Brooke had made that possible. There was no way I could let her go now just because I couldn’t adjust to her lifestyle. Not in a million years. She made me whole, a sensation I never thought I would experience. I’d move mountains for her.
My torn shirt hanging off my body, I hugged her to me. I stroked her hair, her back, her shoulders.
“I love you,” she murmured against my chest.
My whole body froze.
Her arms squeezed me tighter. “I know it’s probably something you don’t want to hear, but it’s true.” She pressed her face to my sternum. “I know I’m probably not what you’d want in a mate long-term, but I can’t help the way I feel. And I…I just wanted you to know that.”
She didn’t think she was something I’d want in a mate long-term? Disbelief making my movements slow, I leaned away from her and took her elbows in my hands. At first, she resisted the separation of our bodies but then tilted her head enough to look up at me. Tears welled in her eyes.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
I kissed her to make sure she wouldn’t apologize for loving me ever again, pouring every emotion I had for her into it—thankful. So very thankful. Her memories had helped me control the beast inside me. Her calm tempered me. Her presence in my life made me a better person.
I couldn’t stop kissing her, couldn’t stop the emotions churning and swelling inside me.
I love you. I love you. I love you.
She gasped, her breath catching in my mouth, then tore her lips from mine. “I can feel you.”
I shook my head, not understanding. The bond between us? It had been there for a while now.
“Your emotions.” Shaking her head like she wanted to clear it, she whispered, “I can feel them. They’re so strong now.”
I stilled.Yes, there. Our bond had grown exceptionally powerful over the past few minutes, and there were new things there. I felt her hesitancy, her love…her everything.
33
BROOKE
I could hardly believe it.His emotions came to me as clear as day—love, gratitude, peace, concern… Each had a different flavor, melding into each other, but I could feel them all. The emotions passed from him to me through our bond, a bond that now connected us from head to toe.
My heart raced. Sensing his emotions was like coming home, like everything was perfect in the world even though it was far from it. The impressions I’d been getting from him before, where I’d understood what he was feeling, I’d thought I’d imagined them.
But this… He loved me. He didn’t want to let me go.
My arms squeezed him tight against me. Nothing had ever felt so good. Nothing. Not even sex. This connection we had, it meant everything. And there was no way I could ever give it up. Not without a fight.
I poured every bit of love I had for him through our bond. I closed my eyes and thought of all those special moments we had together at his cabin, how much I loved being there with him, how I loved the calm and tranquility of the place, how I would give anything to go back there again and recapture those quiet moments between us.
He gasped, then held me tighter. His lips pressed in my hair. I felt impressions of myself, of me sitting on the dock or him just watching me sleep. I felt his joy at being able to take care of me, to make me dinner and hold me. Every new emotion made moisture pool in the corner of my eyes. His feelings were so beautiful, his intent clear. It was like some sort of song we were singing to each other, our own melody.
We were going to make this relationship work. I believed it with my whole being. We could split our time between his cabin, my place, wherever. It didn’t matter. As long as we were together, nothing would get in our way.
I didn’t know how long we stayed that way. It could have been hours. When, at last, I lifted my head, Kane’s eyes were glistening too. Lifting my hand, I brushed at the corner of his eye. He smiled. I did too, a goofy smile that made my cheeks hurt. This bond between us was more powerful than anything I’d ever experienced.
Behind us, the door opened. We turned together. I’d forgotten where we were.
Landon stood at the door, hesitating. Kane stiffened, but this time, the tension in his body remained manageable.
“Since I didn’t hear any roaring or screaming, I thought perhaps all is well?” Landon phrased the statement as a question.
“Yes,” I replied, my arms tight around Kane. Not because I thought he’d attack—his state of mind remained calm—but because with our emotions so raw, I needed him close. When his hand skimmed down my spine, a purr rumbled through me.
Landon held a bundle of clothing in his arms. “Thought you might need these.” He extended his hand. “Workout clothes.”
When Kane glanced down at himself, I felt his shame. Not only was his shirt torn, but his jeans had split down the sides as well. His regret stabbed me. I also knew he wouldn’t allow it to happen again. I could feel his control, and his recognition that our bond made him stronger.
