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I swallowed. “With me. Tonight. If you want. The bed is large enough to fit almost eight people. Besides, I don’t think the couch is comfortable. Even for you.”
“It’s fine,” he said, straightening.
My heart dropped, along with my face. He’d never denied me before. I hadn’t realized how spoiled I was. I had truly messed this up. My chest burned.
Samkiel grinned. “I mean, it’s fine as long as I don’t move much.”
I let out a silent sigh of relief. “Come on. I promise to be on my best behavior.”
“Okay, if you are sure.” Wariness flickered in his tired eyes, but he grinned and followed me upstairs.
We entered the room, and the lights came on, a dull glow emanating from the corners of the room. Samkiel sat on the edge of the bed. He yawned again and ran his fingers through his hair.
“I’ll take a shower first, then you can.”
He nodded and flopped back on the bed.
I grabbed something to change into and padded barefoot across the stone floor to the bathroom. For the first time in a while, I feel lighter. Talking about Gabby had smoothed the jagged edges of my grief. I knew I would never be healed or whole, but the dull ache in my chest had eased. I didn’t want to waste time in the giant bath, so I stepped into the glass-walled shower.
After washing the salt from my skin and hair, I headed to the sink to brush my teeth. My reflection stared back at me. My irises flashed red, and I dropped my toothbrush. Startled, I jumped back but then stepped forward again. I leaned close to the mirror, pulling at my lower lid, but my eyes remained their normal hazel color. Longing to feel the tingle of power, I tried to force the change, but as all the times before, nothing happened. I could have sworn I saw it, but maybe I was going crazy. I sighed and scrunched my face at my reflection before turning away.
The lights in the bedroom came back on when I entered. I pulled the towel from my hair and put it on the closest ottoman. Samkiel had changed while I was gone. I assumed he had used that very handy godly magic to clean up. His dark tank and matching lounge pants almost matched mine. He sprawled out on his stomach, his head turned away from me, and his massive arms hidden beneath the pillow.
I walked around to the other side of the bed, running my fingers through my damp hair. Samkiel’s eyes were closed, his mouth barely open, and his short dark hair stuck up in different directions. Moving as quietly as I could, I slipped onto the bed and grabbed the thick comforter, pulling it up over us.
“You’re going to get saltwater in the bed,” I said, my voice quiet. I slid my hand beneath my head as I watched him.
“I changed.” His reply was sleep riddled, his eyes remaining closed. “You took too long.”
“Sorry, Your Majesty.”
The corners of his lips twitched. The lights dimmed until they went off, darkness settling over us. So many nights, they would do that, and I would jerk awake, unable to handle the absolute darkness. Now, hearing Samkiel’s steady breathing, knowing he was just a hair’s breadth away from me, and I wasn’t alone for once, I felt nothing but peace.
“Thank you for today.” It was a whisper in the dark, but oh, so much more.
I couldn’t see him because my powers were temporarily hiding, but I heard a soft movement.
“You’re welcome.”
I closed my eyes, a mischievous smile playing on my lips. Maybe it was the day, how comfortable I felt, or the fact that I could finally relax, but I couldn’t resist teasing him. “I promise not to wake you up with my mouth in the morning. You obviously need your beauty sleep.”
The muffled laugh he let out was downright devious. “I assure you if you're ever feeling generous, you always have my permission.”
Liquid heat pooled between my thighs. I kicked him under the covers. His laugh vibrated the bed, and I soon joined him. We lay in the quiet for a moment, the calm contentment a balm on my soul.
“Samkiel?”
“Hm?”
I swallowed the growing lump in my throat. “Can you promise to come back? It’s just better when you are here. Even if we are fighting.”
It was silent for a moment, and I was afraid he’d fallen asleep. Then I heard his hand slide across the bed and felt his finger wrap around mine.
“Pinky promise.”
He kept his finger interlocked with mine under the pillow between us. My eyes closed, and for the first time in a really long while, I fell asleep without fear of what dreams I would have. I just slept and rested, but I could have sworn in the middle of the night we moved, could have sworn his hands wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me to him, my body fitting against his as if I were made for him. I could have sworn he had held me, and for once, it didn’t feel like my entire world was broken.
Sixty-Four
