“I’m all for doing this as soon as possible.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. If you really don’t care about planning a large wedding—”
She scooted closer to the spot next to him. “I really don’t. All I care about is that the groom is willing and that the groom is you. I also like the idea of minimizing your pain.”
“I’m glad we can finally talk about this. It was too risky at the hospital. They’d have transferred me to the psych ward if they overheard us.”
She chuckled. “I know. Your parents were very helpful as far as telling me what to expect and answering all the questions I had. They were also extremely clear about my never allowing any conversations regarding paranormal life to be overheard.”
“Good. The timing kind of sucks, I know, but I can’t wait to marry you.” He moved a little closer. “I want to make love on our wedding night. It may require some creative positions.”
“I don’t want to cause you any pain—especially the first evening we’re married.”
“If that’s the case, it would mean putting off our wedding night for seventy-five days while I grow up in bird form all over again. It’s only the second-degree burns that hurt. The third-degree burns involve nerves, and there’s no feeling at all. Plus, I’ll be wearing these compression bandages.”
“I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”
“Good. I’m very glad to hear that. I want to make love to you, Misty. It’s all I can think about. I love you, deeply. I want to show you how much.” He leaned in and focused on her lips.
She tipped her face up, allowing him to take the lead. She had no idea how much pain a simple kiss might cause.
He puckered his lips carefully. The skin around them was already white and puckered from the burns. She imagined stretching it too far would cause even more pain. Yet he moved toward her and touched her lips with his. After a slight hesitation, he kissed her again, a little longer and harder. She wanted to cup the back of his head, but she didn’t know if that would hurt him or not.
At last, he leaned back and sucked in a deep breath.
“Did that hurt?”
“Not enough to keep me from doing it again.”
“Oh, Gabe. You don’t need to do anything to make me happy. Just the fact that you’re alive makes me happy.”
He smiled. “Now that we’ve decided to do this quickly, there’s one other thing I want to discuss.”
“Anything. What is it?”
“I want you to consider quitting your job. I don’t want to worry about you while I can’t do anything to help you.”
“But I need health insurance, just in case anything happens with the baby. I doubt I’ll be added to yours immediately, especially if you’re not working.”
“You’ll have mine as soon as we’re legally married.”
Misty thought that over. She imagined she’d be bored, but avoiding Adam or having to put up with his cold shoulder was becoming increasingly tedious. “Okay.”
“Okay?” He sounded surprised. His eyebrows would have lifted if he’d had any.
“Yes. If it will give you peace of mind, I’ll quit. I need to give two weeks’ notice, though. I’d like to have a good reference from my first job in case I want to go back to work somewhere else sometime.”
He seemed to be thinking it over. She wasn’t at all sure he was going to agree to that. “I don’t trust that slimy boss of yours. He’ll probably try to talk you out of it.”
“He can try, but he won’t succeed, Gabe.”
At last, he nodded. “Okay. A two-week notice isn’t too much to ask. I respect your decision to do things right.”
* * *
Before the bank opened, Misty approached her boss in his office.
