Page 74 of Protected By the Elf Prince

“I like the time we’ve had together, and… I don’t want to be away from you.”

I stilled as the confession landed like a prayer and a gift.

“I want to keep spending time with you. Keep seeing you. All the time.” He lowered his voice. “I-I care about you, Dashiel. So much.”

The final words nearly brought me to my knees.

“Landon….” I had no other words because I was feeling so much, and to tell him everything I felt could scare him.

He grinned up at me and went onto his tiptoes to press his mouth briefly against mine. “I know,” he said. “You’ve been honest the whole way. I know exactly how you feel. It’s just taken me longer.”

“I would wait forever if I had to,” I told him.

He kissed me again with a light peck before we deepened it into a slow and tender rhythm.

When we parted, his cheeks were slightly flushed. He blew out a breath. “I don’t know everything…. I’ve never done this before.” His laugh sounded embarrassed.

A smile tugged at my lips. “I know.”

Landon looked up at me. “I want to keep exploring this with you in every possible way, and….”

My heart skipped a beat.

His blush deepened. “And….” He let out a frustrated groan.

Emotion lodged painfully in my throat as his smile turned shy. It was a look so rare, it stole my breath.

“Dashiel, I want to complete the bond.”

Everything stopped.

The world.

Time.

Thought.

For one glorious moment, everything simply stopped.

Hope exploded through me.

Bright enough to hurt.

Gods.

He was choosing me.

Not because Fate demanded it.

Because he wanted to.

My hands found his face. “Are you sure?” The question emerged softly, and it wasn’t because I doubted him. I just I needed to hear it.

Landon didn’t hesitate; he nodded. “Yeah.” Then, on a whisper, he said, “Take me to your bedroom, please.”

For one long moment, I simply stared at him.

At the man Fate had chosen.