Page 95 of A Sweet Destruction

Ford’s eyes widened to an almost comical degree. “You sneaky little…”

For years, I’d complained that my pillows were too soft and no one listened to me about getting new ones, enough that Ford would eventually throw one at my head just to get me to shut up.

“They smelled like you!” I could practically see the Bond giving me a standing ovation, hooting and hollering to its heart’s content, proud that I was admitting to this. I was a little proud of myself, too. “It was the only way I could—”

Whatever else I was going to say was lost in a mumble against Ford’s chest. He crushed me too him, one hand on the back of my head and the other on the center of my back.

A HUG!!!!! The Bond screamed, lighting up like a firework.

It certainly felt like tiny fireworks were going off in my bloodstream, turning me into one big glob of energy. The trickle of Ford’s scent that had worked its way up my nose in the bath last night hadn’t quite left—just dangled there, strong enough to tempt me but not enough for me to grasp.

Against the warmth of his neck, it hit me like a gut punch. My knees buckled and all I could do was throw my arms around him and hug him back.

“You can have whatever you want from now on.” Ford dropped the words onto the top of my head, ruffling my hair. I felt my stomach swoop, like that moment right as Sky took off on a jump.

The Bond giggled like a schoolgirl.

I knew what all of this added up to, logically. The physical and emotional symptoms of total insanity, something close to the obsession I’d once felt but more sincere.

I could deal with what that meant later. I couldn’t deal with it until I could give Ford the answer he was looking for.

It required an immense deal of self-restraint not to jump on him this very moment, especially as Ford’s hands pulled me a little closer. As my chin tilted up so that my lips were against the warm skin of his neck.

This time, when Ford pulled away, I let the sound of frustration out.

“The first thing I thought when I met you was she’s going to be the death of me,” Ford said, voice grumbly and sending goosebumps shooting down my arms. “I see that was accurate.”

Anticipation started to coil in my belly, knowing now that things would progress between us, rather than reducing those moments to some far off fantasy in my mind.

If it wasn’t for Sky and Shadow interrupting us, trotting up to us with urgency, I might have tried to make one of those fantasies a reality.

Chapter 21

Ford

Shadow was naturally tapped into every change of my emotional state, a benefit of our bond. It allowed her to know when I was in danger, which was likely what had her and Sky running up to us.

Apparently, she also knew when my self control was seconds away from snapping.

My brain was still barely working, only able to process things very, very slowly. I was shocked I was able to have such an intense conversation with Esme, seeing as I felt like my heart stopped the moment she’d kissed me.

My shock made me freeze for what felt like an eternity, even if it had only been about a second in real time. That was not, at all, how I’d planned that to happen.

Esme—and life itself—had a habit of disregarding my carefully laid plans. Including, but not limiting, kissing me for show and with an audience. That kid was lucky he interrupted when he did, or he would have seen a much different picture.

Had I gotten Esme in my arms, had those long legs wrapped around me for the first time…

Again, the brain was working slowly.

Even now, over an hour since that happened, nothing was quite in working order.

For instance, the appropriate emotion for me to be feeling at present was concern. Maybe an undertone of fear or anxiety.

That was what everyone else was feeling, Soren’s eyebrows knit together and Bellamy ringing her hands together. Freya was still off with Caspian’s aunt, or else she’d likely be showing the same. It might even get a reaction out of Arthur.

So tell me why, while they listened to Esme’s recounting of what we’d found and looked over the templates of Marks she’d drawn from memory, my baseline emotion was contentment. Even spiking with happiness when Esme smiled. A real smile, one I’d become increasingly familiar with and fond of since I’d gotten to see it up close.

Something on my face must of given me away, because Esme’s face lit up with another smile, this one edged with a secret.