Chapter
Two
MERRI
The soft drag of Grim’s fingers across my face pulled me out of the dreamlike afterglow the two of us shared. He didn’t say anything. Simply touched me over and over. Like he was afraid I’d disappear if he stopped. Or that his ability to do so would fade.
My lips curled up in a lazy smile as my eyelids fluttered open. “That feels nice.”
His eyes were intense as they tracked the movement of his fingers. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it.”
“You touched me all the time in our dreamwalks,” I murmured, but I knew what he meant. This was different.
“Yes, but I always knew I’d have to let you go and return to a life where your skin on mine wasn’t a reality.”
I turned my head and pressed a soft kiss to his fingertips. “It’s our reality now.”
My words were soft and teasing, but his expression remained intense as his gaze bored into mine.
“Because you’re my mate,” he rasped.
Even though sincerity laced every word, I couldn’t help the flicker of doubt. He’d denied us before. Who was to say he wouldn’t change his mind now?
“None of that,” he said, voice stern. “I can see the worry in your eyes, wildflower. Doubt crept in and choked the confidence right out of you.”
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I said, “Sor?—”
He brushed his thumb over my lips, stopping my apology before it could fully form. “You don’t owe me a single apology, Merri. My actions and callous words created the cracks in your trust. I will spend the rest of my life proving myself and making it up to you.”
I didn’t respond. My throat wouldn’t allow any sound to escape because of the emotion stuck there. So I reached up and cupped the nape of his neck and pulled him to me, crushing my lips to his. The noise he made, surprised and hungry, reawakened the lust in me I’d thought sated, and it wasn’t long before my legs were wrapped around his hips and we were poised to start round two.
Before Grim could do more than tease my entrance, the door flew open and Sin barged inside.
“Time’s up!”
“Get out,” Grimsby growled.
“No can do, amigo.” He hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “Band meeting’s been called.”
“Whose band?” I asked, not bothering to hide my nudity as I begrudgingly moved out from under Grim. He protested by wrapping an arm around my waist and tugging my body into the cradle of his.
It took Sin a second to pull his gaze up from my breasts, an unrepentant smirk on his lips. “Not a real band, kitten. But definitely a meeting, and one neither of you can miss.” Sin winked before he glanced toward the door, then he returned hisgaze to me and said, “I’m just gonna stay here until the two of you are dressed and ready for polite company. Chop chop. As much as I love the view, Merri, I will not be distracted by your perfect tits this time.”
A soft rumble built in Grim’s chest as a giant shadow hand manifested in front of Sin. It didn’t take a genius to predict what was about to happen.
Before Death and Famine could get into a fight, I pressed my palm to Grim’s chest. “He’s right. We need to go check in with everyone. I’m woefully out of the loop, but I also have information to share. We don’t have time to waste.”
His silver gaze was molten, a slight frown pulling at his lips before he sighed and nodded. “Fine.”
“Uh, guys?” I glanced around the sparse room.
“Yeah, kitten?”
“I don’t have anything to wear other than that robe, and it’s all bloodied.”
Grim snagged his button-up shirt off the floor and handed it to me. “Wear this. You’ll look better in it than I do by leaps and bounds.”
I raised a brow as I pulled it on. “Does that mean you’re going shirtless?”
