Page 130 of Ex Somnis

“Paul.”

“But I’m accepting it now. You choose them and me. Which means I choose them too.” His hand leaves my cheek and settles slowly between us, palm up. Not quite a handshake, more an offering. “I want to make a soul contract with you.”

I look at his palm. “What? Why?”

“I may not be your tether yet. I understand what that is now and what it isn’t. I’m not that for you, not yet. But I am your soulmate, and I want you to believe me when I say I will always put you first, as well as the people you love.

“Paul.”

“I would die for you, Lennon Maes. And if the way for you to be happy is with them, then that is how I build my life too. I’ll see them as friends, brothers, and my family. I’ll keep this family safe, sane, and as happy as the three complicated beings that we are capable of being.”

A laugh catches in my throat.

“My heart and my life are yours. If you want them.” He raises his palm a little higher in offering.

He is offering me his life. Not a deal. Not a trade. Not a clinical calculation or a careful hedge. Paul Bennett, who runs on certainty, is standing in front of me with his palm up, not knowing what I’ll do.

Not knowing that I love him for all he is and all he’s offering.

I look at his hand again, but I don’t take it.

Instead, I go up on my toes and wrap my arms around his neck. He immediately pulls me in, and the sound he makes is almost desperate. His face is in my hair when I notice that I’m crying again, a little.

“I love you, Lennon. I love you so much.”

“I love you more,” I whisper into his shirt, and something blooms in my chest when I say it. Not warm how Ridge is warm, not easy the way Nevan is easy. Steady.

The steadiness of a man who knew I was his since before I even knew he existed.

The cord pulls taut and settles like it was always there, like it was waiting for me to stop being afraid of it. A fourth point of light, a third cord pulling me home, and the pull is strong.

Holy shit.

Paul sets me down gently and looks at me with wide eyes, then looks down between us with a slight frown, before reaching up and planting a hand on his chest.

“Is that?”

“A tether.” My voice is a little unsteady. “You’re my tether.”

Tears shine in his eyes, and I know he’s about to kiss me.

“Guys, I hate to interrupt, but the baby boy just woke up.”

We both turn to find that Nevan is gone. Left are only the marker and a gummy bear covered in black spider drawings. Paul sees them about a half second after I do.

He makes a sound I have never heard him make before and disappears with a plop.

I stare at the space where he was.

“Shit, okay, that was mean, even for my standards, but I couldn’t resist.” Ridge chuckles, then completely loses it, and I look at him.

I can’t help it and start laughing too. When we calm down, his gaze finds mine again. He’s still smiling with the full devastation of him. He closes the distance before he puts his hands on my hips and pulls me in. “Looks like we’re alone again, sweetheart. Where were we? Ah yeah, you wanted to sit on my dick.”

I put one finger against his lips. “Shush.”

“You’re right.” He grabs my wrist and sucks my finger into his mouth, letting his tongue glide around it as if it were one of his lollipops before letting it plop out of his mouth again. “I think it’s time to wake up.”

He steps back, letting go of my wrist, but then holds out a hand, not a deal or a contract, just the offer of holding it. “After you,” he says when I take it, squeezing my hand.