn gets to know the child you,” Xapher said, crossing their arms. “And he deserves to know the child you. He deserves it all, and I will tell him.”
I couldn’t deny that, and it wasn’t because my xapher called Wyn mine. It wasn’t that at all. “Fine,” I replied, “but not all stories are complimentary.”
