Page 78 of Secrets & Spells

“Good. You know I can see why this is your favourite night of the year.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmm hmm.” He brushes the hair back from my face to cup my cheek. “Dancing under the stars with you is quickly becoming my new favourite thing.” The tip of his tongue darts out to wet his lower lip, and he looks a little… nervous? “I know it’s fast, or maybe it’s only fast in the human world and we’ve actually been moving slow for supes, but I was wondering, hoping really, that you would move in with me.”

“Really? You’re ready for that?” While Jared may have been happy to complete the mate bond, I didn’t want to assume he’d automatically want to move in with me.

“Yes, we’re essentially married now, right? More than married, really. You’re the woman I want to spend forever with. I’d like to start that now, with your face being the last thing I see every night and the first thing I see every morning.” He takes a deep breath in an obvious effort to stop rambling. It’s cute. “So, will you?”

“Of course I’ll move in with you.” Other than picking up a bag of clothes and other essentials I’ve not been back to my cottage since my encounter with The Raven, and I haven’t missed it. While I’ll always be grateful for the respite those walls gave me, it’s not big enough for me and Jared. I already decided that whenever Jared was ready for us to start living together that I would have Guppy rent the place out. The extra income will help Jared and me save to buy somewhere together when the time is right.

“How soon do you think we can make that happen?” he asks.

A soft laugh escapes me. “You know, you’re pretty eager for someone who wanted to take things slow.”

“That was before. Now we’re bonded. You’re mine and I’m yours, no second-guessing or holding back because I’m scared. I’m all in, Selene, today and always. I love you.”

Rising onto my tiptoes, I seal my lips to his in a passionate kiss, and our mouths fit together like puzzle pieces because we were always meant to find each other.

When we come up for air, Jared rests his forehead against mine. “I love you too, you know,” I tell him, stroking his cheek.

He kisses me again, softer this time, and this closing night of the Halloween festival becomes my favourite out of every one I’ve attended, simply because I’m here with Jared.

Full of gratitude that fate brought me my perfect match, I rest my head against Jared’s chest, right over the spot where my mark adorns his skin. We sway in time to the music and here, underneath a blanket of stars, surrounded by my family and our closest friends, the promise of a magical life together hangs between us. No secret or spell was big enough to keep us apart, and now that we’re bonded, nothing ever will.